Lake Sixteen in Marquette County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Marquette County, Michigan, sits Lake Sixteen. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Marquette County are larger. West Ishpeming is the closest place, 18 miles off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 138 miles off. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Lake Sixteen

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Anyone new to Lake Sixteen should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 64°F, with January the cold end at about 11°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Lake Sixteen regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Mud Lake is 1.1 miles distant. Signs at Lake Sixteen carry more weight than any list.