Little Murphy Lake Fishing in Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  Little Murphy Lake sits within Schoolcraft County in Michigan. The country here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. Ground here is low by Michigan standards. Manistique sits 15 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Green Bay is 135 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Murphy Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Schoolcraft County include rainbow smelt, alewife and bloater. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Little Murphy Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 15°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Little Murphy Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Doyle Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Little Murphy Lake locally before you travel.