Little Pickerel Lake Fishing Guide, Iron County, Michigan

• Overview

  Little Pickerel Lake lies in Iron County, in Michigan. The bank is 1,608 feet above sea level. At about 45 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 1.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. The closest town, Crystal Falls, is 20 miles away. Iron River is 23 miles and Stambaugh, Iron River 24 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Little Pickerel Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Little Pickerel Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 10°F in January to roughly 64°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Pickerel Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Hemlock Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm access to Little Pickerel Lake locally before you travel.