Loon Lake Fishing near Manistique, Michigan

• Overview

  The Schoolcraft County end of Michigan holds Loon Lake. Elevation runs to 636 feet. Roughly 68 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. Manistique lies 19 miles from the water. Green Bay is the closest city, 147 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Loon Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Schoolcraft County include rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater, yellow perch and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Loon Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 65°F and January near 16°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Loon Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Cranberry Lake, 0.8 miles away. The position on Loon Lake is worth confirming on the day.