Fishing Mallard Lake in Alger County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Alger County entry here is Mallard Lake, in Michigan. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. At 17 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Munising at 25 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Green Bay, 167 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mallard Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Alger County include yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike, white sucker and rock bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Mallard Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in July and bottoms out near 16°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Mallard Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Reserve land runs up to the bank here, so read the notices. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Clyde Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Mallard Lake before loading the car.