Mattie Lake in Ontonagon County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Mattie Lake is listed under Ontonagon County, Michigan. It sits in lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 13 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It sits higher than most water we list in Michigan. Start from Iron River, 31 miles down the road. It is 135 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Mattie Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Ontonagon County include yellow perch, pink salmon, walleye and brook trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Mattie Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 11°F to 65°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Mattie Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Millet Pond sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Mattie Lake is worth confirming on the day.