Fishing at McCollum Lake, Alcona County, Michigan

• Overview

  Alcona County in Michigan is where McCollum Lake sits. It sits at 909 feet above sea level. The water covers some 219 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With 3.4 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It ranks high for size among our Alcona County listings. Head to Mio, 14 miles away, for anything you forgot. Hubbard Lake lies 17 miles off, Lewiston another 22 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on McCollum Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Alcona County: white sucker, rock bass, yellow perch, northern pike and brown bullhead. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of McCollum Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 17°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At McCollum Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. For a change of water, Cranberry Lake is 1.1 miles distant. Confirm before you fish McCollum Lake.