Fishing at McPherson Lake, Ontonagon County, Michigan

• Overview

  McPherson Lake sits in Ontonagon County, out in Michigan. It sits at 1,604 feet above sea level. Roughly 26 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 0.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. 24 miles away sits Iron River, the nearest town. Stambaugh, Iron River is 26 miles and Eagle River 34 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on McPherson Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Ontonagon County names yellow perch, pink salmon, walleye and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish McPherson Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 64°F for July and 10°F for January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It holds true on McPherson Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Trap Lake is 0.2 miles distant. Where McPherson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.