Mirror Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Alger County, Michigan, is where Mirror Lake sits. This is mixed forest country. It measures about 36 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Munising is the closest town at 9.5 miles. Beyond it, Manistique at 30 miles and K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base at 33 miles. Round about: Hartney Lake 0.9 miles away, Muddy Lake about 1.1 miles, Doe Lake 1.2 miles away, Shady Lake about 1.2 miles and Ready Lake 1.5 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Mirror Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Alger County list yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike and white sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Mirror Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. From about mid April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That is the shape of the year on Mirror Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Hartney Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Rules at Mirror Lake are worth checking on the day.