Fishing Misty Lake in Alger County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Alger County end of Michigan holds Misty Lake. Height above sea level is 866 feet. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Alger County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 7.5 miles away sits Munising, the nearest settlement. Green Bay sits 140 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Misty Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Alger County include yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike and white sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Misty Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 15°F to 65°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Misty Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Moth Lake, 0.4 miles away. Rules at Misty Lake are worth checking on the day.