Mitchell Lake Fishing in Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  Mitchell Lake is one of the Schoolcraft County listings for Michigan. This is rolling bush country. The water covers some 138 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The shoreline runs about 3.9 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It ranks high for size among our Schoolcraft County listings. Newberry is the closest place, 23 miles off. For a city, Green Bay is 173 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Mitchell Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Schoolcraft County, recorded fish include rainbow smelt, alewife and bloater. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Work Mitchell Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 16°F in January up to 64°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Mitchell Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Sleeper Lake, 1.3 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Mitchell Lake for certain.