Fishing Monk Lake in Gogebic County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Monk Lake falls inside Gogebic County. What surrounds it is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Gogebic County standards. Wakefield is the closest town at 21 miles. The big place round here is Green Bay, 144 miles distant. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Monk Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Gogebic County include bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Monk Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 10°F in January up to 65°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Monk Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Holly Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Monk Lake carry more weight than any list.