Mud Lake Fishing near West Ishpeming, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Mud Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. Elevation runs to 1,253 feet. Surface area runs to about 19 acres — small enough to read in one session. The nearest town is Gwinn, 21 miles away. Further out sit West Ishpeming (23 miles) and Crystal Falls (24 miles). Neighbouring water: Van Derlin Lake about 3.1 miles, O'Neil Lake (3.9 miles), Pickerel Lake about 6.5 miles, Kemp Lake (6.6 miles) and Kaski Lake about 6.7 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Dickinson County include bluegill, walleye, yellow perch, brown trout and largemouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Mud Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 64°F and January near 12°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Mud Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Van Derlin Lake, 3.1 miles away. Check the position at Mud Lake before loading the car.