Fishing Mud Lake in Marquette County, Michigan

• Overview

  Mud Lake stands in Marquette County, Michigan. The surface lies 1,594 feet up. At 11 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. West Ishpeming lies 11 miles from the water. After that come Ishpeming at 13 miles and Negaunee at 15 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Mud Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 64°F for July and 11°F for January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Mud Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Autio Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Mud Lake should be assumed from this page alone.