Opal Lake in Gogebic County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Gogebic County, Michigan, sits Opal Lake. The surroundings are pine and birch. At roughly 11 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other Michigan water on our list, it sits high. Start from Eagle River, 24 miles down the road. It is 131 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Opal Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Gogebic County, recorded fish include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Opal Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 9°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Opal Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Schneider Lake is 0.3 miles distant. None of that is settled for Opal Lake in what we hold.