Fishing at Pere Marquette Lake, Mason County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Pere Marquette Lake belongs to Mason County. What surrounds it is mixed forest. It measures some 610 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Shoreline length is close to 6.3 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mason County. Ludington is the closest place, 1.7 miles off. Then Scottville, 8.1 miles, and Hart, 17 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pere Marquette Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Mason County names rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Pere Marquette Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 69°F, the coldest about 23°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Pere Marquette Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A boat ramp sits 0.9 miles away, so trailered boats can get on. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There is a jetty 0.9 miles off, worth knowing on a busy day. There are toilets mapped about 0.9 miles away. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Hopkins Lake is 3.1 miles distant. For Pere Marquette Lake in particular, ask before you travel.