Petticoat Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Petticoat Lake in the Baraga County part of Michigan. It lies 1,703 feet above sea level. The water covers some 134 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 2.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is among the larger waters listed here for Baraga County. Supplies mean a trip to L'Anse, 20 miles off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 138 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Petticoat Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Baraga County records list yellow perch, pink salmon, white sucker and walleye among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The near bank of Petticoat Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 10°F to 64°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Petticoat Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Spruce Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Petticoat Lake locally before you travel.