Porterfield Lake Fishing near West Ishpeming, Michigan

• Overview

  Porterfield Lake sits within Marquette County in Michigan. It sits at 1,417 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 35 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. It sits higher than most water we list in Michigan. For a base, West Ishpeming sits 19 miles out. Ishpeming is 20 miles away, with Crystal Falls at 22 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Porterfield Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch and rainbow smelt. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Porterfield Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 11°F in January to roughly 64°F in July. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Porterfield Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Chain of Lakes is 0.9 miles off. Confirm access to Porterfield Lake locally before you travel.