Props Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Props Lake in the Alger County part of Michigan. It lies 617 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 24 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. Nearest place of any size is Newberry, 26 miles away. Munising lies 43 miles off, Manistique another 53 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Props Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Alger County include yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Props Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 64°F at the top of summer and 17°F at the bottom of winter. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. From about late April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Props Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Randolph Lake, 1.3 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Props Lake.