Round Lake near West Ishpeming: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Marquette County end of Michigan holds Round Lake. It lies 1,578 feet above sea level. It measures about 41 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. Head to West Ishpeming, 13 miles away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Thunder Bay is 140 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Marquette County, recorded fish include white sucker, yellow perch and rainbow smelt. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Round Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 11°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Round Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Glass Lake, 0.9 miles out. Check the current arrangement for Round Lake.