Rush Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Marquette County, Michigan, is where Rush Lake sits. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. Roughly 311 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. With 4.9 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Marquette County. Supplies mean a trip to L'Anse, 27 miles off. Baraga is 28 miles away, with West Ishpeming at 30 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Rush Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Rush Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 17°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Rush Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lake Ann, 1.4 miles away. Confirm before you fish Rush Lake.