Second Lake near Escanaba: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Second Lake sits within Delta County in Michigan. It sits in rolling bush. Surface area is around 32 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Some 12 miles away sits Escanaba, the nearest settlement. Gladstone is 17 miles away, with Norway at 28 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Delta County cover white sucker, alewife, rock bass, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Second Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 15°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Second Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, First Lake is 0.8 miles off. What applies at Second Lake may have changed since it was mapped.