Shawnee Lake in Chippewa County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Chippewa County entry here is Shawnee Lake, in Michigan. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Chippewa County are larger. The town to know is Sault Ste. Marie, 3.8 miles out. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 156 miles away. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Shawnee Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Chippewa County include rainbow smelt, bloater, lake whitefish and alewife. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Shawnee Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 65°F and January near 13°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Shawnee Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Oldman Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. For Shawnee Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.