Shelldrake Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Shelldrake Lake is set in Chippewa County, Michigan. The bank gives way to pine and birch. This is sizeable water at about 273 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. On our Chippewa County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Newberry, is 32 miles distant. Greater Sudbury sits 194 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Shelldrake Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Reported across Chippewa County: rainbow smelt, bloater, lake whitefish, alewife and lake trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Shelldrake Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 16°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Shelldrake Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Shelldrake Dam Sfcg Boat Launch gives a made launch, half a mile off. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Hawkins Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Shelldrake Lake carry more weight than any list.