Fishing Shoepac Lake in Montmorency County, Michigan

• Overview

  Shoepac Lake lies in Montmorency County, in Michigan. It lies 820 feet above sea level. At about 53 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 1.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The closest town, Rogers City, is 21 miles away. Indian River is 24 miles and Lewiston 26 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Shoepac Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Montmorency County cover largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, rock bass and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Shoepac Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 17°F for January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to Shoepac Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A ramp at Shoepac Lake SFCG Boat Launch is mapped half a mile away. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Francis Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Shoepac Lake if anything is unclear.