Fishing at Silver Lake, Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Silver Lake, in Schoolcraft County. The surface lies 869 feet up. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Schoolcraft County standards. Supplies mean a trip to Munising, 19 miles off. The big place round here is Green Bay, 159 miles distant. Nearby, in order: Cusino Lake 0.6 miles, Little Ross Lake 0.8 miles away, Ross Lake 1.3 miles, Worchester Lake 1.8 miles away and Fork Lake 1.9 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Schoolcraft County, recorded fish include rainbow smelt, alewife and bloater. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Silver Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 16°F and July at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about late April and return around early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Silver Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Cusino Lake Boat Launch gives a made launch, half a mile off. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Cusino Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Silver Lake carry more weight than any list.