Sportsmen Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Montmorency County entry here is Sportsmen Lake, in Michigan. It lies 896 feet above sea level. About 18 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Lewiston, 15 miles away. For a city, Lansing is 162 miles off. Others worth noting: Voyer Lake out at 1.1 miles, Twin Lake lies 2.6 miles on, De Cheau Lake out at 3.2 miles, Jackson Lake lies 3.4 miles on and Bear Lake out at 3.8 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Sportsmen Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Montmorency County cover largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Sportsmen Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 17°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Sportsmen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Voyer Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Sportsmen Lake if anything is unclear.