Swanson Lake in Menominee County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Menominee County, Michigan, is where Swanson Lake sits. The country here is rolling bush. Head to Norway, 23 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Niagara, 24 miles, and Menominee, 26 miles. Nearby alternatives: Ash Lake the better part of 0.2 miles, Linnbeck Lake roughly 1 mile, Johnson Lake the better part of 1.4 miles, Lake Ann roughly 1.7 miles and Lake Mary the better part of 2.1 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Swanson Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Menominee County cover white sucker, johnny darter, brown trout and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Swanson Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 14°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Swanson Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown 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. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Ash Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. For Swanson Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.