Syrup Lake in Houghton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Michigan, Syrup Lake belongs to Houghton County. The surface lies 1,604 feet up. At roughly 5 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Houghton County list. Iron River lies 24 miles from the water. The big place round here is Green Bay, 136 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Syrup Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Houghton County: rainbow smelt, bloater, cisco and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Syrup Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 10°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That is the shape of the year on Syrup Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Grosse Lake is 0.5 miles off. None of that is settled for Syrup Lake in what we hold.