Teal Lake Fishing near Negaunee, Michigan

• Overview

  Teal Lake lies within the bounds of Marquette County, Michigan. The country here is mixed forest. The water covers around 510 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. On our Marquette County list it sits near the top for size. The nearest town is Negaunee, 1.2 miles away. Green Bay sits 139 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Teal Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Treat Teal Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 14°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Teal Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Baby Lake, 1.5 miles out. Check the current arrangement for Teal Lake.