Fishing Temple Lake in Gogebic County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Temple Lake, in Gogebic County. The bank is 1,575 feet above sea level. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Michigan water on our list, it sits high. Iron River sits 26 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 135 miles away. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Temple Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Gogebic County records list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and white sucker among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Take Temple Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 65°F and January at 10°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Temple Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Bum Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Temple Lake.