Fishing Turtle Lake in Keweenaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Keweenaw County end of Michigan holds Turtle Lake. Around the bank it is lake country bush. At roughly 23 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The bank runs about 1.3 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. Start from Laurium, 8.8 miles down the road. Thunder Bay sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Turtle Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Keweenaw County include rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker and cisco. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Turtle Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in August and bottom out at 18°F in January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Turtle Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A protected area covers this ground, which usually means restrictions on access. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Seneca Lake at 3.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Turtle Lake.