Fishing Upper Holmes Lake in Houghton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Houghton County, Michigan, you have Upper Holmes Lake. It stands 1,568 feet above sea level. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 1.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is high ground by Michigan standards. Head to Iron River, 20 miles away, for anything you forgot. Stambaugh, Iron River lies 21 miles off, Crystal Falls another 30 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Upper Holmes Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Houghton County list rainbow smelt, bloater and cisco. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Upper Holmes Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 10°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan any trip to Upper Holmes Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Lower Holmes Lake, 0.7 miles out. Signs at Upper Holmes Lake carry more weight than any list.