Fishing at Upper Thunder Lake, Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Schoolcraft County, Upper Thunder Lake is a Michigan water. The water sits 659 feet up. With some 38 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Bank access stretches around 2.6 miles in total. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. The town to know is Manistique, 16 miles out. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 134 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Upper Thunder Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Schoolcraft County include rainbow smelt, alewife and bloater. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Upper Thunder Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 15°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Upper Thunder Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Leg Lake at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Upper Thunder Lake as something to verify.