Fishing Report For Lake Michigamme, MI

Current Report: Good

FALL. Late Fall brought cold water temperatures to the shallows, driving walleye and baitfish back toward deeper haunts. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers here. Ideal target areas include the north shoreline, shallow flats, humps, river channel edges, and points off Van Riper State Park. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early and late in the day finds them in 8 to 12 feet of water, mid day they hold 15 to 20 feet deep. Later in Fall, they move out slightly deeper. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. This Winter, fishing for walleye has been pretty good through the ice, as it has been for the last few years. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 20 to 50 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. In Spring work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, flats and flats adjacent to deeper water. The area out in front of the Michigamme Shores Campground to the mouth of the Peshekee River has some relatively shallow flats, that are typical of the areas walleye prefer. Nice walleye are historically caught near Van Riper and the north shore in Spring. Here, in 2 to 8 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 6 to 18 feet deep around creek inlets, shallow rock reefs, windblown rocky points and flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore. They often stay in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs are producing nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in the day, and again at dusk, walleye tend to concentrate in 6 to 15 feet of water. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 12 to 35 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

Current Report: Poor To Fair

Part of the Michigamme River system, Lake Michigamme is a notorious smallmouth fishery.

FALL. Fall is in full swing and smallmouth have followed schools of baitfish into coves and bays 8 to 18 feet deep. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them, especially around rocky islands and humps in the central basin. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 25 feet deep. Fishing shallow for smallmouth is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around steep rock banks and ledges along the main lake channel. deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels. They are often suspending in open water, above these features. Before, during and after ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 10 to 30 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tend to temp smallmouth in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They feed heavily in 3 to 11 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. The north and southwest arms are particularly good spawning areas. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 8 to 20 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass are currently feeding shallow early and late in the day in 8 to 12 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 20 to 30 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing deep humps, islands, deeper weedlines, ledges along the main channel, and the mouths of Spurr River and Peshekee River, are reporting good catches.

Current Report: Good

There are plenty of small northern pike, scattered all around the lake in small groups. The big boys however, tend to be lone hunters. 15 to 20-pound northern pike are not uncommon here, and locals are having a blast catching them.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings baitfish into shallower waters, and northerns follow along with this food source. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 4 to 15 feet of water. The northern shores, from Michigamme to the Michigamme Shores Campground has good numbers and produces some quality pike as well. This is a prime feeding time as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.

WINTER. Pike remain active in Winter, often congregating in or near remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Ice fishing was good here in winter, and is popular annually. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times they hold on structure in 20 to 30 feet of water, sometimes deeper.

SPRING. After ice out, northern pike migrate to shallow, warmer pockets, bays and coves. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn in 2 to 10 feet of water. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Ideal target areas include the mouths of Spurr and Peshekee Rivers, shallow flats and points in the north and west arms, and protected coves with submerged weeds. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to deeper weedbeds and shallow structures adjacent to even deeper water. Bright colors, whites and flashy lures appeal to these predators. Noisy topwater lures can also produce some spectacular strikes. Alternate between baits until you identify which one triggers the most bites for the day.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding from 6 to 20 feet deep, on ledges, reefs, weedbeds, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 4 to 12 feet of water. Noisy topwater lures, spinnerbaits and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, are catching nice pike shallow.