← Iron County

James Lake

📍 Iron County, Michigan

James Lake is a fishing water in Iron County, Michigan (Northern Lake Michigan management unit).

36
Fish species
0
Boat launches
✓
Public access
Conditions today D 40/100 Below-average Last stocked Jun 27, 2000 Walleye, 26.4 years ago Keeper size (estimated) No estimate Not enough size data Access 0 boat launches Public access

📊 Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable James Lake looks for the day you pick (today by default), from 0 to 100. It adds up five things: how recently the lake was stocked, the moon phase, the season, how many game and panfish species live here (such as largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

D
40/100
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Conditions score

Below-average, consider a different lake or time of day.

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Jun 27, 2000
Last: Jun 27, 2000
🌗 Moon Phase
Last Quarter
Feeding bonus
🍃 Season
Late Fall: fish fattening up
November
🐟 Species
6 game species present
Game & panfish
📐 Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for James Lake Today

Fall fish at James Lake are feeding heavily before winter. Match the forage: shad, crawfish, and perch patterns work well.

📊 Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy James Lake is likely to be today. It looks at the day of the week, the time of year, and whether the lake has been stocked recently, because fresh stockings tend to draw anglers. Lower pressure usually means more room to work the water for largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass.

Moderate estimated pressure today
Weekend Popular stocking lake

Moderate activity expected. Midweek mornings are typically quieter.

Estimate based on day of week, season, and recent stocking. Not a live crowd count.

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📅 Best Time to Fish James Lake

Combined bite activity across all 36 species in this lake.

Jan
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📏 Fishing Regulations

Statewide general rules for the species found here. Individual waters can have exceptions (special size limits, closed seasons, trout lake types), so check this lake's listing in the official DNR Fishing Guide before heading out.
SpeciesMin sizeDaily limit
Largemouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Northern Pike24"2
Smallmouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Walleye15"5
Yellow PerchNone25

📋 James Lake Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Jun 27, 2000 Walleye 6,500 1.3"
Sep 30, 1997 Walleye 561 6.3"
Jul 17, 1996 Walleye 4,125 2.2"
Jun 29, 1994 Walleye 4,200 1.7"
Jun 24, 1992 Walleye 4,200 1.7"
Jun 29, 1989 Walleye 11,152 1.9"
May 31, 1989 Northern Pike 1,000 4.3"
Apr 25, 1989 Northern Pike 422 15.8"
Jun 20, 1988 Walleye 7,000 1.5"
Jul 12, 1983 Walleye 5,275 2.2"
Jul 17, 1980 Walleye 5,300 2.0"
Apr 20, 1979 Northern Pike 200 17.7"

* Records shown are from our database. For the most current data, visit the Michigan DNR directly.

📅 Stocking Forecast

Based on 12 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: Apr.
Peak Stocking Months
Jun Jul Apr
Most Stocked Species
Walleye Northern Pike

* Forecast is based on historical DNR data and is not a guarantee of future stocking.

⚓ James Lake Boat Launches

No launch data on record for this lake. Browse all Michigan boat launches.

💡 Angler Tips for James Lake

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🌤 Current James Lake Weather Conditions

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🔗 Resources

📋 DNR Stocking Database 📖 Michigan Fishing Guide (PDF) 🗺 View on Map 📍 Google Maps 🎣 Log a catch here