Tenderfoot Lake Fishing
A 455-acre Michigan lake in Gogebic County.
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Tenderfoot Lake for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Tenderfoot Lake 455 acres of surface water inside Gogebic County. Base a trip in Marenisco, about 14 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Western Lake Superior unit cover it (Upper Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: Northern Lakes and Forests. Watershed: Southern Lake Superior-Lake Superior.
Anglers can expect muskellunge, per MDNR records. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 8.6 feet of clarity.
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Chips below show what the MDNR has documented in Tenderfoot Lake.
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Tenderfoot Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 1 | 1974 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Getting a boat onto Tenderfoot Lake
MDNR data place no public launch on Tenderfoot Lake; the closest mapped launches follow.
Other public launches near Tenderfoot Lake
- Cisco Lake Boat AccessCisco Lake, 4 miles northeast
- Clearwater Lake Boat AccessClearwater Lake, 6 miles northeast
- Thousand Island Lake Boat AccessThousand Island Lake, 7 miles east
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Satellite clarity readings for Tenderfoot Lake
Clarity at Tenderfoot Lake is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 4.35 micrograms per liter.
EGLE Michigan Inland Lakes Water Clarity layer (Landsat, July to September), checked October 2026. Depth is not published here: the layer depth fields are unreliable.
Size and bag limits on Tenderfoot Lake
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye (Upper Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Upper Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Muskellunge | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters) | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| White bass | 10 | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 5 in any combination | Open all year |
| Burbot | 5 | Open all year |
| Trout in unclassified lakes | 5, no more than 3 of which may be 15 inches or greater; minimum 8 inches | Open all year |
For Tenderfoot Lake, statewide inland limits for the Upper Peninsula apply unless an exception is listed.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Lakes around Tenderfoot Lake side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenderfoot Lake | 455 | 0 | 8.6 | 1 | |
| Cornelia Lake | 4 miles north | 15 | 0 | 4.7 | 0 |
| Cisco Lake | 4 miles east | 567 | 1 | 7.5 | 0 |
| Clearwater Lake | 6 miles northeast | 177 | 1 | 7.6 | 0 |
| Thousand Island Lake | 7 miles east | 1,008 | 1 | 11.6 | 1 |
| Snap Jack Lake | 8 miles east | 55 | 0 | 12.1 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
In the Tenderfoot Lake area
More Michigan lakes by Tenderfoot Lake
- Cornelia Lake4 miles north
- Cisco Lake4 miles east
- Clearwater Lake6 miles northeast
- Thousand Island Lake7 miles east
- Snap Jack Lake8 miles east
Captains who run Tenderfoot Lake
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Where to sleep for a trip to Tenderfoot Lake
- Marenisco14 miles
- Watersmeet16 miles
- Ewen25 miles
Tenderfoot Lake county guides
- Gogebic Countyseat: Bessemer
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Tenderfoot Lake
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The shore near Tenderfoot Lake through a lens
Photo: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: James Conkis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Asked and answered: fishing Tenderfoot Lake
Where in Michigan does Tenderfoot Lake lie?
Gogebic County, Western Lake Superior Management Unit, about 14 miles from Marenisco is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Tenderfoot Lake in acres?
EGLE measures 455 acres.
Where is the ramp at Tenderfoot Lake?
No public launch is on file; see the nearby list.
Does Tenderfoot Lake hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list muskellunge.
What size limits cover Tenderfoot Lake?
Walleye (Upper Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season May 15 – March 15.
Does fishing Tenderfoot Lake call for a Michigan license?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
How many feet of visibility does Tenderfoot Lake have?
In 2023, about 8.6 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Tenderfoot Lake?
Bring bait; every listed shop is over 25 miles away.
Spend a morning casting Tenderfoot Lake
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.