Austin Lake Fishing
A 1,102-acre Michigan lake in Kalamazoo County.
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Austin Lake: size, place and fish
Kalamazoo County holds Austin Lake, a lake of 1,102 acres. The nearest Census place is Portage, roughly 3 miles from the shore point. Management unit: Southern Lake Michigan; peninsula: Lower Peninsula. Its water heads toward the Southeastern Lake Michigan basin, in the Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregion.
MDNR records name crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike and yellow perch. You can launch at 1 public launch. A 2023 satellite estimate shows about 9.5 feet of visibility. MDNR flags it as a Family Friendly Fishing spot.
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Each fish below has an MDNR record tied to Austin Lake.
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launch sites at Austin Lake
- Austin Lake Boat Access2 lanes, 38 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Fort Custer State Recreation Area
Fishing sites along Austin Lake
- Austin Lake fishing site, Portagebank fishing area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Ramps within reach of Austin Lake
- Long Lake Boat Access near PortageLong Lake, under a mile northeast
- Prairie View County ParkHogset Lake, 3 miles southwest
- Hogset Lake Boat AccessHogset Lake, 3 miles southwest
- Sugarloaf Lake Boat Access near SchoolcraftSugarloaf Lake, 4 miles west
- Barton Lake Boat AccessBarton Lake, 6 miles south
- Morrow Pond Boat AccessMorrow Lake, 8 miles northeast
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
The color and clarity of Austin Lake
EGLE derives the Austin Lake readings from Landsat, July through September.
Algae, measured as chlorophyll a, ran 4.51 micrograms per liter in 2023.
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.
Water height on Austin Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Lake Near Kalamazoo, Mi | 5.76 ft gage height, 855.21 ft lake elevation | Oct 24 5:45 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 24, 2026 6:35 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Season dates at Austin 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 (Lower Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Lower Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | Last Sat. in April – 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 |
The table gives the statewide inland limits Austin Lake falls under on the Lower Peninsula.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
MDNR plants at Austin Lake
Between 2024 and 2024, 2 recorded plants put 1,550 fish into Austin Lake; muskellunge lead the list.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 13, 2024 | Muskellunge | Great Lakes | 22.9 in | 1,211 |
| October 31, 2024 | Muskellunge | Great Lakes | 23.3 in | 339 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Club and trail events on Austin Lake
See the Austin Lake tournament page for organizers and weights.
Austin Lake compared with close lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Lake | 1,102 | 1 | 9.5 | 5 | |
| Long Lake, Kalamazoo County | 2 miles northeast | 500 | 1 | 9.1 | 1 |
| Hogset Lake | 3 miles southwest | 79 | 2 | 8.5 | 0 |
| Sugarloaf Lake, Kalamazoo County | 4 miles west | 146 | 1 | 10.1 | 0 |
| Barton Lake | 6 miles south | 330 | 1 | 8.7 | 0 |
| Howard Lake, Kalamazoo County | 7 miles south | 151 | 0 | 10.9 | 1 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
A short drive from Austin Lake
Lakes in the same corner as Austin Lake
- Long Lake, Kalamazoo County2 miles northeast
- Hogset Lake3 miles southwest
- Sugarloaf Lake, Kalamazoo County4 miles west
- Barton Lake6 miles south
- Howard Lake, Kalamazoo County7 miles south
Shops to stop at on the way to Austin Lake
- Boat City Marinemarina, Portage, 1 mile
- Docks Unlimitedmarina, Portage, 1 mile
- Double L Bait & Marinebait and tackle shop, Vicksburg, 1 mile
- Rwr Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Portage, 1 mile
- Stankxbaitcobait and tackle shop, Portage, 2 miles
- Arch Tacklebait and tackle shop, Portage, 4 miles
Guides that list Austin Lake
- reel down outfitterscharter, hastings, (616) 914-7416
Base camps for Austin Lake
- Portage3 miles
- Vicksburg4 miles
- Schoolcraft6 miles
Counties that Austin Lake spans
- Kalamazoo Countyseat: Kalamazoo
Piscifun gear picked for Austin Lake
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Species to expect at Austin Lake
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Things to settle before fishing Austin Lake
Which part of Michigan holds Austin Lake?
Its shore is in Kalamazoo County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 3 miles from Portage.
What size is Austin Lake?
1,102 acres of surface water.
Does Austin Lake have a public boat launch?
MDNR maps 1 public launch; Austin Lake Boat Access is a good start.
What swims in Austin Lake?
crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike and yellow perch, per MDNR records.
Which MDNR rules govern Austin Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Can a visitor fish Austin Lake on 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.
Does Austin Lake run clear or murky?
Summer 2023 imagery: about 9.5 feet.
Who sells bait nearest Austin Lake?
Boat City Marine sits about 1 mile from the lake.
Is Austin Lake stocked?
In 2024 the MDNR planted 1,211 muskellunge and 339 muskellunge.
Pick a weekend for Austin Lake
The license page holds every Michigan fee and season.