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Manistee River 34 mi
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Crystal Lake 16 mi
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Platte River 18 mi
Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, CC BY 2.0 
Boardman River 32 mi
Photo: Phoenix-Five, CC BY-SA 4.0
Michigan inland lakes
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Bear Lake, Manistee County Fishing
A 1,875-acre Michigan lake in Manistee County.
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Manistee River: papadakp, CC BY-SA 3.0
Manistee County
Meet Bear Lake, Manistee County
Plan on 1,875 acres of open lake at Bear Lake, Manistee County in Manistee County. Bear Lake is the closest town on the Census list, around 1 mile away. The MDNR handles it from the Central Lake Michigan unit; it is a Lower Peninsula water. The lake lies in the North Central Hardwood Forests ecoregion and the Northeastern Lake Michigan-Lake Michigan basin.
Recent MDNR records show walleye. MDNR access data map 2 public launches. Landsat-based Secchi depth averaged about 12.8 feet in 2023.
1,875acres
2public launches
12.8 ftsatellite clarity
1fish on record
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Fish the MDNR has found in Bear Lake, Manistee County
The species chips for Bear Lake, Manistee County draw on the MDNR Fish Atlas, its fishing site lists and stocking logs.
Fish Atlas collections at Bear Lake, Manistee County by species
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Sand shiner | 6 | 1932 |
| Walleye | 5 | 1932 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 3 | 1932 |
| Emerald shiner | 3 | 1932 |
| Rock bass | 3 | 1932 |
| Spottail shiner | 3 | 1932 |
| White sucker | 3 | 1932 |
| Blacknose shiner | 2 | 1932 |
| Pumpkinseed | 2 | 1932 |
| Yellow perch | 2 | 1932 |
| Blackchin shiner | 1 | 1932 |
| Bluegill | 1 | 1932 |
| Common shiner | 1 | 1932 |
| Hornyhead chub | 1 | 1932 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Ramps serving Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Bear Lake Boat Access near Bear Lake (MDNR A-51-003)2 lanes, 15 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Orchard Beach State Park
- Hopkins Park1 lane, 8 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet; Village of Bear Lake
More launches around Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Glovers Lake Boat AccessGlovers Lake, 5 miles northeast
- Onekama Village ParkPortage Lake, 6 miles southwest
- Kenneth E. Messer Memorial Boat AccessArcadia Lake, 6 miles northwest
- Portage Lake Boat Access near OnekamaPortage Lake, 6 miles southwest
- County Line Bridge Boat Access on Betsie RiverBetsie River, 8 miles northeast
- Upper Herring Lake Boat AccessUpper Herring Lake, 10 miles north
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Water clarity at Bear Lake, Manistee County
Satellite Secchi depth for Bear Lake, Manistee County comes from EGLE summer averages (meters in the source, feet here).
Chlorophyll a was estimated at 3.46 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.
Regulations
Keeper rules posted for Bear Lake, Manistee County
| 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 |
Bear Lake, Manistee County follows the statewide inland table for the Lower Peninsula, plus any county exception below.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking
The plant history of Bear Lake, Manistee County
MDNR crews planted Bear Lake, Manistee County 2 times (2025 to 2026), 177,126 fish, chiefly walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Walleye | Muskegon | 5.2 in | 84,870 |
| June 3, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 2.8 in | 92,256 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Compare
Bear Lake, Manistee County next to nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake, Manistee County | 1,875 | 2 | 12.8 | 1 | |
| Glovers Lake | 5 miles northeast | 25 | 1 | 5.5 | 0 |
| Arcadia Lake | 5 miles northwest | 243 | 1 | 7.6 | 9 |
| Portage Lake, Manistee County | 6 miles southwest | 2,117 | 2 | 13.3 | 1 |
| Upper Herring Lake | 9 miles north | 573 | 1 | 8.4 | 0 |
| Lower Herring Lake | 9 miles north | 450 | 1 | 12.9 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
Near Bear Lake, Manistee County
Nearby inland lakes for a Bear Lake, Manistee County trip
- Glovers Lake5 miles northeast
- Arcadia Lake5 miles northwest
- Portage Lake, Manistee County6 miles southwest
- Upper Herring Lake9 miles north
- Lower Herring Lake9 miles north
Tackle stores within a drive of Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Osborn's Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Bear Lake, 4 miles
- Double SS Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Bear Lake, 5 miles
- Lakeside Treatsbait and tackle shop, Onekama, 6 miles
- Onekama Marine Incmarina, Onekama, 6 miles
- Andy's Tacklebait and tackle shop, Brethren, 11 miles
- Backcast Fly Shopfly shop, Benzonia, 12 miles
Hiring a guide for Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Intimidator Fishing Charterscharter, Elberta, (231) 651-9995
- Sandpiper III Charter Fishingcharter, Onekama, (231) 889-4258
- Sandpiper Sportfishing Charterscharter, Onekama, (231) 633-9631
- Sue-Lee Charterscharter, Manistee, (231) 723-4025
Places to stay around Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Bear Lake1 mile
- Onekama5 miles
- Arcadia6 miles
County fishing pages for Bear Lake, Manistee County
- Manistee Countyseat: Manistee
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Photographs
Lakes and streams near Bear Lake, Manistee County, pictured
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Phoenix-Five, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
The usual questions about Bear Lake, Manistee County
How far is Bear Lake, Manistee County from a Michigan town?
It lies in Manistee County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 1 mile from Bear Lake.
How large is Bear Lake, Manistee County?
1,875 acres, by EGLE mapping.
Which launch serves Bear Lake, Manistee County?
There are 2 public launches; Bear Lake Boat Access near Bear Lake (MDNR A-51-003) has the most lanes.
Which species are in Bear Lake, Manistee County?
The MDNR names walleye.
What are the keeper rules for Bear Lake, Manistee County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Which Michigan license covers Bear Lake, Manistee County?
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.
Is Bear Lake, Manistee County a clear lake?
Roughly 12.8 feet (2023 satellite estimate).
Where do Bear Lake, Manistee County anglers pick up worms?
Osborn's Sport Shop, about 4 miles away.
Which fish are planted in Bear Lake, Manistee County?
Latest year on file, 2026: 84,870 walleye.
Put Bear Lake, Manistee County on the Michigan trip list
Fees, seasons and every statewide table are on the license page.