Black Lake Fishing
A 10,117-acre Michigan lake in Cheboygan County.
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An overview of Black Lake
At 10,117 acres, Black Lake ranks as a lake of Cheboygan County. Onaway sits about 8 miles from the water. Fisheries work here falls to the MDNR Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, on the Lower Peninsula. Set in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion, it feeds the Northwestern Lake Huron basin.
Fish on file for it include blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, common shiner, creek chub and iowa darter. 2 public launches put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 11.3 feet in 2023, from satellite data. Families will find it on the MDNR Family Friendly Fishing map.
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Fish documented by the MDNR at Black Lake, linked where Michigan has a species page.
Collection counts for Black Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Common shiner | 3 | 1925 to 1995 |
| Northern logperch | 3 | 1925 to 1995 |
| Sand shiner | 3 | 1925 to 1995 |
| Longnose gar | 2 | 1935 to 1995 |
| Smallmouth bass | 2 | 1925 to 1995 |
| White sucker | 2 | 1925 to 1995 |
| Blacknose shiner | 1 | 1995 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1995 |
| Brown bullhead | 1 | 1995 |
| Creek chub | 1 | 1995 |
| Iowa darter | 1 | 1995 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1995 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1995 |
| Mimic shiner | 1 | 1995 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Boat access to Black Lake
- Black Lake State Forest Campground Boat Access1 lane, 12 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Cheboygan State Park
- Onaway State Park – Black Lake1 lane, 19 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, Recreation Passport; Onaway State Park
Walk-up spots on Black Lake
- Black Lake fishing site, North Allis townshipbank fishing area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Boat access sites near Black Lake
- Black River Boat AccessBlack River, 4 miles northwest
- Long Lake Boat Access near CheboyganLong Lake, 9 miles northwest
- Ocqueoc River Mouth Boat AccessOcqueoc River, 9 miles east
- Aloha State ParkMullett Lake, 10 miles west
- Jewell Road Boat AccessMullett Lake, 12 miles west
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Black Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Black Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 3.82 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.
The regulations that cover Black 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 |
Statewide inland rules for the Lower Peninsula govern Black Lake.
Special entries for Black Lake
- Cheboygan CountyBlack L. and tributaries no commercial minnow take; Sturgeon fishing prohibited except under special season (p. 15).
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking events at Black Lake
Black Lake took 2,264,000 fish over 2 plants from 2025 through 2025, led by walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 25, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 0.5 in | 1,264,000 |
| April 29, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 1,000,000 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
A comparison table for Black Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Lake | 10,117 | 2 | 11.3 | 23 | |
| Ocqueoc Lake | 7 miles east | 125 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Long Lake, Cheboygan County | 8 miles northwest | 379 | 1 | 16.1 | 0 |
| Silver Lake near Indian River, Cheboygan County | 11 miles west | 77 | 0 | 8.2 | 0 |
| Mullett Lake | 13 miles west | 16,712 | 3 | 12.6 | 2 |
| Cochran Lake | 15 miles west | 28 | 1 | 9.9 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Places around Black Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Black Lake
- Ocqueoc Lake7 miles east
- Long Lake, Cheboygan County8 miles northwest
- Silver Lake near Indian River, Cheboygan County11 miles west
- Mullett Lake13 miles west
- Cochran Lake15 miles west
Bait and tackle counters by Black Lake
- Hammond Bay State Harbormarina, Millersburg, 10 miles
- Mullet Lake Marina Incmarina, Cheboygan, 14 miles
- Katfisher Bait & Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Cheboygan, 15 miles
- Duncan Bay Boat Clubmarina, Cheboygan, 15 miles
- Landings Resort & Marinamarina, Indian River, 16 miles
- Walstrom Marine- Cheboyganmarina, Cheboygan, 16 miles
A guided day on Black Lake
- Emma J Sportfishingcharter, millersburg, (989) 370-6967
- MFM Sport Fishing Charter and Guide Servicecharter, Indian River, (231) 290-0975
- Running Deep Fishing Charterscharter, Cheboygan, (231) 818-7183
- rockin and reelin sportsfishingcharter, Cheboygan, (231) 203-4102
Michigan towns a short drive from Black Lake
- Onaway8 miles
- Tower8 miles
- Millersburg13 miles
Black Lake, county by county
- Cheboygan Countyseat: Cheboygan
What Piscifun sells for Black Lake anglers
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Water around Black Lake as the camera saw it
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: WildChild300, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Fishing Black Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Black Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Cheboygan County, Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 8 miles from Onaway.
How big is Black Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 10,117 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Black Lake?
Start at Black Lake State Forest Campground Boat Access, one of 2 public launches.
What fish live in Black Lake?
On file: blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, common shiner, creek chub, iowa darter and johnny darter.
Does the digest list special rules for Black Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15. The digest also lists 1 county exception.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Black Lake?
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.
What does satellite data say about Black Lake clarity?
Close to 11.3 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Black Lake?
Drive about 10 miles to Hammond Bay State Harbor.
What has the MDNR planted in Black Lake?
2025 plants: 1,264,000 walleye and 1,000,000 walleye.
Circle Black Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.