Burt Lake Fishing
A 17,404-acre Michigan lake in Cheboygan County.
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An overview of Burt Lake
At 17,404 acres, Burt Lake ranks as a lake of Cheboygan County. Alanson sits about 5 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 cisco and lake sturgeon. 2 public launches put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 13.1 feet in 2023, from satellite data.
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Fish documented by the MDNR at Burt Lake, linked where Michigan has a species page.
Collection counts for Burt Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lake herring | 2 | 1887 to 1975 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 4 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Emerald shiner | 4 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Common shiner | 3 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Johnny darter | 3 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Sand shiner | 3 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Spottail shiner | 3 | 1925 to 1955 |
| White sucker | 3 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Longnose gar | 2 | 1946 to 1955 |
| Mimic shiner | 2 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Northern logperch | 2 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Rock bass | 2 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Smallmouth bass | 2 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Yellow perch | 2 | 1925 to 1955 |
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 Burt Lake
- Burt Lake State Park3 lanes, 76 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Burt Lake State Park
- Maple Bay State Forest Campground Boat Access2 lanes, 38 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet; Burt Lake State Park
Boat access sites near Burt Lake
- Hay Lake Marina ParkCrooked River, 5 miles west
- Crooked Lake Boat Access near AlansonCrooked Lake, 7 miles southwest
- Cochran Lake Boat AccessCochran Lake, 8 miles southeast
- Jewell Road Boat AccessMullett Lake, 9 miles east
- Lancaster Lake Boat AccessLancaster Lake, 10 miles north
- Rondo Boat AccessSturgeon River, 11 miles south
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Burt Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Burt Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 2.88 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 Burt 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 Burt Lake.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking events at Burt Lake
Burt Lake took 118 fish over 1 plants from 2025 through 2025, led by lake sturgeon.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | Black Lake | 15.1 in | 118 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
A comparison table for Burt Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burt Lake | 17,404 | 2 | 13.1 | 2 | |
| Cochran Lake | 8 miles southeast | 28 | 1 | 9.9 | 0 |
| Douglas Lake | 8 miles north | 3,729 | 0 | 10.4 | 2 |
| Mullett Lake | 8 miles east | 16,712 | 3 | 12.6 | 2 |
| Crooked Lake, Emmet County | 9 miles southwest | 2,353 | 1 | 7.3 | 0 |
| Silver Lake near Indian River, Cheboygan County | 10 miles east | 77 | 0 | 8.2 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Places around Burt Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Burt Lake
- Cochran Lake8 miles southeast
- Douglas Lake8 miles north
- Mullett Lake8 miles east
- Crooked Lake, Emmet County9 miles southwest
- Silver Lake near Indian River, Cheboygan County10 miles east
Bait and tackle counters by Burt Lake
- Burt Home Maintenancemarina, Brutus, 2 miles
- Michigan Wholesale Bait and Fish Farmsbait and tackle shop, Alanson, 5 miles
- Indian River Marina LLCmarina, Indian River, 5 miles
- Maple Bay Marinemarina, Brutus, 5 miles
- Landings Resort & Marinamarina, Indian River, 5 miles
- Young's Bait & Party Shopbait and tackle shop, Alanson, 5 miles
A guided day on Burt Lake
- MFM Sport Fishing Charter and Guide Servicecharter, Indian River, (231) 290-0975
- Plumber's Helper Charter Servicecharter, Petoskey, (231) 357-1513
- Running Deep Fishing Charterscharter, Cheboygan, (231) 818-7183
- rockin and reelin sportsfishingcharter, Cheboygan, (231) 203-4102
Michigan towns a short drive from Burt Lake
- Indian River4 miles
- Brutus5 miles
- Alanson5 miles
Burt Lake, county by county
- Cheboygan Countyseat: Cheboygan
What Piscifun sells for Burt Lake anglers
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Water around Burt Lake as the camera saw it
Photo: Cbower729, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Photo: ksblack99, Public domain
Photo: Ted Miller, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Fishing Burt Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Burt Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Cheboygan County, Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 5 miles from Alanson.
How big is Burt Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 17,404 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Burt Lake?
Start at Burt Lake State Park, one of 2 public launches.
What fish live in Burt Lake?
On file: cisco and lake sturgeon.
Does the digest list special rules for Burt Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Burt 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 Burt Lake clarity?
Close to 13.1 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Burt Lake?
Drive about 2 miles to Burt Home Maintenance.
What has the MDNR planted in Burt Lake?
2025 plants: 118 lake sturgeon.
Circle Burt Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.