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Michigan inland lakes
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Cass Lake Fishing
A 1,248-acre Michigan lake in Oakland County.
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Oakland County
An overview of Cass Lake
At 1,248 acres, Cass Lake ranks as a lake of Oakland County. Keego Harbor sits under a mile from the water. Fisheries work here falls to the MDNR Lake Erie Management Unit, on the Lower Peninsula. Set in the Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregion, it feeds the St. Clair-Detroit basin.
Fish on file for it include cisco, brook silverside, common carp, catfish, crappie and largemouth bass. 1 public launch put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 10.8 feet in 2023, from satellite data. Families will find it on the MDNR Family Friendly Fishing map.
1,248acres
1public launches
10.8 ftsatellite clarity
11fish on record
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Species on record for Cass Lake
Fish documented by the MDNR at Cass Lake, linked where Michigan has a species page.
Cisco Brook silverside Common carp Catfish Crappie Largemouth bass Northern pike Smallmouth bass Sunfish Walleye Yellow perch
Collection counts for Cass Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lake herring | 2 | 1890 to 1992 |
| Brook silverside | 1 | 1987 |
| Yellow perch | 1 | 1927 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Boat access to Cass Lake
- Dodge #4 State Park – Cass Lake4 lanes, 85 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Dodge 4 State Park
Walk-up spots on Cass Lake
- Cass Lake fishing site, Orchard Lake Villagefishing pier, Dawn until dusk, pier
Boat access sites near Cass Lake
- Orchard Lake Boat AccessOrchard Lake, 2 miles south
- Crescent Lake Boat AccessCrescent Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Union Lake South Boat AccessUnion Lake, 4 miles west
- Union Lake Boat Access near Orchard Lake VillageUnion Lake, 4 miles west
- Long Lake Boat Access near Wolverine LakeLong Lake, 5 miles west
- Loon Lake Boat Access near Lake AngelusLoon Lake, 5 miles north
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Cass Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Cass Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 3.89 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.
Regulations
The regulations that cover Cass 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 Cass Lake.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking
Stocking events at Cass Lake
Cass Lake took 81,459 fish over 4 plants from 2025 through 2025, led by walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 25, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 6 in | 41,865 |
| June 26, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 6 in | 29,769 |
| June 6, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.9 in | 5,846 |
| June 6, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.6 in | 3,979 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Compare
A comparison table for Cass Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass Lake | 1,248 | 1 | 10.8 | 11 | |
| Orchard Lake, Oakland County | 2 miles south | 796 | 1 | 12.6 | 12 |
| Crescent Lake | 2 miles northwest | 91 | 1 | 8.6 | 0 |
| Green Lake near Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County | 3 miles west | 163 | 0 | 12.8 | 1 |
| Union Lake, Oakland County | 4 miles west | 467 | 2 | 12.1 | 1 |
| Walnut Lake | 4 miles southeast | 236 | 0 | 14.2 | 19 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
Places around Cass Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Cass Lake
- Orchard Lake, Oakland County2 miles south
- Crescent Lake2 miles northwest
- Green Lake near Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County3 miles west
- Union Lake, Oakland County4 miles west
- Walnut Lake4 miles southeast
Bait and tackle counters by Cass Lake
- Cass Lake Dry Dock Marina Incmarina, Waterford, under a mile
- SkipperBud'smarina, Waterford, under a mile
- Club Royale Marinamarina, Waterford, 1 mile
- Oakland County Boat Clubmarina, Sylvan Lake, 2 miles
- Summit Northmarina, Waterford, 3 miles
- Dmf Bait Companybait and tackle shop, Waterford, 3 miles
A guided day on Cass Lake
- Michigan Guide Inccharter, Novi, (248) 305-7337
- Take Me Fishin Michigancharter, Waterford, (248) 343-9970
- Walleye Kingfishing guide, Waterford, (231) 557-2755
- Wilderness Journey- BWCA Guide & Outfitterfishing guide, Novi, (734) 664-0353
Michigan towns a short drive from Cass Lake
- Keego Harborunder a mile
- Sylvan Lake1 mile
- Orchard Lake Village2 miles
Cass Lake, county by county
- Oakland Countyseat: Pontiac
Piscifun
What Piscifun sells for Cass Lake anglers
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Answers
Fishing Cass Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Cass Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Oakland County, Lake Erie Management Unit, under a mile from Keego Harbor.
How big is Cass Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 1,248 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Cass Lake?
Start at Dodge #4 State Park – Cass Lake, one of 1 public launch.
What fish live in Cass Lake?
On file: cisco, brook silverside, common carp, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike.
Does the digest list special rules for Cass Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Cass 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 Cass Lake clarity?
Close to 10.8 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Cass Lake?
Drive under a mile to Cass Lake Dry Dock Marina Inc.
What has the MDNR planted in Cass Lake?
2025 plants: 41,865 walleye, 29,769 walleye and 5,846 walleye.
Circle Cass Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.