Chaney Lake Fishing
A 495-acre Michigan lake in Gogebic County.
Pick for smallmouthPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Lake Gogebic: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Meet Chaney Lake
Plan on 495 acres of open lake at Chaney Lake in Gogebic County. Wakefield is the closest town on the Census list, around 11 miles away. The MDNR handles it from the Western Lake Superior unit; it is a Upper Peninsula water. The lake lies in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion and the Southern Lake Superior-Lake Superior basin.
MDNR access data map 1 public launch. Landsat-based Secchi depth averaged about 3.2 feet in 2023.
Ramps serving Chaney Lake
- Chaney Lake Boat Access1 lane, 4 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Lake Gogebic State Park
More launches around Chaney Lake
- Black River Lake Boat AccessBlack River Lake, 7 miles west
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Water clarity at Chaney Lake
Satellite Secchi depth for Chaney Lake comes from EGLE summer averages (meters in the source, feet here).
Chlorophyll a was estimated at 30.08 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.
Keeper rules posted for Chaney 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 (Upper Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Upper Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | May 15 – 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 |
Chaney Lake follows the statewide inland table for the Upper 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.
For the smallmouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Chaney Lake next to nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaney Lake | 495 | 1 | 3.2 | 0 | |
| Henry Lake | 6 miles east | 47 | 0 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Black River Lake | 7 miles west | 112 | 1 | 3.9 | 0 |
| Redboat Lake | 7 miles east | 26 | 0 | 3.9 | 0 |
| Sunday Lake | 11 miles north | 226 | 0 | 2.5 | 6 |
| Tenderfoot Lake | 20 miles east | 455 | 0 | 8.6 | 1 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Near Chaney Lake
Nearby inland lakes for a Chaney Lake trip
- Henry Lake6 miles east
- Black River Lake7 miles west
- Redboat Lake7 miles east
- Sunday Lake11 miles north
- Tenderfoot Lake20 miles east
Hiring a guide for Chaney Lake
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Places to stay around Chaney Lake
- Marenisco10 miles
- Wakefield11 miles
- Ramsay11 miles
County fishing pages for Chaney Lake
- Gogebic Countyseat: Bessemer
Piscifun reels worth packing for Chaney Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and streams near Chaney Lake, pictured
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Ian Rastall, CC0 1.0
The usual questions about Chaney Lake
How far is Chaney Lake from a Michigan town?
It lies in Gogebic County, Western Lake Superior Management Unit, about 11 miles from Wakefield.
How large is Chaney Lake?
495 acres, by EGLE mapping.
Which launch serves Chaney Lake?
There are 1 public launch; Chaney Lake Boat Access has the most lanes.
Which species are in Chaney Lake?
No MDNR species list is published.
What are the keeper rules for Chaney Lake?
Walleye (Upper Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season May 15 – March 15.
Which Michigan license covers Chaney 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.
Is Chaney Lake a clear lake?
Roughly 3.2 feet (2023 satellite estimate).
Where do Chaney Lake anglers pick up worms?
No shop on our Michigan list sits within 25 miles.
Put Chaney Lake on the Michigan trip list
Fees, seasons and every statewide table are on the license page.