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Muskegon River 8.6 mi
Photo: Mojnsen, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Lake Cadillac 34 mi
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0 
Lake Mitchell 35 mi
Photo: F Delventhal from Outside Washington, D.C., US, CC BY 2.0 
Tittabawassee River 47 mi
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
Michigan inland lakes
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 $79.99
Chippewa Lake Fishing
A 792-acre Michigan lake in Mecosta County.
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Muskegon River: Phillip Hofmeister, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mecosta County
An overview of Chippewa Lake
At 792 acres, Chippewa Lake ranks as a lake of Mecosta County. Barryton sits about 8 miles from the water. Fisheries work here falls to the MDNR Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, on the Lower Peninsula. Set in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion, it feeds the Southwestern Lake Huron-Lake Huron basin.
Fish on file for it include walleye. 1 public launch put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 11.6 feet in 2023, from satellite data.
792acres
1public launches
11.6 ftsatellite clarity
1fish on record
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Fish
Species on record for Chippewa Lake
Fish documented by the MDNR at Chippewa Lake, linked where Michigan has a species page.
Collection counts for Chippewa Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 2 | 1917 to 1952 |
| Rock bass | 2 | 1917 to 1952 |
| Black crappie | 1 | 1952 |
| Blackchin shiner | 1 | 1952 |
| Blacknose shiner | 1 | 1952 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1952 |
| Brown bullhead | 1 | 1952 |
| Golden shiner | 1 | 1952 |
| Grass pickerel | 1 | 1952 |
| Iowa darter | 1 | 1952 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1952 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1952 |
| Longnose gar | 1 | 1952 |
| Northern logperch | 1 | 1952 |
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 Chippewa Lake
- Chippewa Lake Boat Access2 lanes, 40 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Clare Field Office
Boat access sites near Chippewa Lake
- Jehnsen Lake Boat AccessJehnsen Lake, 4 miles southeast
- Lower Evans Lake Boat AccessMartiny Lake, 4 miles southeast
- Big Evans Lake Boat AccessMartiny Lake, 4 miles southeast
- Hillsview Lake Boat AccessHillsview Lake, 5 miles southwest
- Pretty Lake Boat AccessPretty Lake, 5 miles southeast
- Bergess Lake Boat AccessBergess Lake, 5 miles west
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Chippewa Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Chippewa Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 4.83 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 Chippewa 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 Chippewa Lake.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking
Stocking events at Chippewa Lake
Chippewa Lake took 43,566 fish over 1 plants from 2025 through 2025, led by walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 5 in | 43,566 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Tournaments
Registered tournaments on Chippewa Lake
Registrations and results on Chippewa Lake have a page of their own.
Compare
A comparison table for Chippewa Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Lake | 792 | 1 | 11.6 | 1 | |
| Haymarsh Lakes (north) | 3 miles west | 231 | 1 | 9.4 | 0 |
| Jehnsen Lake | 4 miles southeast | 316 | 1 | 9.7 | 0 |
| Hillsview Lake | 5 miles southwest | 99 | 1 | 7.7 | 0 |
| Martiny Lake | 5 miles southeast | 1,665 | 5 | 12.7 | 6 |
| Pretty Lake, Mecosta County | 5 miles southeast | 116 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
Places around Chippewa Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Chippewa Lake
- Haymarsh Lakes (north)3 miles west
- Jehnsen Lake4 miles southeast
- Hillsview Lake5 miles southwest
- Martiny Lake5 miles southeast
- Pretty Lake, Mecosta County5 miles southeast
Bait and tackle counters by Chippewa Lake
- Horsehead Lake Marinamarina, Mecosta, 6 miles
- EMS Boat Storage & Transportmarina, Mecosta, 9 miles
- The Dam Toy Storemarina, Big Rapids, 12 miles
- Trigger Time Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Big Rapids, 12 miles
- Schafer's Bait & Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Weidman, 17 miles
- Beech's Lakeside Party Storebait and tackle shop, Weidman, 19 miles
A guided day on Chippewa Lake
- Iceberg's River Guide Servicecharter, Grant, (231) 834-8177
- Raptor Charterscharter, Barryton, (989) 382-5878
- West Michigan Guide Servicecharter, Newaygo, (231) 250-2375
- Betts Guide Servicefishing guide, Newaygo, (231) 519-7348
Michigan towns a short drive from Chippewa Lake
- Barryton8 miles
- Hersey10 miles
- Big Rapids10 miles
Chippewa Lake, county by county
- Mecosta Countyseat: Big Rapids
Piscifun
What Piscifun sells for Chippewa Lake anglers
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs
Water around Chippewa Lake as the camera saw it
Photo: Mojnsen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: F Delventhal from Outside Washington, D.C., US, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Answers
Fishing Chippewa Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Chippewa Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Mecosta County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 8 miles from Barryton.
How big is Chippewa Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 792 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Chippewa Lake?
Start at Chippewa Lake Boat Access, one of 1 public launch.
What fish live in Chippewa Lake?
On file: walleye.
Does the digest list special rules for Chippewa Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Chippewa 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 Chippewa Lake clarity?
Close to 11.6 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Chippewa Lake?
Drive about 6 miles to Horsehead Lake Marina.
What has the MDNR planted in Chippewa Lake?
2025 plants: 43,566 walleye.
Circle Chippewa Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.