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For the bullhead herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 $89.99
Brown Bullhead
Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Pumpkinseed
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0 
Flathead Catfish
Photo: USFWSmidwest, Public domain 
White Bass
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Michigan inland lakes
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Douglas Lake Fishing
A 3,729-acre Michigan lake in Cheboygan County.
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Cheboygan County
Douglas Lake: size, place and fish
Cheboygan County holds Douglas Lake, a lake of 3,729 acres. The nearest Census place is Pellston, roughly 4 miles from the shore point. Management unit: Northern Lake Huron; peninsula: Lower Peninsula. Its water heads toward the Northwestern Lake Huron basin, in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
MDNR records name brown bullhead, cisco and walleye. A 2023 satellite estimate shows about 10.4 feet of visibility.
3,729acres
0public launches
10.4 ftsatellite clarity
3fish on record
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What swims in Douglas Lake
Each fish below has an MDNR record tied to Douglas Lake.
How often surveys found each fish at Douglas Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Brown bullhead | 6 | 1914 to 1994 |
| Lake herring | 5 | 1909 to 1977 |
| Smallmouth bass | 21 | 1909 to 1927 |
| Trout-perch | 10 | 1909 to 1927 |
| Northern pike | 4 | 1909 to 1927 |
| Rock bass | 10 | 1909 to 1925 |
| Yellow perch | 10 | 1909 to 1923 |
| Bluegill | 7 | 1909 to 1923 |
| Sand shiner | 2 | 1920 to 1922 |
| Pumpkinseed | 8 | 1909 to 1921 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 2 | 1915 to 1920 |
| Golden shiner | 1 | 1920 |
| Iowa darter | 1 | 1920 |
| Western banded killifish | 1 | 1920 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Launch sites at Douglas Lake
No launch on Douglas Lake appears in the MDNR access data, so nearby options are listed.
Ramps within reach of Douglas Lake
- Lancaster Lake Boat AccessLancaster Lake, 3 miles north
- Munro Lake Boat AccessMunro Lake, 3 miles northeast
- Maple Bay State Forest Campground Boat AccessBurt Lake, 7 miles south
- Paradise Lake Boat Access on Lake ParadiseLake Paradise, 8 miles northwest
- Hay Lake Marina ParkCrooked River, 9 miles south
- Mullett Lake Village Boat AccessMullett Lake, 9 miles east
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
The color and clarity of Douglas Lake
EGLE derives the Douglas Lake readings from Landsat, July through September.
Algae, measured as chlorophyll a, ran 4.86 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.
Regulations
Season dates at Douglas 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 |
The table gives the statewide inland limits Douglas Lake falls under on the Lower Peninsula.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Stocking
MDNR plants at Douglas Lake
Between 2024 and 2024, 5 recorded plants put 303,533 fish into Douglas Lake; walleye lead the list.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2024 | Walleye | St. Marys River | 1.8 in | 150,000 |
| May 8, 2024 | Walleye | St. Marys River | 1.8 in | 150,000 |
| June 27, 2024 | Walleye | St. Marys River | 6.4 in | 3,528 |
| May 4, 2024 | Walleye | St. Marys River | 19.4 in | 3 |
| May 9, 2024 | Walleye | St. Marys River | 21 in | 2 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Compare
Douglas Lake compared with close lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Lake | 3,729 | 0 | 10.4 | 3 | |
| Munro Lake | 3 miles northeast | 515 | 1 | 6.3 | 0 |
| Lancaster Lake | 3 miles north | 51 | 1 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Lake Paradise | 8 miles north | 1,913 | 1 | 9.2 | 8 |
| Burt Lake | 8 miles south | 17,404 | 2 | 13.1 | 1 |
| Mullett Lake | 10 miles southeast | 16,712 | 3 | 12.6 | 2 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
A short drive from Douglas Lake
Lakes in the same corner as Douglas Lake
- Munro Lake3 miles northeast
- Lancaster Lake3 miles north
- Lake Paradise8 miles north
- Burt Lake8 miles south
- Mullett Lake10 miles southeast
Shops to stop at on the way to Douglas Lake
- Burt Home Maintenancemarina, Brutus, 6 miles
- Maple Bay Marinemarina, Brutus, 7 miles
- Paradise Lake Marinamarina, Carp Lake, 9 miles
- Mullet Lake Marina Incmarina, Cheboygan, 9 miles
- Katfisher Bait & Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Cheboygan, 9 miles
- Michigan Wholesale Bait and Fish Farmsbait and tackle shop, Alanson, 10 miles
Guides that list Douglas Lake
- Emma J Sport Fishing Charters Best price Tournament winnerscharter, Mackinaw City, (248) 421-0487
- 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
Base camps for Douglas Lake
- Pellston4 miles
- Levering5 miles
- Brutus7 miles
Counties that Douglas Lake spans
- Cheboygan Countyseat: Cheboygan
Piscifun
Piscifun gear picked for Douglas Lake
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Fish ID
Species to expect at Douglas Lake
Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWSmidwest, Public domain
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Answers
Things to settle before fishing Douglas Lake
Which part of Michigan holds Douglas Lake?
Its shore is in Cheboygan County, Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 4 miles from Pellston.
What size is Douglas Lake?
3,729 acres of surface water.
Does Douglas Lake have a public boat launch?
MDNR shows no launch on it.
What swims in Douglas Lake?
brown bullhead, cisco and walleye, per MDNR records.
Which MDNR rules govern Douglas Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Can a visitor fish Douglas Lake on a Michigan license?
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.
Does Douglas Lake run clear or murky?
Summer 2023 imagery: about 10.4 feet.
Who sells bait nearest Douglas Lake?
Burt Home Maintenance sits about 6 miles from the lake.
Is Douglas Lake stocked?
In 2024 the MDNR planted 150,000 walleye, 150,000 walleye and 3,528 walleye.
Pick a weekend for Douglas Lake
The license page holds every Michigan fee and season.