Foote Dam Pond Fishing
A 1,696-acre Michigan pond in Iosco County.
Pick for rainbow troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Au Sable River: Mtn-graphic, CC BY-SA 4.0
Foote Dam Pond in brief
The state lake layer measures Foote Dam Pond at 1,696 acres; it lies in Iosco County. For fuel and groceries, Au Sable is about 8 miles off. It sits on the Lower Peninsula inside the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Northwestern Lake Huron watershed in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
The MDNR lists rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, walleye and future perhaps atlantic salmon here. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 14.9 feet in 2023. It carries the MDNR Family Friendly Fishing tag.
For the rainbow trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The fish list for Foote Dam Pond
These fish come from MDNR records for Foote Dam Pond: Fish Atlas collections from 1970 on, fishing site lists, stocking and records.
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Where to launch on Foote Dam Pond
Without a mapped launch on Foote Dam Pond, use one of the nearby sites.
Fishing from land at Foote Dam Pond
- Foote Dam (Au Sable River) fishing site, Oscodafishing pier, pier
Boat launches by Foote Dam Pond
- Lower Foote Dam Boat AccessAu Sable River, 3 miles southeast
- Van Etten Lake State Forest Campground Boat AccessVan Etten Lake, 6 miles east
- Cedar Lake Boat Access near OscodaCedar Lake, 8 miles northeast
- Au Sable River Mouth Boat AccessAu Sable River, 9 miles east
- Tawas Lake Boat AccessTawas Lake, 11 miles south
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity trend at Foote Dam Pond
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Foote Dam Pond; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 2.71 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.
Limits and seasons for Foote Dam Pond
| 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 rows for the Lower Peninsula are shown for Foote Dam Pond; the trout row follows its MDNR lake Type when it has one.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Neighbor lakes of Foote Dam Pond, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foote Dam Pond | 1,696 | 0 | 14.9 | 4 | |
| Cooke Dam Pond | 6 miles west | 1,636 | 0 | 13.3 | 7 |
| Van Etten Lake | 6 miles east | 1,409 | 1 | 5.4 | 0 |
| Cedar Lake, Iosco County | 8 miles east | 142 | 0 | 7.9 | 0 |
| Cedar Lake, Alcona County | 9 miles northeast | 912 | 1 | 6.2 | 0 |
| Tawas Lake | 10 miles south | 1,617 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
What sits close to Foote Dam Pond
Lakes to try next to Foote Dam Pond
- Cooke Dam Pond6 miles west
- Van Etten Lake6 miles east
- Cedar Lake, Iosco County8 miles east
- Cedar Lake, Alcona County9 miles northeast
- Tawas Lake10 miles south
Where to pick up bait for Foote Dam Pond
- Dam Storebait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 4 miles
- Pcsoutdoorsbait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 8 miles
- Play That Toon Againmarina, Oscoda, 8 miles
- Northeast Michigan Marinemarina, Oscoda, 8 miles
- Wellmans Party & Baitbait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 8 miles
- Bunyan Town Marinamarina, Oscoda, 8 miles
Charter captains and guides near Foote Dam Pond
- Fin-Lander Sportfishing Charterscharter, Port Austin, (810) 404-1875
- Termar Charter Servicecharter, Au Gres, (989) 876-8318
- Trophy Sport Fishing Charterscharter, Port Austin, (989) 738-7603
Towns that put you close to Foote Dam Pond
- Au Sable8 miles
- Oscoda8 miles
- East Tawas11 miles
The counties around Foote Dam Pond
- Iosco Countyseat: Tawas City
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Foote Dam Pond
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Identifying the fish of Foote Dam Pond
Photo: Zitsman Carl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
What to know ahead of a day at Foote Dam Pond
Which MDNR unit manages Foote Dam Pond?
Iosco County, Southern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 8 miles from Au Sable.
What surface area does EGLE give Foote Dam Pond?
The state layer shows 1,696 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Foote Dam Pond?
No mapped ramp; the closest are listed.
What bites in Foote Dam Pond?
Expect rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, walleye and future perhaps atlantic salmon.
What are the walleye limits on Foote Dam Pond?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Foote Dam Pond?
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.
How far can you see into Foote Dam Pond?
About 14.9 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Foote Dam Pond?
Dam Store is the nearest, 4 miles away.
Line up a day on Foote Dam Pond
Michigan license prices and limits are one click away.