Houghton Lake Fishing
A 20,090-acre Michigan lake in Roscommon County.
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Houghton Lake for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Houghton Lake 20,090 acres of surface water inside Roscommon County. Base a trip in Houghton Lake, about 3 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Central Lake Michigan unit cover it (Lower Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: Northern Lakes and Forests. Watershed: Northeastern Lake Michigan-Lake Michigan.
Anglers can expect walleye, bullhead, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass, per MDNR records. Boaters reach it through 4 public launches. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 8.7 feet of clarity. Family Friendly Fishing lists it, a sign of easy access for kids.
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Chips below show what the MDNR has documented in Houghton Lake.
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Houghton Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 17 | 1922 to 1971 |
| White sucker | 4 | 1927 to 1941 |
| Chestnut lamprey | 1 | 1940 |
| Northern pike | 11 | 1939 |
| Channel catfish | 2 | 1922 to 1939 |
| Rainbow trout | 1 | 1939 |
| Pumpkinseed | 49 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Rock bass | 44 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Bluegill | 20 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 18 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Johnny darter | 18 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Spottail shiner | 17 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Northern logperch | 16 | 1922 to 1935 |
| Common shiner | 14 | 1922 to 1935 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Getting a boat onto Houghton Lake
- Houghton Lake South Boat Access6 lanes, 116 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; North Higgins Lake State Park
- Houghton Lake West Boat Access6 lanes, 89 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; North Higgins Lake State Park
- Houghton Lake East Boat Access2 lanes, 32 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; South Higgins Lake State Park
- Denton Township Parkboat ramp; Denton Township
Bank fishing on Houghton Lake
- Lakeview Park on Houghton Lake fishing site, Houghton Lake/Roscommon Townshipfishing pier, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, pier
Other public launches near Houghton Lake
- Marl Lake Boat AccessMarl Lake, 6 miles northeast
- Reedsburg Dam State Forest Campground Boat AccessDead Stream Flooding, 6 miles west
- South Higgins Lake State ParkHiggins Lake, 6 miles northeast
- Higgins Lake West Boat AccessHiggins Lake, 9 miles north
- North Higgins Lake State ParkHiggins Lake, 11 miles north
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Satellite clarity readings for Houghton Lake
Clarity at Houghton Lake is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 6.16 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.
Houghton Lake lake level
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton Lake Nr Houghton Lake Heights, Mi | 8.03 ft gage height, 1,137.64 ft lake elevation | Oct 23 5:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 23, 2026 5:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Size and bag limits on Houghton 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 |
For Houghton Lake, statewide inland limits for the Lower Peninsula apply unless an exception is listed.
Digest exceptions naming Houghton Lake
- Roscommon CountyDenton Cr. from the Lake James Dam downstream to Houghton L. closed to fishing March 23 – April 23.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
State records caught in Houghton Lake
| Species | Weight lb | Length in | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | 40 | 41.5 | 1964 |
| Channel Catfish | 40 | 1960 |
MDNR State Record Fish table (year only; no angler names printed). All Michigan records.
Lakes around Houghton Lake side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Lake | 20,090 | 4 | 8.7 | 9 | |
| Dead Stream Flooding | 6 miles west | 567 | 2 | 8 | |
| Marl Lake near Roscommon, Roscommon County | 6 miles northeast | 238 | 1 | 1.4 | 0 |
| Higgins Lake | 8 miles north | 10,193 | 3 | 21.7 | 16 |
| Lake St. Helen | 15 miles east | 2,418 | 1 | 7.3 | 5 |
| Hoister Lake | 17 miles southeast | 23 | 2 | 6.4 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
In the Houghton Lake area
More Michigan lakes by Houghton Lake
- Dead Stream Flooding6 miles west
- Marl Lake near Roscommon, Roscommon County6 miles northeast
- Higgins Lake8 miles north
- Lake St. Helen15 miles east
- Hoister Lake17 miles southeast
Stores that outfit Houghton Lake anglers
- Heights Marinamarina, Houghton Lake, 3 miles
- Brian's Lakeside Marina Incmarina, Houghton Lake, 3 miles
- Lapham's Marinamarina, Houghton Lake, 3 miles
- Lyman's on the Lake Resortbait and tackle shop, Houghton Lake, 3 miles
- Charley's Marinemarina, Houghton Lake, 3 miles
- Marine Service Unlimitedmarina, Houghton Lake, 4 miles
Where to sleep for a trip to Houghton Lake
- Houghton Lake3 miles
- Prudenville5 miles
- Roscommon12 miles
Houghton Lake county guides
- Roscommon Countyseat: Roscommon
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Houghton Lake
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The shore near Houghton Lake through a lens
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Asked and answered: fishing Houghton Lake
Where in Michigan does Houghton Lake lie?
Roscommon County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 3 miles from Houghton Lake is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Houghton Lake in acres?
EGLE measures 20,090 acres.
Where is the ramp at Houghton Lake?
4 public launches, including Houghton Lake South Boat Access.
Does Houghton Lake hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list walleye, bullhead, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass and sunfish.
What size limits cover Houghton Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15. The digest also lists 1 county exception.
Does fishing Houghton Lake call for 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.
How many feet of visibility does Houghton Lake have?
In 2023, about 8.7 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Houghton Lake?
Closest on our list: Heights Marina at 3 miles.
Spend a morning casting Houghton Lake
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.