Indian Lake Fishing
A 8,654-acre Michigan lake in Schoolcraft County.
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Indian Lake for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Indian Lake 8,654 acres of surface water inside Schoolcraft County. Base a trip in Manistique, about 4 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Northern Lake Michigan unit cover it (Upper Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: Northern Lakes and Forests. Watershed: Northwestern Lake Michigan.
Anglers can expect cisco and walleye, per MDNR records. Boaters reach it through 3 public launches. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 8.3 feet of clarity.
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Chips below show what the MDNR has documented in Indian Lake.
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Indian Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lake herring | 2 | 1937 to 1988 |
| Shorthead redhorse | 1 | 1952 |
| Blackside darter | 1 | 1928 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1928 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1928 |
| Mimic shiner | 1 | 1928 |
| Sand shiner | 1 | 1928 |
| Spottail shiner | 1 | 1928 |
| White sucker | 1 | 1928 |
| Yellow perch | 1 | 1928 |
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 Indian Lake
- Indian Lake State Park South Unit2 lanes, 13 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Indian Lake State Park
- Palms Book State Park1 lane, 5 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Indian Lake State Park
- Indian Lake State Park West Unitboat ramp, Recreation Passport; Indian Lake State Park
Other public launches near Indian Lake
- Manistique River Boat AccessManistique River, 4 miles southeast
- Dodge Lake Boat AccessIsland Lake, 9 miles north
- Merwin Creek State Forest Campground Boat AccessManistique River, 10 miles east
- Ashford Lake Boat AccessAshford Lake, 11 miles north
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Satellite clarity readings for Indian Lake
Clarity at Indian Lake is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 5.91 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.
Size and bag limits on Indian 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 |
For Indian Lake, statewide inland limits for the Upper Peninsula apply unless an exception is listed.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Fish planted in Indian Lake
The MDNR stocking table logs 11 plants in Indian Lake from 2024 to 2026, 98,290 fish in all, mostly walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 22, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.4 in | 13,804 |
| June 18, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 3.6 in | 9,319 |
| July 7, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 3.7 in | 9,231 |
| June 23, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.8 in | 2,012 |
| June 26, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4 in | 1,021 |
| June 17, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 2.8 in | 12,789 |
| June 24, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 3.9 in | 10,757 |
| June 30, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.8 in | 1,727 |
| June 23, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 5 in | 1,414 |
| June 17, 2024 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 3.8 in | 24,900 |
| June 25, 2024 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.4 in | 11,316 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Lakes around Indian Lake side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Lake | 8,654 | 3 | 8.3 | 2 | |
| Island Lake, Schoolcraft County | 9 miles north | 103 | 1 | 10.5 | 0 |
| Banana Lake | 10 miles northwest | 22 | 0 | 11.7 | 0 |
| Bear Lake, Delta County | 10 miles northwest | 30 | 0 | 8.6 | 0 |
| Thunder Lake, Schoolcraft County | 11 miles northwest | 331 | 0 | 9.1 | 5 |
| Carr Lake, Delta County | 11 miles northwest | 18 | 0 | 15.3 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
In the Indian Lake area
More Michigan lakes by Indian Lake
- Island Lake, Schoolcraft County9 miles north
- Banana Lake10 miles northwest
- Bear Lake, Delta County10 miles northwest
- Thunder Lake, Schoolcraft County11 miles northwest
- Carr Lake, Delta County11 miles northwest
Stores that outfit Indian Lake anglers
- E & J Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Manistique, 4 miles
- Top O' Lake Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Manistique, 4 miles
- Garden Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Cooks, 12 miles
Captains who run Indian Lake
- Caddis Shack Guide Servicecharter, Escanaba, (906) 280-8791
Where to sleep for a trip to Indian Lake
- Manistique4 miles
- Garden19 miles
- Rapid River31 miles
Indian Lake county guides
- Schoolcraft Countyseat: Manistique
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Indian Lake
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The shore near Indian Lake through a lens
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
Photo: Phoenix-Five, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region, Public domain
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Asked and answered: fishing Indian Lake
Where in Michigan does Indian Lake lie?
Schoolcraft County, Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 4 miles from Manistique is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Indian Lake in acres?
EGLE measures 8,654 acres.
Where is the ramp at Indian Lake?
3 public launches, including Indian Lake State Park South Unit.
Does Indian Lake hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list cisco and walleye.
What size limits cover Indian Lake?
Walleye (Upper Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season May 15 – March 15.
Does fishing Indian 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 Indian Lake have?
In 2023, about 8.3 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Indian Lake?
Closest on our list: E & J Bait & Tackle Shop at 4 miles.
How many fish went into Indian Lake recently?
Most recently in 2026: 13,804 walleye, 9,319 walleye and 9,231 walleye.
Spend a morning casting Indian Lake
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.