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For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 $119.99
Lake Cadillac 2.7 mi
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0 
Manistee River 17 mi
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Muskegon River 27 mi
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Lake Erie 29 mi
Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
Michigan inland lakes
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 $79.99
Lake Mitchell Fishing
A 2,651-acre Michigan lake in Wexford County.
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: F Delventhal from Outside Washington, D.C., US, CC BY 2.0
Wexford County
Lake Mitchell for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Lake Mitchell 2,651 acres of surface water inside Wexford County. Base a trip in Cadillac, 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, per MDNR records. Boaters reach it through 1 public launch. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 7.5 feet of clarity.
2,651acres
1public launches
7.5 ftsatellite clarity
1fish on record
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Fish
Fish recorded in Lake Mitchell
Chips below show what the MDNR has documented in Lake Mitchell.
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Lake Mitchell
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 7 | 1927 |
| Yellow perch | 3 | 1927 |
| Rock bass | 2 | 1927 |
| Black bullhead | 1 | 1927 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1927 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1927 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1927 |
| Mimic shiner | 1 | 1927 |
| Smallmouth bass | 1 | 1927 |
| White sucker | 1 | 1927 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Getting a boat onto Lake Mitchell
- Mitchell State Park – Lake Mitchell2 lanes, 24 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Mitchell State Park
Other public launches near Lake Mitchell
- Mitchell State Park – Lake CadillacLake Cadillac, 2 miles southeast
- Kenwood ParkLake Cadillac, 2 miles east
- Berry Lake Boat AccessBerry Lake, 7 miles east
- Long Lake State Forest Campground Boat Access near HaringLong Lake, 8 miles northeast
- Diamond Lake Boat Access near TustinDiamond Lake, 11 miles south
- Sapphire Lake Boat AccessSapphire Lake, 12 miles east
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Satellite clarity readings for Lake Mitchell
Clarity at Lake Mitchell is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 7.52 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
Size and bag limits on Lake Mitchell
| 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 Lake Mitchell, statewide inland limits for the Lower 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.
Stocking
Fish planted in Lake Mitchell
The MDNR stocking table logs 7 plants in Lake Mitchell from 2024 to 2026, 929,402 fish in all, mostly walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2026 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.2 in | 73,835 |
| June 8, 2026 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.5 in | 56,819 |
| April 26, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 300,000 | |
| May 1, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 200,000 | |
| April 26, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 150,000 | |
| June 27, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 4.3 in | 102,834 |
| June 26, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.7 in | 45,914 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Compare
Lakes around Lake Mitchell side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Mitchell | 2,651 | 1 | 7.5 | 1 | |
| Lake Cadillac | 3 miles east | 1,173 | 2 | 8.6 | 9 |
| Berry Lake, Wexford County | 7 miles east | 68 | 1 | 5.3 | 0 |
| Long Lake, Wexford County | 8 miles northeast | 166 | 1 | 7.4 | 0 |
| Center Lake, Osceola County | 11 miles southeast | 41 | 0 | 15.3 | 0 |
| Diamond Lake, Osceola County | 11 miles south | 60 | 1 | 11.1 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
In the Lake Mitchell area
More Michigan lakes by Lake Mitchell
- Lake Cadillac3 miles east
- Berry Lake, Wexford County7 miles east
- Long Lake, Wexford County8 miles northeast
- Center Lake, Osceola County11 miles southeast
- Diamond Lake, Osceola County11 miles south
Stores that outfit Lake Mitchell anglers
- Johnson Carl Fishingbait and tackle shop, Cadillac, 1 mile
- Pilgrim Village Resort and Fish Shopbait and tackle shop, Cadillac, 2 miles
- Village Tacklebait and tackle shop, Cadillac, 3 miles
- Village Tackle Baitbait and tackle shop, Cadillac, 4 miles
- Fish Brothers Tackle Cobait and tackle shop, Tustin, 10 miles
- Eye's Have Itbait and tackle shop, Leroy, 15 miles
Captains who run Lake Mitchell
- Hooked Sport Fishing Charterscharter, Williamsburg, (231) 633-0834
- Prime Time Fishing Charterscharter, Williamsburg, (231) 645-6005
- Steelhead Nation Outfitterscharter, Wellston, (248) 996-0966
- Sue-Lee Charterscharter, Manistee, (231) 723-4025
Where to sleep for a trip to Lake Mitchell
- Cadillac3 miles
- Wedgewood4 miles
- Haring5 miles
Lake Mitchell county guides
- Wexford Countyseat: Cadillac
Piscifun
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Lake Mitchell
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Photographs
The shore near Lake Mitchell through a lens
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
Answers
Asked and answered: fishing Lake Mitchell
Where in Michigan does Lake Mitchell lie?
Wexford County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 3 miles from Cadillac is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Lake Mitchell in acres?
EGLE measures 2,651 acres.
Where is the ramp at Lake Mitchell?
1 public launch, including Mitchell State Park – Lake Mitchell.
Does Lake Mitchell hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list walleye.
What size limits cover Lake Mitchell?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does fishing Lake Mitchell 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 Lake Mitchell have?
In 2023, about 7.5 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Lake Mitchell?
Closest on our list: Johnson Carl Fishing at 1 mile.
How many fish went into Lake Mitchell recently?
Most recently in 2026: 73,835 walleye and 56,819 walleye.
Spend a morning casting Lake Mitchell
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.