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St. Joseph River 18 mi
Photo: Humbles Art, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Kalamazoo River 37 mi
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Lake Macatawa 40 mi
Photo: The original uploader was Triphook at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Gull Lake 46 mi
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Michigan inland lakes
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Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County Fishing
A 923-acre Michigan lake in Berrien County.
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of St. Joseph River: Marcusmax, CC BY-SA 4.0
Berrien County
Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County 923 acres of surface water inside Berrien County. Base a trip in Watervliet, about 2 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Southern Lake Michigan unit cover it (Lower Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains. Watershed: Southeastern Lake Michigan.
Anglers can expect common carp, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, sunfish and yellow perch, per MDNR records. Boaters reach it through 2 public launches. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 8.2 feet of clarity. Family Friendly Fishing lists it, a sign of easy access for kids.
923acres
2public launches
8.2 ftsatellite clarity
6fish on record
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Fish recorded in Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
Chips below show what the MDNR has documented in Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County.
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Chestnut lamprey | 1 | 1952 |
| Grass pickerel | 1 | 1940 |
| Bluegill | 1 | 1939 |
| Bowfin | 1 | 1939 |
| Brook silverside | 1 | 1939 |
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 Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Paw Paw Lake East Boat Access2 lanes, 16 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Allegan Field Office
- Paw Paw Lake West Boat Access1 lane, 20 trailer spaces, toilet, Recreation Passport; Allegan Field Office
Bank fishing on Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Paw Paw Lake fishing site, Watervlietfishing pier, Dawn until dusk, pier
Other public launches near Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Rush Lake Boat Access near HartfordRush Lake, 4 miles northeast
- Van Auken Lake Boat AccessVan Auken Lake, 6 miles northeast
- Shafer Lake Boat AccessShafer Lake, 9 miles east
- Hall Lake Boat Access near LawrenceHall Lake, 9 miles east
- Round Lake Boat Access near WatervlietRound Lake, 9 miles south
- Black Lake Boat AccessBlack Lake, 10 miles south
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Satellite clarity readings for Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
Clarity at Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 6.69 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 Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
| 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 Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County, 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.
Tournaments
Event dates for Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
Dates and winners for Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County are on its tournament page.
Compare
Lakes around Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County | 923 | 2 | 8.2 | 6 | |
| Little Paw Paw Lake | 1 mile northwest | 101 | 0 | 7.2 | 0 |
| Rush Lake, Van Buren County | 4 miles northeast | 121 | 1 | 7.3 | 1 |
| Van Auken Lake | 6 miles northeast | 253 | 1 | 5.4 | 0 |
| Shafer Lake | 9 miles east | 72 | 1 | 15.8 | 0 |
| Hall Lake, Van Buren County | 9 miles east | 21 | 1 | 6.5 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
In the Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County area
More Michigan lakes by Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Little Paw Paw Lake1 mile northwest
- Rush Lake, Van Buren County4 miles northeast
- Van Auken Lake6 miles northeast
- Shafer Lake9 miles east
- Hall Lake, Van Buren County9 miles east
Stores that outfit Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County anglers
- Ellinee Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Coloma, under a mile
- Jd's Marinemarina, Watervliet, 6 miles
- Lake Effect Power Sportsmarina, Benton Harbor, 9 miles
- Clear Water Marinamarina, Dowagiac, 10 miles
- The Lakes Marinamarina, Dowagiac, 10 miles
- Midway Watersports Inc Of Sister Lakesmarina, Dowagiac, 11 miles
Captains who run Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Big Bird Charterscharter, Saint Joseph, (269) 243-0633
- Come Sail Away Charterscharter, Saint Joseph, (269) 932-8400
- Fish Stalker Charterscharter, Saint Joseph, (269) 425-8651
- Line Dancer Sportfishingcharter, Benton Harbor, (734) 216-9021
Where to sleep for a trip to Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
- Paw Paw Lakeunder a mile
- Watervliet1 mile
- Coloma2 miles
Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County county guides
- Berrien Countyseat: St. Joseph
Piscifun
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
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Photographs
The shore near Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County through a lens
Photo: Humbles Art, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The original uploader was Triphook at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers
Asked and answered: fishing Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
Where in Michigan does Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County lie?
Berrien County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 2 miles from Watervliet is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County in acres?
EGLE measures 923 acres.
Where is the ramp at Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County?
2 public launches, including Paw Paw Lake East Boat Access.
Does Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list common carp, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, sunfish and yellow perch.
What size limits cover Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does fishing Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County 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 Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County have?
In 2023, about 8.2 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County?
Closest on our list: Ellinee Bait & Tackle at under a mile.
Spend a morning casting Paw Paw Lake, Berrien County
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.