Pontiac Lake Fishing
A 613-acre Michigan lake in Oakland County.
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Pontiac Lake: size, place and fish
Oakland County holds Pontiac Lake, a lake of 613 acres. The nearest Census place is Village of Clarkston, roughly 5 miles from the shore point. Management unit: Lake Erie; peninsula: Lower Peninsula. Its water heads toward the Western Lake Erie basin, in the Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregion.
MDNR records name common carp, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass. You can launch at 2 public launches. A 2023 satellite estimate shows about 7.5 feet of visibility. MDNR flags it as a Family Friendly Fishing spot.
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Each fish below has an MDNR record tied to Pontiac Lake.
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launch sites at Pontiac Lake
- Pontiac Lake Boat Access4 lanes, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area
- Tackles Boat Access1 lane, 10 trailer spaces, toilet, Recreation Passport; Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area
Fishing sites along Pontiac Lake
- Pontiac Lake fishing site, Waterford and White Lakefishing pier, Dawn until dusk, pier
Ramps within reach of Pontiac Lake
- Maceday Lake Boat AccessMaceday Lake, 2 miles northeast
- Cedar Island Lake Boat AccessCedar Island Lake, 3 miles southwest
- Crescent Lake Boat AccessCrescent Lake, 4 miles southeast
- Long Lake Boat Access near Wolverine LakeLong Lake, 4 miles south
- Union Lake Boat Access near Orchard Lake VillageUnion Lake, 4 miles south
- Union Lake South Boat AccessUnion Lake, 5 miles south
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
The color and clarity of Pontiac Lake
EGLE derives the Pontiac Lake readings from Landsat, July through September.
Algae, measured as chlorophyll a, ran 7.04 micrograms per liter in 2023.
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.
Season dates at Pontiac 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 |
The table gives the statewide inland limits Pontiac Lake falls under on the Lower Peninsula.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
MDNR plants at Pontiac Lake
Between 2024 and 2026, 4 recorded plants put 70,728 fish into Pontiac Lake; walleye lead the list.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2026 | Walleye | Muskegon | 4.4 in | 25,968 |
| July 9, 2026 | Walleye | Muskegon | 4.4 in | 15,163 |
| November 3, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 19.4 in | 35 |
| June 25, 2024 | Walleye | Muskegon | 3.7 in | 29,562 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Club and trail events on Pontiac Lake
See the Pontiac Lake tournament page for organizers and weights.
Pontiac Lake compared with close lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac Lake | 613 | 2 | 7.5 | 9 | |
| Maceday Lake | 2 miles northeast | 207 | 1 | 10.3 | 18 |
| Oxbow Lake, Oakland County | 2 miles southwest | 268 | 0 | 10.4 | 1 |
| Lotus Lake, Oakland County | 3 miles northeast | 180 | 0 | 10.2 | 0 |
| Cedar Island Lake | 3 miles southwest | 169 | 1 | 10.1 | 1 |
| Long Lake near Wolverine Lake, Oakland County | 4 miles south | 166 | 1 | 7.7 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
A short drive from Pontiac Lake
Lakes in the same corner as Pontiac Lake
- Maceday Lake2 miles northeast
- Oxbow Lake, Oakland County2 miles southwest
- Lotus Lake, Oakland County3 miles northeast
- Cedar Island Lake3 miles southwest
- Long Lake near Wolverine Lake, Oakland County4 miles south
Shops to stop at on the way to Pontiac Lake
- Pontiac Lake Marinamarina, White Lake, under a mile
- The Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Waterford, 3 miles
- Walleye Kingbait and tackle shop, Waterford, 3 miles
- American Marine S C & Sports Centermarina, White Lake, 4 miles
- Dmf Bait Companybait and tackle shop, Waterford, 4 miles
- Club Royale Marinamarina, Waterford, 5 miles
Guides that list Pontiac Lake
- Take Me Fishin Michigancharter, Waterford, (248) 343-9970
- Waters Edge Fish Artistrycharter, LAke Orion, (248) 693-6990
- Walleye Kingfishing guide, Waterford, (231) 557-2755
- Wilderness Journey- BWCA Guide & Outfitterfishing guide, Novi, (734) 664-0353
Base camps for Pontiac Lake
- Village of Clarkston5 miles
- Lake Angelus7 miles
- Orchard Lake Village7 miles
Counties that Pontiac Lake spans
- Oakland Countyseat: Pontiac
Piscifun gear picked for Pontiac Lake
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Species to expect at Pontiac Lake
Photo: Dezidor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0 1.0
Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Things to settle before fishing Pontiac Lake
Which part of Michigan holds Pontiac Lake?
Its shore is in Oakland County, Lake Erie Management Unit, about 5 miles from Village of Clarkston.
What size is Pontiac Lake?
613 acres of surface water.
Does Pontiac Lake have a public boat launch?
MDNR maps 2 public launches; Pontiac Lake Boat Access is a good start.
What swims in Pontiac Lake?
common carp, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass and sunfish, per MDNR records.
Which MDNR rules govern Pontiac Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Can a visitor fish Pontiac Lake on 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.
Does Pontiac Lake run clear or murky?
Summer 2023 imagery: about 7.5 feet.
Who sells bait nearest Pontiac Lake?
Pontiac Lake Marina sits under a mile from the lake.
Is Pontiac Lake stocked?
In 2026 the MDNR planted 25,968 walleye and 15,163 walleye.
Pick a weekend for Pontiac Lake
The license page holds every Michigan fee and season.