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Muskegon Lake 11 mi
Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Lake Macatawa 22 mi
Photo: The original uploader was Triphook at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Muskegon County 9.6 mi
Photo: bigmikesndtech, CC BY 2.0 
White Lake near Whitehall, Muskegon County 22 mi
Photo: Michiganguy123, CC BY-SA 4.0
Michigan inland lakes
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Spring Lake Fishing
A 1,097-acre Michigan lake in Ottawa County.
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Ottawa County
An overview of Spring Lake
At 1,097 acres, Spring Lake ranks as a lake of Ottawa County. Spring Lake sits about 2 miles from the water. Fisheries work here falls to the MDNR Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, on the Lower Peninsula. Set in the Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregion, it feeds the Southeastern Lake Michigan basin.
2 public launches put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 4.4 feet in 2023, from satellite data.
1,097acres
2public launches
4.4 ftsatellite clarity
Fish
Species on record for Spring Lake
Collection counts for Spring Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 1 | 1937 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1937 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1937 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1937 |
| Western banded killifish | 1 | 1937 |
| Yellow perch | 1 | 1937 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Boat access to Spring Lake
- Petty's Bayou Boat Access2 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Hoffmaster State Park
- Fruitport Boat Accessboat ramp; Village of Fruitport
Boat access sites near Spring Lake
- Lloyd's Bayou Boat AccessLloyd's Bayou, 2 miles south
- Bruce's Bayou West Boat AccessBruce's Bayou, 5 miles southeast
- Bruce's Bayou East Boat AccessBruce's Bayou, 5 miles southeast
- Indian Channel Boat AccessGrand River, 5 miles south
- Robinson Boat AccessGrand River, 6 miles southeast
- Mona Lake ParkMona Lake, 7 miles northwest
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Spring Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Spring Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 24.85 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
The regulations that cover Spring 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 |
Statewide inland rules for the Lower Peninsula govern Spring Lake.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
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Registered tournaments on Spring Lake
Registrations and results on Spring Lake have a page of their own.
Compare
A comparison table for Spring Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Lake | 1,097 | 2 | 4.4 | 0 | |
| Llyod Bayou | 2 miles south | 138 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| Mona Lake | 7 miles northwest | 656 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 |
| Muskegon Lake | 11 miles northwest | 4,234 | 5 | 6.4 | 4 |
| Wolf Lake, Muskegon County | 12 miles north | 225 | 1 | 14.8 | 0 |
| Eastmanville Bayou | 13 miles southeast | 20 | 0 | 6 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
Places around Spring Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Spring Lake
- Llyod Bayou2 miles south
- Mona Lake7 miles northwest
- Muskegon Lake11 miles northwest
- Wolf Lake, Muskegon County12 miles north
- Eastmanville Bayou13 miles southeast
Bait and tackle counters by Spring Lake
- Keenan Marinamarina, Spring Lake, 2 miles
- Grand Isle Marinamarina, Grand Haven, 3 miles
- Grand Valley Marinamarina, Grand Haven, 3 miles
- Reed Yacht Salesmarina, Grand Haven, 3 miles
- Lakeview Marine & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Grand Haven, 3 miles
- Wharf Marinamarina, Grand Haven, 3 miles
A guided day on Spring Lake
- D-Ann Marie Charterscharter, Grand Haven, (616) 846-3700
- It-Il-Do Fishing Charterscharter, Grand Haven, (616) 844-6599
- Last Cast Charterscharter, Fruitport, (231) 557-9582
- Nelson Charters LLCcharter, Grand Haven, (616) 846-4344
Michigan towns a short drive from Spring Lake
- Spring Lake2 miles
- Fruitport2 miles
- Ferrysburg2 miles
Spring Lake, county by county
- Ottawa Countyseat: Grand Haven
Piscifun
What Piscifun sells for Spring Lake anglers
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Photographs
Water around Spring Lake as the camera saw it
Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: The original uploader was Triphook at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: bigmikesndtech, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Michiganguy123, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Fishing Spring Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Spring Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Ottawa County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 2 miles from Spring Lake.
How big is Spring Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 1,097 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Spring Lake?
Start at Petty's Bayou Boat Access, one of 2 public launches.
What fish live in Spring Lake?
The MDNR has no recent fish record for it.
Does the digest list special rules for Spring Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Spring Lake?
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.
What does satellite data say about Spring Lake clarity?
Close to 4.4 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Spring Lake?
Drive about 2 miles to Keenan Marina.
Circle Spring Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.