Thousand Island Lake Fishing
A 1,008-acre Michigan lake in Gogebic County.
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Lake Gogebic: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Thousand Island Lake in brief
The state lake layer measures Thousand Island Lake at 1,008 acres; it lies in Gogebic County. For fuel and groceries, Watersmeet is about 10 miles off. It sits on the Upper Peninsula inside the Western Lake Superior Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Southern Lake Superior-Lake Superior watershed in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
The MDNR lists cisco and walleye here. Trailers launch at 1 public launch. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 11.6 feet in 2023.
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The fish list for Thousand Island Lake
These fish come from MDNR records for Thousand Island Lake: Fish Atlas collections from 1970 on, fishing site lists, stocking and records.
Fish Atlas tally for Thousand Island Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lake herring | 2 | 1969 to 1975 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Where to launch on Thousand Island Lake
- Thousand Island Lake Boat Access2 lanes, 5 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Lake Gogebic State Park
Boat launches by Thousand Island Lake
- Clearwater Lake Boat AccessClearwater Lake, 2 miles northwest
- Cisco Lake Boat AccessCisco Lake, 3 miles west
- Duck Lake Boat Access near WatersmeetDuck Lake, 9 miles east
- County Line Lake Boat AccessCounty Line Lake, 9 miles northeast
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity trend at Thousand Island Lake
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Thousand Island Lake; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 3.36 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.
Limits and seasons for Thousand Island 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 |
Statewide rows for the Upper Peninsula are shown for Thousand Island Lake; the trout row follows its MDNR lake Type when it has one.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Hatchery fish released in Thousand Island Lake
Plants at Thousand Island Lake: 1 event, 27,113 fish, 2026 to 2026; top species walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2026 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.1 in | 27,113 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Neighbor lakes of Thousand Island Lake, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand Island Lake | 1,008 | 1 | 11.6 | 2 | |
| Clearwater Lake | 2 miles northwest | 177 | 1 | 7.6 | 0 |
| Snap Jack Lake | 2 miles northeast | 55 | 0 | 12.1 | 0 |
| Helen Lake, Gogebic County | 3 miles east | 68 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Whitefish Lake, Gogebic County | 3 miles southeast | 486 | 0 | 11.5 | 0 |
| Cisco Lake | 3 miles west | 567 | 1 | 7.5 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
What sits close to Thousand Island Lake
Lakes to try next to Thousand Island Lake
- Clearwater Lake2 miles northwest
- Snap Jack Lake2 miles northeast
- Helen Lake, Gogebic County3 miles east
- Whitefish Lake, Gogebic County3 miles southeast
- Cisco Lake3 miles west
Charter captains and guides near Thousand Island Lake
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Towns that put you close to Thousand Island Lake
- Watersmeet10 miles
- Marenisco18 miles
- Ewen21 miles
The counties around Thousand Island Lake
- Gogebic Countyseat: Bessemer
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Thousand Island Lake
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Identifying the fish of Thousand Island Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
What to know ahead of a day at Thousand Island Lake
Which MDNR unit manages Thousand Island Lake?
Gogebic County, Western Lake Superior Management Unit, about 10 miles from Watersmeet.
What surface area does EGLE give Thousand Island Lake?
The state layer shows 1,008 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Thousand Island Lake?
1 public launch, led by Thousand Island Lake Boat Access.
What bites in Thousand Island Lake?
Expect cisco and walleye.
What are the walleye limits on Thousand Island Lake?
Walleye (Upper Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season May 15 – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Thousand Island 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.
How far can you see into Thousand Island Lake?
About 11.6 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Thousand Island Lake?
Nothing inside 25 miles.
When was Thousand Island Lake last stocked?
The 2026 record lists 27,113 walleye.
Line up a day on Thousand Island Lake
Michigan license prices and limits are one click away.