Tippy Dam Pond Fishing
A 1,087-acre Michigan pond in Manistee County.
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Tippy Dam Pond in brief
The state lake layer measures Tippy Dam Pond at 1,087 acres; it lies in Manistee County. For fuel and groceries, Wellston is about 4 miles off. It sits on the Lower Peninsula inside the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Northeastern Lake Michigan-Lake Michigan watershed in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
The MDNR lists channel catfish here. Trailers launch at 1 public launch. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 13.8 feet in 2023.
For the channel catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 The fish list for Tippy Dam Pond
These fish come from MDNR records for Tippy Dam Pond: Fish Atlas collections from 1970 on, fishing site lists, stocking and records.
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 Tippy Dam Pond
- Tippy Dam State Recreation Area Upper Boat Access1 lane, 2 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, Recreation Passport; Orchard Beach State Park
Boat launches by Tippy Dam Pond
- Tippy Dam State Recreation Area Lower Boat AccessManistee River, 2 miles west
- Harper Lake Boat AccessHarper Lake, 9 miles south
- Fox Bridge Boat AccessLittle Manistee River, 10 miles southwest
- Indian Bridge Boat AccessLittle Manistee River, 11 miles south
- Nine Mile Bridge Boat AccessLittle Manistee River, 11 miles southwest
- Lemon Lake Boat AccessLemon Lake, 12 miles north
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity trend at Tippy Dam Pond
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Tippy Dam Pond; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 2.72 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 Tippy Dam Pond
| 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 rows for the Lower Peninsula are shown for Tippy Dam Pond; 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 Tippy Dam Pond
Plants at Tippy Dam Pond: 1 event, 7,501 fish, 2024 to 2024; top species channel catfish.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2024 | Channel catfish | 11.8 in | 7,501 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Neighbor lakes of Tippy Dam Pond, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tippy Dam Pond | 1,087 | 1 | 13.8 | 1 | |
| Pine Lake, Manistee County | 6 miles southwest | 168 | 0 | 12.9 | 1 |
| Harper Lake | 9 miles south | 83 | 1 | 14.5 | 0 |
| Lemon Lake | 12 miles north | 37 | 1 | 9.7 | 0 |
| Hodenpyl Dam Pond | 12 miles northeast | 1,904 | 0 | 11.1 | 0 |
| Bass Lake, Lake County | 12 miles south | 296 | 1 | 13.5 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
What sits close to Tippy Dam Pond
Lakes to try next to Tippy Dam Pond
- Pine Lake, Manistee County6 miles southwest
- Harper Lake9 miles south
- Lemon Lake12 miles north
- Hodenpyl Dam Pond12 miles northeast
- Bass Lake, Lake County12 miles south
Where to pick up bait for Tippy Dam Pond
- Fisherman's Headquartersbait and tackle shop, Wellston, 3 miles
- Pappy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Wellston, 3 miles
- Andy's Tacklebait and tackle shop, Brethren, 6 miles
- Double SS Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Bear Lake, 14 miles
- Osborn's Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Bear Lake, 15 miles
- Onekama Marine Incmarina, Onekama, 17 miles
Charter captains and guides near Tippy Dam Pond
- Sandpiper III Charter Fishingcharter, Onekama, (231) 889-4258
- Sandpiper Sportfishing Charterscharter, Onekama, (231) 633-9631
- Steelhead Nation Outfitterscharter, Wellston, (248) 996-0966
- Sue-Lee Charterscharter, Manistee, (231) 723-4025
Towns that put you close to Tippy Dam Pond
- Wellston4 miles
- Brethren7 miles
- Caberfae9 miles
The counties around Tippy Dam Pond
- Manistee Countyseat: Manistee
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Tippy Dam Pond
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Identifying the fish of Tippy Dam Pond
Photo: USFWSmidwest, Public domain
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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 Tippy Dam Pond
Which MDNR unit manages Tippy Dam Pond?
Manistee County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 4 miles from Wellston.
What surface area does EGLE give Tippy Dam Pond?
The state layer shows 1,087 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Tippy Dam Pond?
1 public launch, led by Tippy Dam State Recreation Area Upper Boat Access.
What bites in Tippy Dam Pond?
Expect channel catfish.
What are the walleye limits on Tippy Dam Pond?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Tippy Dam Pond?
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 Tippy Dam Pond?
About 13.8 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Tippy Dam Pond?
Fisherman's Headquarters is the nearest, 3 miles away.
When was Tippy Dam Pond last stocked?
The 2024 record lists 7,501 channel catfish.
Line up a day on Tippy Dam Pond
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