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Pumpkinseed
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 
White Crappie
Photo: -Rorey-, CC BY 4.0 
Flathead Catfish
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain 
White Bass
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Michigan inland lakes
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Van Etten Lake Fishing
A 1,409-acre Michigan lake in Iosco County.
Pick for smallmouthPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Hubbard Lake: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
Iosco County
Van Etten Lake in brief
The state lake layer measures Van Etten Lake at 1,409 acres; it lies in Iosco County. For fuel and groceries, Oscoda is about 4 miles off. It sits on the Lower Peninsula inside the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Northwestern Lake Huron watershed in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
Trailers launch at 1 public launch. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 5.4 feet in 2023.
1,409acres
1public launches
5.4 ftsatellite clarity
Fish
The fish list for Van Etten Lake
Fish Atlas tally for Van Etten Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| American eel | 1 | 1957 |
| Silver lamprey | 2 | 1936 to 1952 |
| Freshwater drum | 2 | 1927 to 1937 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 2 | 1927 |
| Johnny darter | 2 | 1927 |
| Largemouth bass | 2 | 1927 |
| Northern logperch | 2 | 1927 |
| Pumpkinseed | 2 | 1927 |
| Rock bass | 2 | 1927 |
| White crappie | 2 | 1927 |
| Yellow perch | 2 | 1927 |
| Black crappie | 1 | 1927 |
| Blackside darter | 1 | 1927 |
| Iowa darter | 1 | 1927 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Launches
Where to launch on Van Etten Lake
- Van Etten Lake State Forest Campground Boat Access1 lane, 6 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Tawas Point State Park
Boat launches by Van Etten Lake
- Cedar Lake Boat Access near OscodaCedar Lake, 3 miles northeast
- Lower Foote Dam Boat AccessAu Sable River, 4 miles southwest
- Au Sable River Mouth Boat AccessAu Sable River, 5 miles south
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Clarity trend at Van Etten Lake
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Van Etten Lake; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 30.78 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.
Lake level
Lake level at Van Etten Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Van Etten Lake At Oscoda, Mi | 18.35 ft gage height, 589.38 ft lake elevation | Oct 24 7:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 24, 2026 7:38 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Regulations
Limits and seasons for Van Etten 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 rows for the Lower Peninsula are shown for Van Etten 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.
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Neighbor lakes of Van Etten Lake, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Etten Lake | 1,409 | 1 | 5.4 | 0 | |
| Cedar Lake, Iosco County | 2 miles northeast | 142 | 0 | 7.9 | 0 |
| Cedar Lake, Alcona County | 4 miles north | 912 | 1 | 6.2 | 0 |
| Foote Dam Pond | 6 miles west | 1,696 | 0 | 14.9 | 4 |
| Cooke Dam Pond | 12 miles west | 1,636 | 0 | 13.3 | 7 |
| Tawas Lake | 13 miles southwest | 1,617 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Nearby
What sits close to Van Etten Lake
Lakes to try next to Van Etten Lake
- Cedar Lake, Iosco County2 miles northeast
- Cedar Lake, Alcona County4 miles north
- Foote Dam Pond6 miles west
- Cooke Dam Pond12 miles west
- Tawas Lake13 miles southwest
Where to pick up bait for Van Etten Lake
- Pcsoutdoorsbait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 3 miles
- Play That Toon Againmarina, Oscoda, 4 miles
- Northeast Michigan Marinemarina, Oscoda, 5 miles
- Wellmans Party & Baitbait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 5 miles
- Bunyan Town Marinamarina, Oscoda, 5 miles
- Dam Storebait and tackle shop, Oscoda, 10 miles
Charter captains and guides near Van Etten Lake
- Fin-Lander Sportfishing Charterscharter, Port Austin, (810) 404-1875
- Termar Charter Servicecharter, Au Gres, (989) 876-8318
- Trophy Sport Fishing Charterscharter, Port Austin, (989) 738-7603
Towns that put you close to Van Etten Lake
- Oscoda4 miles
- Au Sable4 miles
- Harrisville13 miles
The counties around Van Etten Lake
- Iosco Countyseat: Tawas City
Piscifun
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Van Etten Lake
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Fish ID
Identifying the fish of Van Etten Lake
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: -Rorey-, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Answers
What to know ahead of a day at Van Etten Lake
Which MDNR unit manages Van Etten Lake?
Iosco County, Southern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 4 miles from Oscoda.
What surface area does EGLE give Van Etten Lake?
The state layer shows 1,409 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Van Etten Lake?
1 public launch, led by Van Etten Lake State Forest Campground Boat Access.
What bites in Van Etten Lake?
No fish list exists for it.
What are the walleye limits on Van Etten Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Van Etten 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 Van Etten Lake?
About 5.4 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Van Etten Lake?
Pcsoutdoors is the nearest, 3 miles away.
Line up a day on Van Etten Lake
Michigan license prices and limits are one click away.