Walloon Lake Fishing
A 4,570-acre Michigan lake in Charlevoix County, trout lake Type B.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Charlevoix: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
An overview of Walloon Lake
At 4,570 acres, Walloon Lake ranks as a lake of Charlevoix County. Petoskey sits about 4 miles from the water. Fisheries work here falls to the MDNR Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, on the Lower Peninsula. Set in the North Central Hardwood Forests ecoregion, it feeds the Northeastern Lake Michigan-Lake Michigan basin.
Fish on file for it include cisco and trout. 2 public launches put boats on the water. Water clarity ran about 12.9 feet in 2023, from satellite data.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species on record for Walloon Lake
Fish documented by the MDNR at Walloon Lake, linked where Michigan has a species page.
Collection counts for Walloon Lake
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lake herring | 2 | 1890 to 1977 |
| Yellow perch | 26 | 1923 |
| Bluegill | 15 | 1923 |
| Pumpkinseed | 9 | 1923 |
| Rock bass | 5 | 1923 |
| White sucker | 3 | 1923 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1923 |
| Common shiner | 1 | 1923 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1923 |
| Northern pike | 1 | 1923 |
| Smallmouth bass | 1 | 1923 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Walloon Lake and its trout lake Type
| Rule | Value for Walloon Lake |
|---|---|
| Regulation | Type B Non Designated |
| Fishing season | January 1st to December 31st |
| Possession season | January 1st to December 31st |
| Daily possession | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15“ or greater. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. |
| Tackle | All types of natural bait and artificial lures may be used. |
| Minimum sizes | brook 10", brown 12", rainbow 12", splake 12", lake trout 15", Chinook 10", coho 10", pink 10", Atlantic 15" |
The digest assigns Walloon Lake to Type B; the trout and salmon rows above come from the MDNR regulation layer for that polygon.
MDNR Trout and Salmon Inland Lake Regulation Types layer and 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 42-65.
Boat access to Walloon Lake
- Jones Landing Park1 lane, 13 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet; Bear Creek Township
- Melrose Township Boat Access1 lane, 14 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Melrose Township
Boat access sites near Walloon Lake
- Young State ParkLake Charlevoix, 5 miles south
- Whiting ParkLake Charlevoix, 5 miles southwest
- Boyne City Boat AccessLake Charlevoix, 6 miles south
- Camp Sea-Gull ParkLake Charlevoix, 7 miles west
- Susan Lake Boat AccessSusan Lake, 8 miles west
- Ironton Boat AccessLake Charlevoix, 9 miles west
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Walloon Lake Secchi depth by year
Bars show the summer satellite clarity of Walloon Lake, year by year.
For 2023, chlorophyll a came to 1.69 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.
The regulations that cover Walloon 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 and salmon (lake Type B) | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 10", brown/rainbow/splake 12", lake trout 15", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Open all year |
Statewide inland rules for the Lower Peninsula govern Walloon Lake.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
A comparison table for Walloon Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walloon Lake | 4,570 | 2 | 12.9 | 2 | |
| Lake Charlevoix | 5 miles southwest | 17,281 | 8 | 16.9 | 19 |
| Susan Lake | 8 miles west | 126 | 1 | 6.8 | 0 |
| Boyne River | 8 miles southeast | 68 | 0 | 0 | |
| Deer Lake, Charlevoix County | 10 miles south | 463 | 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Round Lake, Emmet County | 10 miles northeast | 353 | 1 | 5.4 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Places around Walloon Lake
Other lakes a short drive from Walloon Lake
- Lake Charlevoix5 miles southwest
- Susan Lake8 miles west
- Boyne River8 miles southeast
- Deer Lake, Charlevoix County10 miles south
- Round Lake, Emmet County10 miles northeast
Bait and tackle counters by Walloon Lake
- Bear Cove Marinamarina, Petoskey, 2 miles
- Walloon Lake Marina, 4772 Us Highway 131marina, Petoskey, 3 miles
- Bay Harbor Lake Marinamarina, Petoskey, 5 miles
- Walloon Lake Marina, 4069 M 75 Nmarina, Boyne Falls, 5 miles
- Walloon Village Marinamarina, Walloon Lake, 5 miles
- Tommy's Walloonmarina, Walloon Lake, 5 miles
A guided day on Walloon Lake
- Fish With Jim Outfitterscharter, Mancelona, (248) 252-1277
- MFM Sport Fishing Charter and Guide Servicecharter, Indian River, (231) 290-0975
- Plumber's Helper Charter Servicecharter, Petoskey, (231) 357-1513
- Torch Time Charters Northcharter, Central Lake, (231) 590-1949
Michigan towns a short drive from Walloon Lake
- Horton Bay3 miles
- Walloon Lake4 miles
- Petoskey4 miles
Walloon Lake, county by county
- Charlevoix Countyseat: Charlevoix
What Piscifun sells for Walloon Lake anglers
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Water around Walloon Lake as the camera saw it
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Fishing Walloon Lake: quick answers
Where would I find Walloon Lake on a Michigan map?
Look in Charlevoix County, Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, about 4 miles from Petoskey.
How big is Walloon Lake on the state lake layer?
Roughly 4,570 acres.
Which ramp should a trailer use on Walloon Lake?
Start at Jones Landing Park, one of 2 public launches.
What fish live in Walloon Lake?
On file: cisco and trout.
Does the digest list special rules for Walloon Lake?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does Michigan sell a trout stamp for Walloon Lake?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
What does satellite data say about Walloon Lake clarity?
Close to 12.9 feet in 2023.
Who has minnows on the drive to Walloon Lake?
Drive about 2 miles to Bear Cove Marina.
How many trout can I keep from Walloon Lake?
Type B (type b non designated): 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15“ or greater. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. Season january 1st to december 31st.
Circle Walloon Lake on the calendar
Read the posted rules before keeping fish.