Natural inland lake

Big Bear Lake

Otsego County, Michigan

Big Bear Lake is a landlocked lake of about 362 acres in Otsego County, between Johannesburg and Lewiston. A 1941 DNR survey found bass, bluegill, perch and rock bass.

Air temp Not available right now.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Big Bear Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area349 acres

Max depth30 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Listed in the 1941 survey.

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Listed in the 1941 survey.

Bluegill●●●○○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

Crappie●●○○○

Only two caught in 1941.

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Big Bear Lake boat rampRamp
Public boat ramp near Vienna Corners.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Big Bear Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Big Bear Lake ↗

Local tips

The only survey found is from 1941, so ask locally about current fish numbers.
Fish the shoreline cover for bass.
Water levels can drop, so check the ramp depth before launching.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Michigan lakes

Torch Lake (Antrim County) Lake Charlevoix Burt Lake Mullett Lake Lake Gogebic Manistique Lake Black Lake Crystal Lake All Michigan lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.