Lake Charlevoix
Lake Charlevoix is a 17,200-acre natural lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan's third-largest inland lake, with a deep main basin (122 ft) from Boyne City to Charlevoix and a shallower South Arm (58 ft) toward East Jordan. It connects to Lake Michigan through Round Lake and the Pine River channel and is known for lake trout, walleye, perch and smallmouth bass.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Lake Trout
Deep, cold water. Downriggers or vertical jigging.
Walleye
Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.
Yellow Perch
Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.
Smallmouth Bass
Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.
Boat launches
6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Ironton DNR launch (Young State Park)RampPaved, 4 lanes, 44 trailer spaces, off M-66Directions ↗
- Dutchman's Bay launch (Young State Park)RampPaved, 2 lanes, 35 trailer spacesDirections ↗
- Ferry Beach launch (City of Charlevoix)RampPaved ramp, end of Stover Rd off M-66Directions ↗
- Tourist Park launch (City of East Jordan)RampPaved, 1 lane, South ArmDirections ↗
- Whiting County Park launchRampPaved, 2 lanes, 13 trailer spaces, freeDirections ↗
- More public accessPublicSee the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Trout & Salmon (combined) Drowned River Mouth Lakes rule (Note 2, Great Lakes Trout & Salmon section); open all year; Lake Charlevoix incl. Round Lake | 10 in | 5 total; max 3 of any one species (up to 5 Coho or Chinook) |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Beck's Bait and TackleNearbyEast Jordan231-222-2004Directions ↗
Local tips
- Cold-water species such as lake trout hold deep in summer, while warm-water fish stay in the shallows and bays.
- Round Lake, Charlevoix's downtown harbor, is noted for good fishing in shoulder seasons and at quiet times of day.
- The South Arm is much shallower (58 ft) than the main basin (122 ft), so target depth accordingly.
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) Burt Lake Mullett Lake Lake Gogebic Manistique Lake Black Lake Crystal Lake Portage Lake (Houghton County) All Michigan lakes →
Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.