McDonald Lake (Schoolcraft County)

Schoolcraft County, Michigan

McDonald Lake is a large, shallow lake in Mueller Township, Schoolcraft County, in the Upper Peninsula. It is known for northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch.

Air temp Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at McDonald Lake (Schoolcraft County) (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area1,015 acres

Max depth10 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Northern Pike●●●●○

Abundant but slow growing; few reach 24 inches

Bluegill●●●○○

Good size, about half of those sampled were 6 inches or larger

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Very abundant but mostly small

Walleye●●●○○

Self-sustaining; no stocking needed

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Slow growth, most sampled met the 14 inch minimum

Smallmouth Bass●●○○○

Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.

Boat launches

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

Dixner Road boating access siteRamp
State site at the east end of Dixner Road. Hard-surfaced ramp with five trailer spaces and two vehicle-only spaces.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See 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
Northern Pike No minimum size on this lake per the 2026 DNR fishery report	See Michigan rules book ↗	See digest

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. 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 McDonald Lake (Schoolcraft County) ↗

Local tips

The lake is only about 8 to 10 feet deep, so wind can build chop fast.
Pike are plentiful and have no minimum size here, so expect many small fish.
Parking at the ramp is limited to five trailers, so arrive early on weekends.

View on interactive map

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

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