Paw Paw Lake (Berrien County)
Paw Paw Lake is the largest lake in Berrien County, in Coloma and Watervliet townships near Benton Harbor. It is a deep lake with a mix of bass, panfish and walleye.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Smallmouth Bass
Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.
Bluegill
Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.
Yellow Perch
Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.
Crappie
Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.
Walleye
Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.
Boat launches
3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Paw Paw Lake Boat RampRampHandles larger boats.Directions ↗
- Sunset Park launchPublicLaunch on the west end of the lake, with a fishing pier and beach.Directions ↗
- More public accessPublicSee the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Paw Paw Lake (Berrien County) are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Paw Paw Lake (Berrien County) ↗Local tips
- Depths reach close to 90 feet, so the lake has both deep water and weedy shallows.
- Slow-no-wake zones run along the shoreline near docks.
- Use the larger boat ramp for bigger boats.
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.