School Lake
School Lake is the largest lake in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Leelanau County. It is shallow with a mostly natural shoreline, and is known for pike, bass and panfish.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Bluegill
Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.
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
2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- School Lake boat rampRampOff Bohemian Rd just south of M-22, inside Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. A park pass is required.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 School Lake 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 School Lake ↗Local tips
- The bottom is flat and averages about 5 feet deep, so fish the weeds.
- A deeper hole sits in a cove at the southwest end.
- A shallow channel links to Bass Lake for canoes and kayaks.
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.