Natural inland lake

Walloon Lake

Charlevoix & Emmet Counties, Michigan

Walloon Lake is a glacial-formed lake in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties, about 9 miles long, with deep, cold, very clear water and rolling glacial shoreline. It drains to Lake Michigan through the Bear River and is the site of Windemere, Ernest Hemingway's childhood summer home.

Air temp in Walloon Lake, MI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Walloon Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area4,270 acres

Max depth100 ft

Shoreline30.5 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●○○

Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.

Smallmouth Bass●●●●○

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

Northern Pike●●●○○

Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

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

Lake Trout●●○○○

Stocked

Boat launches

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

Walloon Lake Boat Launch (Melrose Township)Public
Melrose Township, Charlevoix County; hard-surface ramp, medium watercraft; fee requiredDirections ↗
Stolt Road Boat LaunchPublic
Bay Township, Charlevoix County; gravel ramp, medium watercraftDirections ↗
Wildwood Drive Boat LaunchPublic
Bay Township, Charlevoix County; gravel ramp, medium watercraftDirections ↗
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 Walloon 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

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Boyne Co-op Hardware & RentalsNearby
Boyne CityDirections ↗

Search more bait shops near Walloon Lake ↗

Local tips

The lake is deep (about 100 feet), cold and very clear, so expect coldwater species such as stocked lake trout alongside walleye and smallmouth bass.
Launches are listed as medium-watercraft ramps, so check ramp conditions before bringing a large boat.
Zebra mussels have made the water even clearer, so fish with finesse presentations and lighter line.

View on interactive map

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

More Michigan lakes

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