Black Lake is a lake in Michigan, near Cheboygan County.
If you are getting ready to fish Black Lake, keep the first plan simple. This lake is in Cheboygan County. It covers about 10,130 acres. The deepest recorded spot is 50 feet. On a first trip, I would use the wind, water color, visible cover, and any signs of bait to decide where to spend time on Black Lake.
There is enough depth here for fish to move well away from the bank. During stable summer weather, bait depth and the usable oxygen band may matter more than shoreline cover.
Early-season fish often slide between shallow spawning areas and the nearest break. By midsummer, low light and stable cover matter more. Autumn is a good time to revisit points and weed edges as forage moves.
The opening hour is a small experiment. Keep one lure high, one in the middle, and one close to bottom. Once fish reveal a productive level, stop sampling everything and spend real time in that band.
| County | Cheboygan |
|---|---|
| Water type | Lake |
| Surface area | 10,130 acres |
| Maximum depth | 50 feet |
| Recorded fish | Black Crappie, Blacknose Shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Common Shiner, Creek Chub, and Iowa Darter, plus 20 more |
Black Lake's 2026 sturgeon season lasted only 48 minutes before its six-fish quota was reached. The tightly controlled season is paired with rearing, stocking, research, and protection of spawning adults.
The current record for Black Lake in Cheboygan County lists Black Crappie, Blacknose Shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Common Shiner, Creek Chub, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, and Lake Sturgeon, along with 18 additional recorded species. That is a starting point, not a promise that every species is common in every season or every part of the basin. For largemouth bass, compare shallow cover with the first firm edge before assuming the fish moved deep. Smallmouth bass make rock, harder bottom, windblown points, and offshore edges worth extra time. A small jig is a clean way to locate the active panfish depth.
The right tackle protects both the catch and the angler. Check damaged line, use a net that fits the target, and prepare for release before making the next cast.
Do not get stubborn about yesterday's pattern. If a place shows no bites, followers, bait, or other signs of life after a fair test, move, change depth, or show the fish something different.
Black Lake is big enough that trying to cover all of it in one day usually wastes time. Pick one bay, basin, arm, or stretch of shoreline and work it well. Look for a simple pattern, such as fish holding on weeds, rock, wood, current, or bait at one depth.
Electronics can save time on Black Lake, but they do not need to make the trip complicated. Use the map to find a few likely breaks, use sonar to check depth and bait, and then fish what you actually see. If the screen is empty, keep moving until the water gives you a reason to stop.
Wind can change Black Lake quickly. It may push bait toward one side, muddy a shallow bank, or make open water rough. Check the hourly forecast and have a calmer section in mind before the day starts.
Start at the strongest nearby transition between cover and open water, then compare it with the first meaningful depth change. Let the first bite or visible forage activity decide where to spend more time.
If Black Lake is not showing bait, bites, followers, or healthy cover after a fair try, change depth or move to a different type of water. Do not stay put only because the spot looks good.
Confirm the rules for this exact water and species, then check wind direction, temperature, and precipitation. Build the trip around current information, not a report from another month.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.
Source dates describe the evidence, not a live catch forecast. Check the managing authority before planning access or keeping fish.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.