Fishing at Chittenden Lake, Manistee County, Michigan

• Overview

  Chittenden Lake stands in Manistee County, Michigan. It sits in lake country bush country. Small at around 16 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Manistee is the closest place, 19 miles off. Baldwin is 23 miles and Scottville 25 miles. What else is close: Crystal Lake within 0.9 miles, Cranberry Lake a shade over 1.1 miles, Lost Lake within 1.3 miles, Star Lake a shade over 1.9 miles and Tippy Dam within 2.7 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Chittenden Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name alewife, rainbow smelt and bloater. The county list is broader than any single water. On Chittenden Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Chittenden Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Crystal Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Chittenden Lake before loading the car.