Forest Lake in Charlevoix County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Forest Lake is set in Charlevoix County, Michigan. What surrounds it is lake country bush. The water measures roughly 3 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Charlevoix County standards. Some 0.5 miles away sits Boyne City, the nearest settlement. East Jordan follows at 6.7 miles, then Bay Harbor at 11 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, alewife, shortjaw cisco, bloater and shortnose cisco. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Forest Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 68°F and January about 20°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Forest Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Boat services are half a mile out at the marina. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Mud Lake at 3.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Forest Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.