Fishing Goose Lake in Missaukee County, Michigan

• Overview

  Goose Lake sits in Missaukee County, out in Michigan. It sits at 1,234 feet above sea level. The water covers some 115 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 2.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Some 8.5 miles away sits Manton, the nearest settlement. Cadillac lies 10 miles off, Kingsley another 21 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Goose Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name white sucker, johnny darter, brook trout and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Goose Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That shapes the year on Goose Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Little Goose Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Goose Lake in particular, ask before you travel.