Hackett Lake near Indian River: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Hackett Lake is a Cheboygan County water, in Michigan. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Start from Indian River, 13 miles down the road. Then Gaylord, 18 miles, and Petoskey, 24 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Hackett Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Cheboygan County: yellow perch, rock bass, white sucker and smallmouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Hackett Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 17°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Hackett Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Holy Smoke Lake is 0.9 miles distant. For Hackett Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.