Tawas Lake near East Tawas: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Iosco County, Michigan, is where Tawas Lake sits. Height above sea level is 568 feet. This is sizeable water at about 2.5 sq miles, and a boat opens up most of it. You are looking at roughly 8.5 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Iosco County list it sits near the top for size. East Tawas is the closest town at 2.2 miles. For a city, Lansing is 121 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Tawas Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Iosco County include rock bass, bluegill, pink salmon, largemouth bass and northern pike. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Tawas Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 68°F for July and 20°F for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. At Tawas Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lake Solitude, 3 miles away. Signs at Tawas Lake carry more weight than any list.