Fishing Report For Indian Lake, MI

By Rick Seaman

May 19, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Indian Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Indian Lake, MI

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Indian Lake, MI

Bluegill

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good

As the water warms with the coming of summer, bluegill are moving shallow, and starting to be caught. Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish here, as well as a sport fish for fun and table fare. Local anglers report quality bluegill being caught with some frequency. Small pieces of nightcrawlers make an ideal bait, tipped on a small hook, tied to light line. Add a bobber to set the best depth for the day.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

This winter ice fishing was great, especially for yellow perch. A stable population of yellow perch reside here, providing good fishing for anglers and food for predator fish. They are also very tasty table fare. Yellow perch are fun to catch in winter when ice fishing. Now that the ice-out is over, these perch are moving shallower and hiding in the weeds. Pieces of nightcrawlers or minnows are catching the bulk of the perch here, but they will also eat many other baits. Fish close to the bottom, varying your depth until you locate a school of perch.

Walleye

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

The walleye season is just starting to get good here, as the best months for catching walleye are late April through August. Walleye are being caught in shallow water, especially rocky areas. They will spawn shortly, then move to flats, shoals and ledges off shore. Throughout Summer, early in the morning and from dusk to long after dark are some of the best times to catch walleye, as they move shallow to feed. They primarily feed on baitfish and other small fish, close to the bottom. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits and spoons are popular lure choices. Local reports indicate good walleye catches, using spoons and jigs tipped with minnows or worms, and worm harness spinners while trolling.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, warmouth, yellow perch, bowfin, longnose gar and northern pike at Indian Lake in Michigan.

Indian Lake is an 8,700-acre lake with about 15 miles of shoreline, located at the town of Manistique. Anglers can fish from the bank in some areas. Best known for walleye, rock bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike, the lake is also home to crappie, trout, perch, sunfish and catfish. Ice fishing can be very good here.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Michigan Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".