Houghton Lake fishing: Walleye
Target species: Walleye
Boat: 8 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Houghton Lake South, 6 lanes.
The lake
Houghton Lake covers 20,169 acres in Michigan, across Roscommon County. It is a lake: 92.2% of it is 18 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 21 feet (6.4 m). Our records hold 3 species for this water.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 21 ft (6.4 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 92.2% of the water is 18 feet or shallower. We hold 99 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–2 ft: 2.9% of the water
- 2–4 ft: 3.7% of the water
- 4–6 ft: 4.6% of the water
- 6–8 ft: 10.2% of the water
- 8–10 ft: 16.1% of the water
- 10–12 ft: 18.4% of the water
- 12–14 ft: 13.2% of the water
- 14–16 ft: 9.4% of the water
- 16–18 ft: 13.7% of the water
- 18–20 ft: 3.5% of the water
- 20–21 ft: 4.4% of the water
The target fish: Walleye
- Walleye — Feeding water: 50–75°F.
Also recorded here: Common Carp, Emerald Shiner.
Stocking: 2,070,053 fish, 1979–2011
Michigan DNR records list 2,070,053 fish released into this water from 1979 to 2011. The latest stocking on record is from 2011, more than three years ago.
- Walleye: 2,070,053 in 1981–2011
8 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 3 trailer ramps and 5 boat ramps.
- Houghton Lake South — 6 lanes, restrooms. North Higgins Lake State Park. phone 989-821-6125
- Houghton Lake West — 6 lanes, restrooms. North Higgins Lake State Park. phone 989-821-6125
- Houghton Lake East — 2 lanes, restrooms. South Higgins Lake State Park. phone 989-821-6374
- Brian's Lakeside Marina — Houghton Lake. 8320 West Houghton Lake Drive 48629 · phone +1 989 422 6720 · website brianslakesidemarinahoughtonlake.com
- Denton Township Park — Denton Township. website mcgi.state.mi.us/MRBIS/BASDetail.aspx?basid=A-72-008
- Heights Marina — Houghton Lake. 900 Shoreline Drive, Houghton Lake 48629 · phone +1 989 429 5575 · website heightsmarina.com · hours: 07:00-19:00
- Houghton Lake Marina — Houghton Lake. 13710 West Shore Drive, Houghton Lake 48629
- Laphams Marina — Houghton Lake. 157 Marina Street, Houghton Lake 48629
Fee and opening hours are blank for all 8 places in this list: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 20,169 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle.
Where this data comes from
- Michigan EGLE — Michigan EGLE: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
