Lake of the Woods fishing: Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Spotted Gar

Target species: Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Spotted Gar, Redear, Yellow Perch
Boat: 1 ramp or launch on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Lake of the Woods, 1 lane.

The lake

Lake of the Woods covers 345 acres in Michigan, across Branch County. It is a lake: 90% of it is 50 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 70 feet (21.3 m). Our records hold 5 species for this water.

Depth and bottom

Deepest measured point: at least 70 ft (21.3 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 90% of the water is 50 feet or shallower. We hold 51 depth contour lines for this water.

  • 0–5 ft: 13.7% of the water
  • 5–10 ft: 13.9% of the water
  • 10–15 ft: 12.9% of the water
  • 15–20 ft: 11.4% of the water
  • 20–25 ft: 9.5% of the water
  • 25–30 ft: 7.8% of the water
  • 30–35 ft: 6.4% of the water
  • 35–40 ft: 5.1% of the water
  • 40–45 ft: 4.9% of the water
  • 45–50 ft: 4.4% of the water
  • 50–55 ft: 3.6% of the water
  • 55–60 ft: 3.2% of the water
  • 60–65 ft: 2.4% of the water
  • 65–70 ft: 0.9% of the water

5 target fish, led by Rainbow Trout

  • Rainbow Trout — Feeding water: 50–65°F.
  • Walleye — Feeding water: 50–75°F.
  • Spotted Gar — Feeding water: 70–85°F.
  • Redear — Feeding water: 65–85°F.
  • Yellow Perch — Feeding water: 45–75°F.

Stocking: 402,186 fish, 1980–2025

Michigan DNR records list 402,186 fish released into this water from 1980 to 2025.

  • Rainbow Trout: 152,549 in 1984–2001
  • Walleye: 130,670 in 1987–2024
  • Yellow Perch: 2,500 in 2016–2025

2 more species on the stocking list.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 8–13 feet on our readings, averaging 10.6 feet, from 122 readings. Our water temperature readings average 77°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. These readings span 2019–2023.

1 ramp or launch on this water

On this water we hold 1 trailer ramp.

  • Lake of the Woods — 1 lane, restrooms. Jackson Field Office. phone 517-780-7866

The place listed has no fee or opening hours on file: 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

Only 1 public ramp is on file, so the launch decides where you fish.

Where this data comes from

  • Michigan EGLE — Michigan EGLE: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.