Burt Lake
MI · Cheboygan
- Stocked
- 17,405 acres mapped (USGS NHD)
- 33.6 miles of shoreline
The pin marks the middle of the water, for directions. The shoreline on the map comes from USGS NHD.
At a glance
- Acres
- 17,405 acres
- Shoreline
- 33.6 miles of shoreline
- County
- Cheboygan County
- Last stocked
- August 22, 2025
- Species
- Lake sturgeon
Conditions
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Overview
Burt Lake is a 17,395-acre natural lake in western Cheboygan County and the fourth largest inland lake in Michigan, with 32 miles of shoreline. Most of it is 30 feet deep or less, and the maximum depth is 73 feet. The Sturgeon, Maple and Crooked rivers flow in, and the Indian River carries its water to Mullett Lake as part of the Inland Waterway to Lake Huron. Michigan DNR describes a stable, self-sustaining walleye population that has been supported entirely by natural reproduction in recent decades, and walleye are the most abundant predator. About 10 percent of the walleye that spawn here move on to other Inland Waterway lakes. Yellow perch support a popular fishery in open water and through the ice. Smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge are also targeted, and bass tournaments are held on the lake each year. Rainbow and brown trout use the lake, and lake sturgeon are present, mostly from stocking. Public access includes Burt Lake State Park on the south shore and the DNR Maple Bay access site in the northwest, plus township launches and road ends.
Regulations
Walleye, muskellunge and lake sturgeon have their own rules. Check the current Michigan Fishing Regulations before you fish: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/fishing/fishing-regulations
Stocking history
| Species | Qty | Size | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake sturgeon | 118 | 15.1 | 08-22-2025 |
Gear for the fish stocked here
Lake Sturgeon
Rod: Stout medium-heavy to heavy rod, similar to a muskie rod.
Line: Braided line, 50 lb or more; many use 80 to 100 lb.
Baits: a ball of 3 to 5 nightcrawlers, often with a minnow or two
Likely species (watershed)
American Brook Lamprey, Arctic Grayling, Blacknose Dace, Blacknose Shiner, Bluntnose Minnow, Brassy Minnow, Brown Trout, Channel Darter, Creek Chub, Emerald Shiner, Fathead Minnow, Finescale Dace, Golden Shiner, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Logperch, Longnose Dace, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, Muskellunge, Ninespine Stickleback, Northern Redbelly Dace, River Chub, Rosyface Shiner, Sand Shiner, Silver Lamprey, Silver Redhorse, Spottail Shiner, Trout-perch, Western Blacknose Dace
Likely species come from USGS Aquatic GAP ranges for the whole watershed (HUC8). They show what may be here, not a count of this water.
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Some stocking records are adapted from LurePassion (formerly lurepassion.com) (normalized and matched to our waters), licensed CC BY 4.0. State agencies retain their own terms for the underlying records.