Bear Lake
Fishing and stocking
Walleye water, stocked once in 2026; 84,870 fish reported. A 1,875-acre lake, and one of 5 stocked waters on the Manistee County record.
Manistee County · Michigan · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Walleye
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30 | Walleye | fingerling | 84,870 | completed |
When to fish Bear Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:22 am-12:22 pm and 10:45 pm-12:45 am | 4:39-5:39 am and 4:53-5:53 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:09 am-1:09 pm | 5:52-6:52 am and 5:14-6:14 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Last stocked Jun 30
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required · accessible facilities |
| Hopkins Park | boat ramp |
Access points from the Michigan DNR boating access inventory. Ramps, fees, and hours change; check before towing a boat a long way.
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the walleye (walleye stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Jig and minnow | 1/8 to 1/4 oz round jigs tipped live or plastic; drag the bottom slowly |
| Crawler harness | slow-trolled over flats and breaks once water warms |
| Medium spinning rod | 6.5 to 7 ft medium, 8 lb line; sensitivity beats power here |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Portage Lake | 6.2 mi | Jun 2 |
| Betsie River | 14 mi | May 14 |
| Crystal Lake | 16 mi | Apr 16 |
| Manistee River | 16 mi | May 13 |
| Little Manistee River | 17 mi | May 6 |
Follow Manistee County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule