Crater Lake
Fishing and stocking
Rainbow trout water; one stocking on the 2026 record, in May. A 4.7-acre lake, and one of 5 stocked waters on the Oscoda County record.
Oscoda 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
Rainbow trout
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Rainbow trout | adult | 400 | completed |
When to fish Crater Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:14 am-12:14 pm and 10:37 pm-12:37 am | 4:31-5:31 am and 4:45-5:45 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:00 am-1:00 pm | 5:43-6:43 am and 5:06-6:06 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 May 1
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
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 trout (rainbow trout stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Slip bobber and jig | 1/32 oz marabou jig or waxworm suspended at cruising depth |
| Ultralight spinning rod | 6 to 7 ft ultralight, 4 lb line; long casts from the bank |
| Dough bait rigs | floating dough bait 18 inches above a small egg sinker; hatchery fish know the smell |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Loon Lake | 0.5 mi | Apr 16 |
| George Lake | 12 mi | Jun 23 |
| Sage Lake | 15 mi | Jun 23 |
| Peach Lake | 16 mi | Jun 23 |
| Long Lake | 16 mi | Jun 17 |
Follow Oscoda County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule