Shafer Lake
Fishing and stocking
Rainbow trout water, stocked once in 2026; 4,100 fish reported. A 72-acre lake, and one of 6 stocked waters on the Van Buren County record.
Van Buren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1 | Rainbow trout | adult | 4,100 | completed |
When to fish Shafer 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 4:54-5:54 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:08 am-1:08 pm | 5:49-6:49 am and 5:16-6:16 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 Apr 1
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shafer Lake | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required · accessible facilities |
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 trout (rainbow trout stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| 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 |
| Casting spoons | 1/8 to 1/4 oz in fluorescent or metallic; count down until you find the depth |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brush Creek | 3.6 mi | Apr 27 |
| Pine Creek | 5.3 mi | Apr 27 |
| Mill Creek | 7.8 mi | Apr 21 |
| South Branch Paw Paw River | 10 mi | Apr 27 |
| East Br Paw Paw River | 11 mi | Apr 27 |
Follow Van Buren County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule