Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake is a deep, clear lake of about 9,850 acres in Benzie County in northwest Michigan, among the largest inland lakes in the state. DNR stocks it annually with lake trout and rainbow trout, and it also holds smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and rock bass.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Lake Trout
About 60,000 yearlings stocked annually per DNR
Smallmouth Bass
Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
Yellow Perch
Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.
Boat launches
5 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Crystal Lake DNR Boating Access SitePublic5572 Mollineaux Rd, Frankfort; five-lane launch, staging pier, paved parking, boat washDirections ↗
- Beulah Village launchPublicVillage of Beulah; two ramps per DNR fishery reportDirections ↗
- Lobb Road accessPublicSouth shore, listed in DNR fishery reportDirections ↗
- Nichols Road accessPublicNorth shore, listed in DNR fishery reportDirections ↗
- More public accessPublicSee the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Crystal Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Frankfort Tackle BoxNearby903 Main St, Frankfort(231) 352-7673Directions ↗
Local tips
- DNR describes Crystal Lake as a designated trout lake with Type E regulations; check the current digest before keeping trout or salmon.
- Lake trout are stocked yearly, and rock bass dominate DNR survey catches.
- A cooperative boat-wash station is at the DNR launch; clean boats to limit invasive species.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.
More Michigan lakes
Torch Lake (Antrim County) Lake Charlevoix Burt Lake Mullett Lake Lake Gogebic Manistique Lake Black Lake Portage Lake (Houghton County) All Michigan lakes →
Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.