Boating & Fishing in West Branch

The fish are biting in West Branch, home of over 160 Master Angler Awards!

If you love to fish, then Ogemaw County is the place for you! We’re home to many terrific trout streams and panfish lakes. Our springtime is one of the best fly fishing seasons in all of Michigan! Within one trip to West Branch you can experience many different types of species to catch thanks to our variety of lakes and streams. Each is stocked and maintained by Michigan DNR, and many lakes are equipped with boat access. Our area also features motorless lakes that still provide amazing fishing opportunities from the shore.

To get more information about DNR stocking, visit their website.

Fish Our Amazing Lakes!

Ambrose Lake

Ambrose Lake is reached by heading north on Fairvew Road and then turning left on Houghton Creek Road until you reach the Campground.

Access Site

Access to Ambrose Lake is located at Ambrose Lake State Forest Campground.

Geography

Ambrose feels more like two smaller lakes combined by a connected shallow area.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Largemouth Bass
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Panfish
  • Pike

Tip

Ambrose Lake State Forest Campground has 25 first-come, first-serve sites. It has great fishing as well as a large trail head for all types of off-road vehicles.

Au Sable Lake

Au Sable Lake is located near Lupton. Take M-33 to Rose City Road (F-28) East, then turn left on Sumac Trail.

Access Site

Access to Au Sable Lake is located on Sumac Trail.

Geography

A small island dots Au Sable Lake.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Bullheads
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Walleye

Tip

On the NW side of the lake, follow the channel up to “Little Au Sable Lake”, which has a similar fishery and a 30-foot depth.

Clear Lake

Clear Lake is reached by taking I-75 to Exit 212, north on Business Loop 75 to Fairview Road, then left on Clear Lake Road to Grass Lake Road.

Access Site

Access to Clear Lake is located on Grass Lake Road.

Geography

Two small islands are found in Clear Lake, with a footbridge leading to one of them.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Walleye

 

Tip

Try fishing around the islands and gravel beds during spring for bedding fish.

George Lake

George Lake is reached by taking M-33, turn east on Rose City Road (F-28), right on Shady Shores Road (F-17), then left on Forest Drive.

Access Site

George Lake access is located on Forest Dr.

Geography

Wiggins Island is found in George Lake.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Carp
  • Crappie
  • Muskie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Walleye

Tip

Crappie can be caught near the feeder creeks with minnows.

Hardwood Lake

Hardwood Lake is reached by taking M-55 east to Henderson Lake Road, then right to Hardwood Lake.

Access Site

Access to Hardwood Lake is located on Horseshoe Road, past the Hardwood Lake Campground site.

Geography

Hardwood Lake is one of the deepest lakes in the area

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Bullheads
  • Carp
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Suckers

Tip

All species seem to have pretty good size structure for the densities of the fish.

Lake George

Lake George is reached by taking I-75 (exit 212), then south on Cook Road to Channel Lake Road, the turn right to Lake George. Lake George is close to I-75 and shopping in West Branch.

Access Site

Lake George access sites are easily found by following the state DNR access site signs.

Geography

Lake George is split between distinct northern areas and a southern beach access area.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Bullheads
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Rainbow Trout
  • Suckers

Tip

Look for all species to be shallow early in the season, moving deeper when the water warms.

Peach Lake

Peach Lake is reached by taking M-55 to Peach Lake Road, then north to Edward Street.           

Access Site

Peach Lake access sites are easily found by following state DNR access site signs.

Geography

Peach Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Carp
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Pike
  • Suckers
  • Walleye

Tip

Some walleye success can be found just to the right of the public access.

Rifle Lake

Rifle Lake is reached by taking M-33 East on Rose City Road (F-28), right on Shady Shores Road (F-17), then left on Forest Drive to Birchpoint Drive.

Access Site

DNR access site to Rifle Lake is located along Birchpoint Drive.

Geography

Rifle Lake has a footprint of 183 acres.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Walleye

Tip

Rifle Lake is really quiet in the mornings with good fishing.

Sage Lake

Sage Lake is reached by taking M-55 East from West Branch to Sage Lake Road (F-19) North to Sage Lake.

Access Site

DNR access site to Sage Lake is located along Sage Lake Road.

Geography

Sage Lake is the largest lake in Ogemaw County and features three islands.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Bass
  • Bullheads
  • Bowfish
  • Crappie
  • Panfish
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Walleye

Tip

Crappie can be suspended in deep water on the northeast shore year round.

Rifle River

The Rifle River flows through Ogemaw County and is great for canoeing, tubing, fishing, and camping.

Access Site

DNR access sites are located along the Rifle River Trail.

Geography

Rifle River originates at Devoe Lake in Ogemaw County at the Rifle River Recreation Area.

Types of Fish You Will Find

  • Brown Trout
  • Brook Trout
  • Rainbow Trout
  • Salmon
  • Steelhead
  • Suckers

 

Tip

North of M-55 is best for brown trout, while south of M-55 is best for steelhead.

Area Spotlight: Rifle River Recreation Area

So many great fishing spots!

The Rifle provides fair to good brown trout fishing during the spring until about the last week of June, and again from about Labor Day until the end of the trout season. At these times, spin casting with hardware and streamer fly-fishing are productive methods. The slack fishing period which occurs during the summer appears to be the result of high water temperatures coupled with low stream flow.

Except for Skunk Creek and Ammond Creek, most tributaries north of Selkirk can be described as good to excellent trout streams. Of these, Klacking, Houghton, Gamble, and Wilkins creeks are the best. Clacking Creek has an excellent population of brown trout with many fish larger than 14 inches and with some going over 20. Fishing is usually a challenge on this stream due to its extreme clarity.

Gamble Creek is a good brown trout tributary and enters the Rifle via a diversion ditch around the northwest end of Devoe Lake.

Houghton Creek is an excellent feeder stream to the Rifle River and is large enough to support fly-fishing, after it is joined by Wilkins Creek. A previous state record brown trout of 36 5/8 inches, weighing 17 pounds five ounces, was taken from this stream in 1952. Although brown trout typically predominate in the tributaries of the Rifle, some fine brook trout are also present.

Of the tributaries which center below Selkirk in Ogemaw County, only Eddy Creek can be considered a good trout stream. The West Branch of the Rifle, a sizable tributary, supports fair to good trout populations above Flowage Lake. From Flowage Lake to its confluence with the mainstream, the West Branch is considered nontrout. At this point, the West Branch represents about a third of the Rifle’s drainage area.

Each spring, the Rifle supports a tremendous sucker run from Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. While most of the excitement and activity relative to this sucker run takes place in the lower Rifle near Omer, the run extends to nearly all the waters in the system. For example, both Klacking and Prior creeks receive heavy runs.

Find bait at these locations!