Ford Lake fishing

How Ford Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the fourth week of April. In 2025 it was May 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

No plants recorded in 23 years between 1982 and 2025.

About 1,717 reported fish per acre, 5th most of 16 lakes in Otsego County with both a fish count and a surface area.

Section Four Lake (0.8 mi), South Twin Lake (1.8 mi), North Twin Lake (1.9 mi), West Lost Lake (2.1 mi), and Hemlock Lake (2.5 mi) were stocked more recently. Section Four Lake is also stocked with Brook Trout and Brown Trout, South Twin Lake is also stocked with Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Rainbow Trout, North Twin Lake is also stocked with Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Rainbow Trout, West Lost Lake is also stocked with Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brown Trout, and Hemlock Lake is also stocked with Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brook Trout.

Fishing Ford Lake

Ford Lake is a recreational site for fishing. Common fish within Ford Lake include bullhead catfish, channel catfish, common carp, crappies, northern pike, smallmouth bass, suckers, sunfish, bluegill, walleye, white bass, and yellow perch. The largest fish caught in Ford Lake is a common carp recorded in the state's Master Angler Entries at 36.25 inches (97.08 cm) long.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

What to watch for

Ford Lake often experiences algal blooms late in the summer, with the Washtenaw County Health Department issuing past advisories based on high levels of toxic cyanobacteria. Additionally, Ford Lake has been identified as a site of significant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination.

What anglers say

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, as of 2025, the Eat Safe Fish Guide recommends no consumption of any fish species from this lake ("do not eat").