Golden Lake fishing

Fishing at Golden Lake has Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Splake, Brown Trout, and Lake Whitefish on the stocking report. It is stocked about 2.1 times a year since 1979, most often in April and May. Species guides list dawn for Lake Trout, dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and Smallmouth Bass, and dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout.

Last stocked

May 15, 2025

Plants on record

98

Since 1979

Species recorded

6

Surface acres

272.1

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How Golden Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of May. In 2025 it was May 15, 2025, later than usual.

No plants recorded in 1981, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

About 2,309 reported fish per acre, 9th most of 22 lakes in Iron County with both a fish count and a surface area.

Timber Lake (3.7 mi) and Iron Lake (11.4 mi) were stocked more recently.

Fish at Golden Lake

Fishing Golden Lake is most likely to be for Lake Trout. Lake Trout accounts for 33 of 98 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout and 4 more.

Around the dates Golden Lake is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 52.7°F in May, 37.1°F in April, 59.2°F in September, 63.2°F in June. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Lake Trout 33 plants
Plants
33 of 98
Last stocked
May 27, 2022

Seasons and rigs are on the Lake Trout guide.

Rainbow Trout 28 plants
Plants
28 of 98
Last stocked
April 29, 2015

Seasons and rigs are on the Rainbow Trout guide.

Splake 28 plants
Plants
28 of 98
Last stocked
May 15, 2025

Seasons and rigs are on the Splake guide.

Lake Whitefish 6 plants
Plants
6 of 98
Last stocked
September 12, 1997
Brown Trout 2 plants
Plants
2 of 98
Last stocked
May 12, 1989

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Smallmouth Bass 1 plant
Plants
1 of 98
Last stocked
September 3, 1982

Seasons and rigs are on the Smallmouth Bass guide.

Fish stocked per year

  • 20,0001979
  • 20,0001980
  • 27,4001982
  • 14,0001983
  • 14,0001984
  • 15,6001985
  • 11,7001986
  • 33,3501987
  • 23,9801988
  • 15,4001989
  • 17,2001990
  • 15,2901991
  • 17,5001992
  • 16,2001993
  • 22,1211994
  • 21,9351995
  • 25,2861996
  • 25,8411997
  • 22,2001998
  • 30,0001999
  • 14,5002000
  • 23,2902001
  • 13,7002002
  • 13,3962003
  • 13,2222004
  • 14,6272005
  • 3,0002006
  • 3,0002007
  • 7,9202008
  • 7,1992009
  • 7,1982010
  • 12,7982011
  • 13,0132012
  • 12,4982013
  • 12,3192014
  • 12,4132015
  • 7,1192017
  • 1502018
  • 7,1112019
  • 7,1192021
  • 1502022
  • 6,3982023
  • 7,1002025

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 98 plants Showing 98 plants

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 15, 2025 Splake 7,100 – report
May 5, 2023 Splake 6,398 – report
May 27, 2022 Lake Trout 150 – report
April 7, 2021 Splake 7,119 – report
April 29, 2019 Splake 7,111 – report
July 16, 2018 Lake Trout 150 – report
April 14, 2017 Splake 7,119 – report
April 29, 2015 Rainbow Trout 5,720 – report
April 23, 2015 Splake 6,693 – report
May 7, 2014 Rainbow Trout 5,130 – report
May 7, 2014 Splake 7,189 – report
May 13, 2013 Rainbow Trout 5,300 – report
May 13, 2013 Splake 7,198 – report
May 14, 2012 Rainbow Trout 5,614 – report
April 16, 2012 Splake 7,399 – report
May 4, 2011 Rainbow Trout 5,400 – report
April 28, 2011 Splake 7,398 – report
April 29, 2010 Rainbow Trout 7,198 – report
May 5, 2009 Rainbow Trout 7,199 – report
May 2, 2008 Rainbow Trout 7,920 – report
April 24, 2007 Rainbow Trout 3,000 – report
April 26, 2006 Rainbow Trout 3,000 – report
November 7, 2005 Lake Trout 106 – report
November 7, 2005 Lake Trout 106 – report
May 5, 2005 Lake Trout 7,920 – report
May 3, 2005 Rainbow Trout 6,495 – report
June 29, 2004 Lake Trout 249 – report
April 30, 2004 Splake 6,473 – report
April 28, 2004 Rainbow Trout 6,500 – report
May 12, 2003 Lake Trout 7,197 – report
May 6, 2003 Rainbow Trout 6,199 – report
May 3, 2002 Rainbow Trout 6,500 – report
April 30, 2002 Splake 7,200 – report
May 7, 2001 Lake Trout 8,000 – report
May 7, 2001 Splake 7,290 – report
April 26, 2001 Rainbow Trout 8,000 – report
May 10, 2000 Lake Trout 7,500 – report
May 2, 2000 Rainbow Trout 7,000 – report
May 10, 1999 Splake 7,500 – report
May 7, 1999 Lake Trout 7,500 – report
May 6, 1999 Rainbow Trout 7,500 – report
April 27, 1999 Splake 7,500 – report
May 1, 1998 Rainbow Trout 7,300 – report
April 24, 1998 Splake 7,500 – report
April 23, 1998 Lake Trout 7,400 – report
September 12, 1997 Lake Whitefish 3,151 – report
June 3, 1997 Splake 7,500 – report
June 3, 1997 Lake Trout 7,500 – report
June 3, 1997 Lake Trout 190 – report
May 27, 1997 Rainbow Trout 7,500 – report
October 3, 1996 Lake Whitefish 1,284 – report
July 1, 1996 Lake Trout 210 – report
July 1, 1996 Lake Trout 100 – report
July 1, 1996 Lake Trout 30 – report
June 4, 1996 Rainbow Trout 7,495 – report
May 28, 1996 Lake Trout 7,500 – report
May 28, 1996 Splake 7,500 – report
May 8, 1996 Lake Whitefish 1,167 – report
September 29, 1995 Lake Whitefish 6,013 – report
May 16, 1995 Rainbow Trout 2,000 – report
May 3, 1995 Splake 13,000 – report
May 1, 1995 Lake Whitefish 922 – report
November 2, 1994 Lake Trout 100 – report
September 6, 1994 Lake Whitefish 5,621 – report
May 10, 1994 Splake 10,000 – report
May 10, 1994 Lake Trout 6,400 – report
May 11, 1993 Splake 6,200 – report
May 11, 1993 Lake Trout 10,000 – report
May 22, 1992 Splake 7,500 – report
May 18, 1992 Lake Trout 10,000 – report
April 30, 1991 Splake 7,890 – report
April 30, 1991 Lake Trout 7,400 – report
May 16, 1990 Splake 10,000 – report
April 30, 1990 Lake Trout 7,200 – report
May 25, 1989 Rainbow Trout 7,500 – report
May 12, 1989 Brown Trout 7,500 – report
April 13, 1989 Lake Trout 200 – report
April 13, 1989 Lake Trout 200 – report
May 23, 1988 Rainbow Trout 3,980 – report
May 23, 1988 Brown Trout 4,000 – report
April 29, 1988 Lake Trout 10,000 – report
April 26, 1988 Splake 6,000 – report
September 17, 1987 Lake Trout 350 – report
July 31, 1987 Lake Trout 23,000 – report
May 7, 1987 Splake 10,000 – report
May 19, 1986 Splake 6,700 – report
May 19, 1986 Lake Trout 5,000 – report
November 4, 1985 Lake Trout 600 – report
September 26, 1985 Splake 15,000 – report
September 27, 1984 Rainbow Trout 14,000 – report
January 13, 1983 Rainbow Trout 14,000 – report
September 29, 1982 Rainbow Trout 14,000 – report
September 3, 1982 Smallmouth Bass 7,400 – report
May 21, 1982 Lake Trout 6,000 – report
June 18, 1980 Rainbow Trout 14,000 – report
May 9, 1980 Lake Trout 6,000 – report
June 12, 1979 Rainbow Trout 14,000 – report
May 17, 1979 Lake Trout 6,000 – report
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Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

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