← Van Buren County

Van Auken Lake

📍 Van Buren County, Michigan

Van Auken Lake is a fishing water in Van Buren County, Michigan (Southern Lake Michigan management unit).

32
Fish species
1
Boat launches
✓
Public access
Conditions today D 40/100 Below-average Last stocked Oct 23, 2015 Walleye, 11 years ago Keeper size (estimated) No estimate Not enough size data Access 1 boat launch Public access

📊 Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable Van Auken Lake looks for the day you pick (today by default), from 0 to 100. It adds up five things: how recently the lake was stocked, the moon phase, the season, how many game and panfish species live here (such as northern pike, walleye and golden shiner), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

D
40/100
Monday, November 2, 2026
Conditions score

Below-average, consider a different lake or time of day.

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Oct 23, 2015
Last: Oct 23, 2015
🌗 Moon Phase
Last Quarter
Feeding bonus
🍃 Season
Late Fall: fish fattening up
November
🐟 Species
6 game species present
Game & panfish
📐 Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for Van Auken Lake Today

Fall fish at Van Auken Lake are feeding heavily before winter. Match the forage: shad, crawfish, and perch patterns work well.

📊 Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy Van Auken Lake is likely to be today. It looks at the day of the week, the time of year, and whether the lake has been stocked recently, because fresh stockings tend to draw anglers. Lower pressure usually means more room to work the water for northern pike, walleye and golden shiner.

Very Low estimated pressure today
Popular stocking lake

Very little activity expected. A great time to have the lake to yourself.

Estimate based on day of week, season, and recent stocking. Not a live crowd count.

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📅 Best Time to Fish Van Auken Lake

Combined bite activity across all 32 species in this lake.

Jan
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📏 Fishing Regulations

Statewide general rules for the species found here. Individual waters can have exceptions (special size limits, closed seasons, trout lake types), so check this lake's listing in the official DNR Fishing Guide before heading out.
SpeciesMin sizeDaily limit
Northern Pike24"2
Walleye15"5
Redear SunfishNone25 sunfish combined
WarmouthNone25 sunfish combined

📋 Van Auken Lake Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Oct 23, 2015 Walleye 600 7.0"
Nov 4, 1994 Northern Pike 745 17.1"
Jun 9, 1993 Northern Pike 2,500 3.9"
May 8, 1991 Northern Pike 5,000 2.2"
May 30, 1989 Northern Pike 1,000 4.3"
Apr 13, 1988 Northern Pike 175,000 0.6"
May 13, 1985 Northern Pike 4,000 3.5"
Jul 19, 1984 Northern Pike 1,000 4.1"
Jun 4, 1984 Northern Pike 2,500 3.9"
Jul 10, 1982 Northern Pike 1,000 5.3"

* Records shown are from our database. For the most current data, visit the Michigan DNR directly.

📅 Stocking Forecast

Based on 10 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: May.
Peak Stocking Months
May Jun Jul
Most Stocked Species
Northern Pike Walleye

* Forecast is based on historical DNR data and is not a guarantee of future stocking.

⚓ Van Auken Lake Boat Launches (1)

One public access site is listed for Van Auken Lake. Select a launch for details. Details come from the Michigan DNR boating access data and can change, so check posted signs on site. See all Van Buren County boat launches.

Van Auken Lake Paved ramp Fee required 1 trailer lane
Amenities
Vault toilet, Boating pier, AIS signage
Hours
04:00-23:00
Phone
269-637-2788
Record updated
April 2026
Full details 🗺 Directions

💡 Angler Tips for Van Auken Lake

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🌤 Current Van Auken Lake Weather Conditions

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🔗 Resources

📋 DNR Stocking Database 📖 Michigan Fishing Guide (PDF) 🗺 View on Map 📍 Google Maps 🎣 Log a catch here