← Crawford County

Howes Lake

πŸ“ Crawford County, Michigan

Howes Lake is a fishing water in Crawford County, Michigan (Central Lake Michigan management unit).

33
Fish species
0
Boat launches
βœ“
Public access
Conditions today C 51/100 Average conditions Last stocked Oct 27, 2021 Rainbow Trout, 5 years ago Keeper size (estimated) No estimate Not enough size data Access 0 boat launches Public access

πŸ“Š Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable Howes 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 brook trout, brown trout and largemouth bass), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

C
51/100
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Conditions score

Average conditions, fish are catchable but may be selective.

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Oct 27, 2021
Last: Oct 27, 2021
πŸŒ– Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous
Feeding bonus
πŸ‚ Season
Fall feeding frenzy
October
🐟 Species
6 game species present
Game & panfish
πŸ“ Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for Howes Lake Today

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

πŸ“Š Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy Howes 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 brook trout, brown trout and largemouth bass.

High estimated pressure today
Weekend Peak season Popular stocking lake

Expect other anglers. Arrive early or fish early morning for best results.

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

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πŸ“… Best Time to Fish Howes Lake

Combined bite activity across all 33 species in this lake.

Jan
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Apr
May
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πŸ“ 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
Brook Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Brown Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Largemouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Rainbow Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Hybrid SunfishNone25 sunfish combined
πŸ“… Stocking Timeline 5-year history
4 Stocking events
2,044 Fish stocked
3 Species
1830d Since last stock
721d Longest gap
Rainbow Trout 1,636
Brown Trout 203
Brook Trout 205
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Today
Qty / event
Nov '19
Oct '21

πŸ“‹ Howes Lake Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Oct 27, 2021 Rainbow Trout 935 11.9"
Nov 6, 2019 Rainbow Trout 701 15.0"
Nov 6, 2019 Brown Trout 203 8.5"
Nov 6, 2019 Brook Trout 205 9.0"
Jul 7, 1989 Hybrid Sunfish 1,300 3.5"
Apr 14, 1988 Largemouth Bass 41 15.0"
Sep 10, 1986 Hybrid Sunfish 8,300 3.2"
Apr 23, 1984 Rainbow Trout 390 7.3"
May 24, 1983 Rainbow Trout 600 6.5"
May 25, 1982 Rainbow Trout 600 6.7"
Apr 30, 1981 Rainbow Trout 600 6.2"
May 1, 1980 Rainbow Trout 600 9.3"

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

πŸ“… Stocking Forecast

Based on 12 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: Nov.
Peak Stocking Months
May Apr Nov
Most Stocked Species
Rainbow Trout Hybrid Sunfish Brook Trout

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

βš“ Howes Lake Boat Launches

No launch data on record for this lake. Browse all Michigan boat launches.

πŸ’‘ Angler Tips for Howes Lake

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🌀 Current Howes Lake Weather Conditions

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