← Montmorency County

Ess Lake

πŸ“ Montmorency County, Michigan

Ess Lake is a fishing water in Montmorency County, Michigan (Northern Lake Huron management unit).

36
Fish species
1
Boat launches
βœ“
Public access
Conditions today D 44/100 Below-average Last stocked Jun 21, 2024 Walleye, 2.4 years ago Keeper size (estimated) Walleye Stocked fish likely at keeper size by now Access 1 boat launch Public access

πŸ“Š Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable Ess 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 bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

D
44/100
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Conditions score

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

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Jun 21, 2024
Last: Jun 21, 2024
πŸŒ— Moon Phase
Last Quarter
Feeding bonus
πŸƒ Season
Late Fall: fish fattening up
November
🐟 Species
9 game/panfish species: outstanding variety
Game & panfish
πŸ“ Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for Ess Lake Today

Fall fish at Ess 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 Ess 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 bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike.

Moderate estimated pressure today
Weekend Popular stocking lake

Moderate activity expected. Midweek mornings are typically quieter.

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

🐟 Fish Species in Ess Lake

Caught something here? Log your catch
πŸ””
Get our free weekly stocking newsletter We'll send you a weekly roundup of the latest DNR stocking activity across Michigan.

πŸ“… Best Time to Fish Ess Lake

Combined bite activity across all 36 species in this lake.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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
BluegillNone25 sunfish combined
Largemouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Northern Pike24"2
Smallmouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Walleye15"5
Yellow PerchNone25
Hybrid SunfishNone25 sunfish combined
Rock BassNone25 sunfish combined
πŸ“… Stocking Timeline 5-year history
4 Stocking events
45,546 Fish stocked
1 Species
864d Since last stock
1090d Longest gap
Walleye 45,546
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Today
Qty / event
Jun '17
Jun '19
Jun '22
Jun '24

πŸ“‹ Ess Lake Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Jun 21, 2024 Walleye 11,310 1.6"
Jun 15, 2022 Walleye 9,970 1.3"
Jun 21, 2019 Walleye 13,366 1.3"
Jun 13, 2017 Walleye 10,900 1.6"
Jun 16, 2015 Walleye 10,045 1.5"
Jun 19, 2013 Walleye 11,970 1.6"
Jun 5, 2012 Walleye 13,320 1.5"
Jun 22, 2010 Walleye 12,812 2.0"
Jul 9, 2009 Walleye 15,029 2.0"
Jun 10, 2009 Walleye 7,778 1.5"
Nov 1, 2006 Hybrid Sunfish 7,000 4.0"
Jun 8, 2006 Walleye 12,000 1.4"
Jun 16, 2004 Walleye 9,980 1.7"
Jun 20, 2002 Walleye 8,000 1.6"
May 30, 2001 Walleye 17,500 1.1"
Jul 15, 2000 Bluegill 3,200 3.5"
Jul 15, 2000 Northern Pike 400 5.0"
Jun 23, 1999 Bluegill 3,200 3.5"
Jun 23, 1999 Northern Pike 500 5.0"
May 29, 1998 Walleye 16,000 1.0"
Jun 23, 1996 Walleye 9,000 1.2"
Jun 1, 1996 Yellow Perch 2,000 4.5"
Jun 1, 1996 Northern Pike 600 7.0"
Apr 3, 1995 Bluegill 1,750 3.0"
Apr 3, 1995 Yellow Perch 800 5.0"
Showing 25 of 32 stocking records, newest first

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

πŸ“… Stocking Forecast

Based on 32 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: Apr.
Peak Stocking Months
Jun Apr Jul
Most Stocked Species
Walleye Northern Pike Bluegill

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

βš“ Ess Lake Boat Launches (1)

One public access site is listed for Ess 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 Montmorency County boat launches.

Ess Lake State Forest Campground Gravel ramp Fee required 1 trailer lane 2 parking
Amenities
Boating pier, AIS signage, Accessible pier
Hours
04:00-23:00
Phone
989-785-4388
Record updated
April 2026
Full details πŸ—Ί Directions

πŸ’‘ Angler Tips for Ess Lake

No tips yet for this lake. Sign in to share tips and photos.
πŸ’¬Be the first to share an angler tip Sign in to share a tip

🌀 Current Ess Lake Weather Conditions

Loading weather data…
πŸ””
Get our free weekly stocking newsletter We'll send you a weekly roundup of the latest DNR stocking activity across Michigan.