← Midland County

Sanford Lake

📍 Midland County, Michigan

Restored Tittabawassee River impoundment. Recovering fishery with improving walleye and bass populations post-dam breach repair.

991
Acres
22 ft
Max depth
45
Fish species
1
Boat launches
✓
Public access
🔔
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📊 Fishing Pressure

🔒 Fishing+ feature Live crowd levels, best times to go, and weather impact for this lake. Fishing+ — $4.99/mo

💡 Angler Tips for Sanford Lake

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🐟 Fish Species in Sanford Lake

Black Crappie Good
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Bluegill Good
Lepomis macrochirus
Brook Trout Good
Salvelinus fontinalis
Brown Trout Good
Salmo trutta
Channel Catfish Good
Ictalurus punctatus
Muskellunge Good
Esox masquinongy
Rainbow Trout Good
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Yellow Perch Good
Perca flavescens
Largemouth Bass Fair
Micropterus salmoides
Northern Pike Fair
Esox lucius
Walleye Fair
Sander vitreus
Gizzard Shad Good
Dorosoma cepedianum
Golden Shiner Good
Notemigonus crysoleucas
Redear Sunfish Good
Lepomis microlophus
Brown Bullhead Good
Ameiurus nebulosus
Common Carp Good
Cyprinus carpio
Hybrid Sunfish Good
Lepomis macrochirus x Lepomis cyanellus
Pumpkinseed Good
Lepomis gibbosus
Blackstripe Topminnow Good
Fundulus notatus
Bluntnose Minnow Good
Pimephales notatus
Brook Silverside Good
Labidesthes sicculus
Central Mudminnow Good
Umbra limi
Common Shiner Good
Luxilus cornutus
Emerald Shiner Good
Notropis atherinoides
Fathead Minnow Good
Pimephales promelas
Ghost Shiner Good
Notropis buchanani
Golden Redhorse Good
Moxostoma erythrurum
Goldfish Good
Carassius auratus
Lake Chubsucker Good
Erimyzon sucetta
Mimic Shiner Good
Notropis volucellus
Pugnose Minnow Good
Opsopoeodus emiliae
Quillback Good
Carpiodes cyprinus
Redfin Shiner Good
Lythrurus umbratilis
Sand Shiner Good
Notropis stramineus
Shorthead Redhorse Good
Moxostoma macrolepidotum
Silver Chub Good
Macrhybopsis storeriana
Silver Redhorse Good
Moxostoma anisurum
Spotfin Shiner Good
Cyprinella spiloptera
Spottail Shiner Good
Notropis hudsonius
Spotted Sucker Good
Minytrema melanops
Starhead Topminnow Good
Fundulus dispar
Trout-Perch Good
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Western Banded Killifish Good
Fundulus diaphanus
Western Creek Chubsucker Good
Erimyzon oblongus
White Sucker Good
Catostomus commersonii
Caught something here? Log your catch

📋 Sanford Lake Stocking Records

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13 recent stocking records locked — subscribe to see the full history. Fishing+ — $4.99/mo
Nov 1, 2018 Muskellunge 1,222 9.8"
Oct 19, 2018 Black Crappie 200 4.0"
Oct 19, 2018 Walleye 300 7.0"
Jun 12, 2018 Walleye 104,095 1.9"
May 7, 2018 Brown Trout 38 16.3"
May 7, 2018 Brown Trout 350 7.5"
Nov 7, 2017 Brook Trout 35 20.5"
Oct 21, 2017 Walleye 500 7.5"
Jun 21, 2017 Walleye 58,780 1.7"
Apr 20, 2017 Brown Trout 400 7.6"
Apr 26, 2016 Brown Trout 400 7.6"
Nov 17, 2015 Brook Trout 40 21.1"

Want to know when Sanford Lake is likely to be stocked next? See the stocking forecast →

📅 Stocking Forecast

Stocking forecast locked Find out the best months to fish this lake and which species are likely to be stocked next.
Fishing+ — $4.99/mo

📅 Best Time to Fish Sanford Lake

Combined bite activity across all 45 species in this lake.

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

⚓ Boat Launches

Sanford Lake Access
📍 West River Rd, Sanford, MI 48657
Paved ramp Free 30 parking spots
Restrooms, dock
Details → 🗺 Directions

📏 Fishing Regulations

Regulations locked Size limits, daily bag limits, and seasonal rules for every species in this lake.
Fishing+ — $4.99/mo

🌤 Current Sanford Lake Conditions

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🔗 Resources

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