Fishing Mullett Lake

Mullett Lake's Walleye population is experiencing a dramatic turnaround after hitting historic lows around 2009 when adult density was just 0.2 fish per acre. Intensive stocking efforts from 2010-2013 were followed by exceptional natural year classes in 2014, 2015, and 2016, with the 2014 cohort producing the highest juvenile catch rates in decades at 79 Walleye per hour during fall electrofishing. The lake's 40% legal-size Walleye (15+ inches) demonstrates the rebuilding population, though growth rates have slowed from historical averages due to increased densities and competition. Smallmouth Bass have become the lake's growth success story, benefiting tremendously from invasive rusty crayfish and Round Goby that provide high-energy forage - bass reach 14 inches by age 4 and grow about one inch faster than typical Michigan populations. The thermocline establishes at 30-45 feet during summer with excellent dissolved oxygen maintained to 117 feet, creating prime coldwater habitat that supports wild Rainbow Trout from the Pigeon River spawn, which produced an estimated harvest of 669 fish in 2016. Yellow Perch numbers appear suppressed compared to the late 2000s when Walleye were scarce, but the lake still produces trophy perch through longevity rather than fast growth - fish require 6-7 years to reach 10 inches. The lake's oligotrophic status has been enhanced by zebra and quagga mussel invasion since the mid-1990s, dramatically increasing water clarity while reducing overall productivity and shifting energy from the water column to the bottom, which has favored species like Smallmouth Bass. Northern Pike maintain stable populations with growth one inch above state average, reaching legal size (24+ inches) at about 41% of the population. This 16,700-acre lake stratifies with bottom temperatures around 50°F and surface temperatures of 72°F, providing diverse thermal habitat for both cool and coldwater species in Michigan's largest inland waterway system.