Fishing Caribou Lake

Caribou Lake is currently a smallmouth bass and panfish fishery recovering from decades of intensive predator management. The 2006 survey found the lake dominated by small rock bass, pumpkinseed, and yellow perch averaging just 4-5 inches, with predators making up only 28% of the biomass compared to 62% in 1995. Smallmouth bass provide the best fishing opportunity with 130 fish captured ranging 4-18 inches, and 12% reaching the 14-inch legal size. The walleye population shows inconsistent natural reproduction with several missing year classes among ages 1-14 captured. Only one northern pike was caught during the survey, though pike catches are typically lower with summer netting. The lake's unique court-ordered water level regime floods northwest marshes for pike spawning from late April to June, then drops 0.5 feet through summer, potentially contributing to fish kills when temperatures reach 80°F. Growth rates for all species are below state average, typical for northern Michigan lakes. The massive sucker removal project from 1989-1991 eliminated over 10,000 pounds of white suckers, but they've returned in good numbers indicating the predator-prey balance is still recovering. Tiger muskies were stocked from 1967-1991 but disappeared from surveys and angler catches. The lake association has resumed walleye stocking with 840 fall fingerlings in 2006. Maximum depth reaches 20 feet but most areas are under 10 feet. At 828 acres with a hard-surface boat launch, Caribou Lake offers decent smallmouth fishing and improving panfish numbers as the ecosystem continues rebalancing.