Fishing Boardman Lake

Boardman Lake offers a diverse urban fishery in the heart of Traverse City with naturally reproducing walleye and northern pike as the top draws. The 2021 survey found walleye ranging 6-27 inches but growing well below state average at -3.0 index, while northern pike showed excellent growth rates at +0.9 index with fish to 28 inches. Yellow perch are abundant at 257 fish collected, growing at average rates with good size distribution up to 13 inches. The lake's eutrophic nature creates challenging conditions with dissolved oxygen dropping to dangerous levels below 30 feet, concentrating most fish in shallow areas. White suckers dominate by numbers at nearly 64% of the catch, but their abundant one-inch juveniles provide crucial forage. Round gobies have invaded since 2003 and are now established throughout the lake. The fishery is supported by excellent habitat including 281 submerged logs and trees counted along the shoreline. Historical walleye stocking from 1977-1983 was highly successful, creating the current naturally reproducing population. Brown trout up to 21 inches suggest cold water refugia exist despite the lake's warm, fertile nature. Smallmouth bass, though low in numbers at just 13 fish collected, showed impressive biomass contribution and sizes to 19 inches. There's a consumption advisory for northern pike, white sucker, and walleye due to mercury concerns. The fishery appears underutilized despite good fishing opportunities, possibly due to the lake's industrial history and urban setting.