Fishing Loon Lake

Loon Lake offers solid panfishing and bass opportunities on 243 acres of clear water with 19-foot visibility. Bluegills dominate the fishery at 54% of the catch, but growth has declined - they averaged 6.1 inches in 2010 versus 7.5 inches in 1986, with only 16% reaching 7 inches or larger. The Schneider's Index of 4.25 ranks the bluegill population as average quality. Rock bass are abundant and provide better size potential, with almost 25% exceeding 8 inches. Largemouth bass show good catch rates consistent with other southeast Michigan lakes, averaging 12.9 inches in nets with 21% exceeding the 14-inch minimum. However, bass growth is well below average with a -1.8 growth index, meaning they're nearly 2 inches shorter than typical for their age. Northern pike average 22.2 inches with above-average growth (+1.4 index) and 29% exceeding 24 inches, but catch rates have slowly declined over time. The lake stratifies with good oxygen levels down to about 30 feet during summer, restricting deeper fishing. Shoal areas are mostly marl with pulpy peat and muck in deeper zones. A large submerged island in the deeper end rises to within 5 feet of the surface, creating structure for fish. The east third is predominantly shallow flats up to 5 feet deep with some deeper pockets to 47 feet, while the western two-thirds drops quickly to 73 feet maximum depth. Development has more than doubled since 1973, with extensive shoreline armoring that has reduced northern pike spawning habitat. Carp dominate the biomass at 68% of total weight, averaging nearly 25 inches and over 7 pounds. Black crappie numbers have declined significantly and now average only 7.1 inches compared to 8.5 inches in 1986. The lake connects to several other waters including Big Silver, Little Silver, Kregor, Schoolhouse, Wormer, and Mohawk lakes, effectively expanding fishing opportunities to about 480 total acres.