Arcadia Lake

The M-22 corridor is known state- and nation-wide for being one of the most scenic drives in the U.S. Along its stretch, visitors will see trees and farmland, and lots of water.

With so much beauty, it’s understandable that visitors may have missed something great while passing over the small bridge, with Arcadia Lake to the west and Arcadia Marsh to the east. But this area is becoming more well known as state agencies and conservation organizations begin to spread the word of the wealth of natural resources accessible from Arcadia.

When a fisheries survey was performed recently by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, it was revealed that Arcadia Lake has excellent populations of walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and a variety of panfish, including bluegill, sunfish, yellow perch, and black crappie. Seasonally, cold-water fish like brown trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon, and coho salmon can also be caught from Arcadia Lake. For several years in the 1980s, Arcadia Lake even held the Michigan state record for brown trout with a 34-pound, 9-ounce lunker. Fed by springs and Bowens Creek, a cold-water trout stream, Arcadia Lake benefits from a municipal marina, boat launch and the open channel to Lake Michigan as well as Arcadia Marsh, a Great Lakes Coastal Marsh.