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Big Manistique Lake is one of the lakes LakeRadar tracks in Michigan. At around 10,130 acres (about 16 square miles), it is a large waterbody. Fish documented in the area include Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Smallmouth Bass. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Big Manistique Lake.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Special Weather Statement issued October 10 at 5:47PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
Overall Fair (60/100) across 5 activities. Best right now: Fishing (77/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 88/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 57°F from a representative gauge 19.8 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 10 mph from the south. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 70° | 70° | 71° | 70° | 69° | 68° | 65° | 63° | 61° | 60° | 59° | 58° | 58° | 57° | 56° | 56° | 56° | 55° | 54° | 55° | 57° | 61° | 64° | 67° |
| Wind (kts) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | W | W | SE | E | E | E | E | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 6% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 10% | 4% | 6% | 7% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 1 PM EDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 29 mph | 0% | 8% | Sunny |
| Sun, 2 PM EDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 7% | Sunny |
| Sun, 3 PM EDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 29 mph | 0% | 5% | Sunny |
| Sun, 4 PM EDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Sun, 5 PM EDT | 69°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 27 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Sun, 6 PM EDT | 68°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sun, 7 PM EDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 22% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 8 PM EDT | 63°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 3% | 33% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 9 PM EDT | 61°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 20 mph | 3% | 25% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 10 PM EDT | 60°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 18 mph | 4% | 36% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 11 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 17 mph | 4% | 34% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 AM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 15 mph | 4% | 46% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 AM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 5% | 71% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 AM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 3% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 3 AM EDT | 56°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 3% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 4 AM EDT | 56°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 9 mph | 3% | 76% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 5 AM EDT | 56°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 8 mph | 6% | 74% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 6 AM EDT | 55°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 7 mph | 10% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 7 AM EDT | 54°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 7% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 8 AM EDT | 55°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 10 mph | 6% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 9 AM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 10% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 10 AM EDT | 61°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 4% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 11 AM EDT | 64°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 6% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 PM EDT | 67°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 13 mph | 7% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 PM EDT | 68°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 14 mph | 6% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | This Afternoon October 11, 2026 | Tonight October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 | Saturday October 17, 2026 | Saturday Night October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 72° | 54° | 71° | 47° | 59° | 40° | 58° | 36° | 58° | 37° | 54° | 30° | 49° | 30° |
| Wind | S 15 mph | SW 5 to 15 mph | E 5 to 10 mph | E 5 to 10 mph | N 10 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph | N 5 to 10 mph | E 5 to 10 mph | SE 10 mph | W 10 to 20 mph | NW 15 to 20 mph | N 15 mph | W 5 to 10 mph |
| Gusts | 30 mph | 24 mph | 15 mph | 16 mph | 16 mph | 17 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 21 mph | 22 mph | 35 mph | 35 mph | 25 mph | 21 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 6% | 18% | 77% | 77% | 5% | 2% | 7% | 25% | 51% | 60% | 50% | 20% | 5% |
| Forecast |
Port Inland, MI · Oct 11, 5:42 PM UTC
Good for fishing (77/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 57°F from a representative gauge 19.8 mi away. Provisional data. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (82%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Poor for boating (54/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 29 mph. Active moderate alert: Special Weather Statement. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (71/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 15 mph from the S is in the preferred sailing range. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Special Weather Statement. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (56/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 0% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 70°F. Working against it: Gusts to 29 mph. Active moderate alert: Special Weather Statement. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 57°F. Cold shock reflex presents an immediate drowning risk.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of MI Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Big Manistique Lake is a scenic freshwater lake situated in MI, offering expansive waters for recreational boating and dedicated sport anglers. The surrounding topography influences local wind and wave dynamics, creating ideal windows for morning paddling and afternoon cruising. Consult local ramp status and safety rules prior to arrival.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is required for anglers age 17+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Yellow Perch, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Big Manistique Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 11, 1:54 PM EDT