The Family Friendly Fishing Waters map shows locations across the state that are easy to access and have a high likelihood of catching fish. You can filter locations by the type of fish you want to catch, the kind of fishing (boat, pier or shore) you’re looking for, the amenities you want (swimming, restrooms, etc.) and entrance fee.

All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.

Buy your license ►

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Eastern Saginaw Bay

Around the eastern side of the bay, anglers continued to catch walleye throughout the slot, from the south end up toward North Island. Anglers also found good numbers of walleye around the bar, east/northeast of the shipping channel in 24 to 26 feet of water, and off Sand Point in 16 to 18 feet. Crawler harnesses in various colors caught many walleye, with body baits also taking a good number of fish.

Lake Huron

The fish, especially the lake trout, began moving a little deeper, but they were still very much available inside 100 feet of water. A slight thermocline – a stratified layer with warmer water above and denser, cooler water below – had also started to develop.

Lake Erie

Anglers continued to catch walleye in 22 feet of water east of Stoney Point using crawler harnesses on bottom bouncers. Green was reported to be a hot color. Very few yellow perch had come in, but they were expected to start showing up soon. Smallmouth bass were caught in shallower water, around 12 feet, on artificial lures.

Clinton County

Panfish and bass were caught on Round Lake.

Eaton County

Crappie were caught on Gordon Lake in Calhoun County. Some bluegills were also caught on the Grand River.

Calhoun County

Panfish, including smallmouth bass, were caught in decent numbers along the Kalamazoo River upstream from the Marshall Power Dam. Walleye were caught on Goguac Lake.

Ionia County

Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were caught on the Grand River near Weber Dam. Flathead catfish were also caught on the Grand River. There was decent panfish activity on inland lakes, with bluegills and perch caught on Morrison Lake.

Washtenaw County

Anglers were catching a few bluegills on South Lake. One group of three anglers had 31 fish.

Monroe County

Walleye fishing picked up, with anglers reporting fish being caught in 22 to 25 feet of water east of Stoney Point. Crawler harnesses worked the best. Largemouth bass were being caught from the tubes at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and from the shorelines of Crystal Waters State Game Area using soft plastic baits.

Back to top

Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven

Boat anglers targeting salmon caught a few fish, but the fishing slowed down. The boats were fishing in around 100 feet of water. Mostly spoons were used to catch a few king and coho salmon. Pier fishing was slow for all species, as the water around the piers was warm. Perch anglers caught a few fish, mostly fishing in 30 feet of water and south of the piers.

St. Joseph

Salmon anglers experienced slower fishing this week. The best water appeared to be between 75 and 100 feet deep. Anglers caught coho salmon, with some Chinook salmon and steelhead mixed in. Small rotators and flies, along with meat rigs, accounted for most of the catches. Pier fishing was also mostly slow. A few steelhead were caught, but the water around the piers remained mostly warm. Catfish and freshwater drum were also caught on shrimp and nightcrawlers. Perch fishing was somewhat inconsistent, with a couple of very good days followed by tougher outings. Most of the perch were caught in around 34 feet of water. Anglers fished both north and south of the piers, with the south proving to be more consistent.

Muskegon

Boats are finding salmon action to be on the slower side. A few salmon and steelhead have been caught 50-90 feet down in 80-150 feet of water. Glow spoons have worked well along with white flasher/flies. Pier anglers are catching freshwater drum on bright-colored casting spoons.

Grand Haven

Salmon action started to pick up slightly for boat anglers. Most success has been 50 to 90 feet down in 80 to 140 feet of water. Glow spoons and meat rigs worked well. Pier anglers caught a few freshwater drums on casting spoons.

Back to top

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan

Lake trout anglers had the best luck at Reynolds Reef using spin-n-glos with flashers. Other productive areas included Poe Reef and the northeast side of Bois Blanc Island. Effective colors were green, white, chartreuse and orange. In the Cheboygan River, anglers caught walleye, freshwater drum, smallmouth bass and panfish. Walleye anglers primarily drifted nightcrawlers under bobbers, used nightcrawler harnesses or fished with deep-diving crankbaits. Shore anglers targeting walleye had success at the Cheboygan Dam spillway, near the Cheboygan DNR field office by the drawbridge, and along the parking lot of the Plaunt Transportation ferry to Bois Blanc. Larger bass were caught closer to the mouth of the river using nightcrawlers or soft plastics.

Tawas/Au Gres

Walleye were caught, with an average of six per boat. A few limits were taken around Charity Island using both artificial baits and nightcrawlers in 10 to 15 feet of water. Catfish, sheepshead and smallmouth bass were also caught while fishing for walleye. Fishing in Tawas was slow, with only a few walleye caught on artificial baits. Catfish, freshwater drum, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were also caught.

Oscoda/Au Sable

Anglers targeting walleye in the river reported a few fish while drifting crawlers off the bottom and casting deep-diving crankbaits off the pierhead. Those targeting catfish off the catwalk and pier found a few big channel cats around dusk using crawlers and cut bait. Offshore anglers reported a slower bite this week. A few steelhead were caught on high lines running orange or brightly colored spoons, along with a handful of coho salmon taken near the first set of humps. Lake trout were caught in 100 to 180 feet of water, with the occasional suspended fish, though most anglers targeted the bottom 10 to 20 feet of water.

Harrisville

Anglers targeting lake trout did well in 110 to 150 feet of water, with limits still being taken. Spin-n-glos performed better than spoons for lake trout. Most trout were taken 10 to 25 feet off the bottom, although some were also caught suspended. Steelhead, coho salmon and a few pink salmon were taken by anglers targeting 70 to 120 feet of water while fishing anywhere from 10 to 60 feet down. Bright-colored spoons and green spoons produced good results.

Rogers City

Wind and mixed weather conditions didn’t allow for any consistency in fishing. Lake trout were still being caught, but as the water warmed up, the fish began to move out a bit. An occasional Chinook salmon, steelhead, Atlantic salmon and coho salmon were also caught. The best depths ranged from 65 to 100 feet of water. Lake trout were mostly coming from 55 feet down and deeper, though some were caught a bit higher in the column. Anglers caught them using flashers and attractors paired with spin-n-glos, spin-n-glo flies, and some spoons.

On some days, the fish were scattered throughout the water column. Silver fish were caught by running lines in the top 50 feet of water using downriggers, lead cores, copper lines and Dipsy Divers. Spoons took most of the silver, though some were also taken on flashers or attractors with flies. Effective colors included green, blue, yellow, orange, white and black – particularly glow patterns early and late in the day. Bright colors and oranges worked well higher in the water column. Anglers fished up the lake between the state park and past Forty Mile Point. Anglers fishing south had the best results around Adams Point. The hump straight out from the harbor also produced good numbers of lake trout.

Presque Isle

Anglers still caught plenty of lake trout but also began seeing coho salmon, Chinook salmon, steelhead and Atlantic salmon in their catches. The fish had moved out a bit deeper as the water warmed up. The best depths were between 60 and 90 feet. Anglers targeted edges and drop-offs, with structure playing a key role. Fishing took place between the two lighthouses, past the big lighthouse toward Black Point.

The area south toward Stoneport and False Presque Isle also produced good results. Lake trout were caught on lines fished near the bottom using flashers, flies, and spin-n-glos. They were also being caught suspended, about halfway down or 55 to 65 feet down, on the same setups – flashers, flies, spin-n-glos – as well as spoons. Silver fish came on lines fished from about 55 feet up to the surface. Regular and super slim-sized spoons worked best. Anglers used downriggers, lead core, Dipsy Divers and copper lines, running them at various depths from 50 feet to the surface. Effective colors included green, blue, orange, white and black, especially glow patterns early and late in the day. Orange and other bright colors performed very well higher in the water column. A few Chinook salmon were caught on spoons, but also on flashers or attractors rigged with flies or squids.

Back to top

Northwest Lower Peninsula

East Grand Traverse Bay

Water temperatures rose to between 67 and 70 degrees this past week, which helped improve the smallmouth bass bite. Anglers reported catching good numbers in the southern part of the bay while fishing the flats. Those casting and slowly retrieving swimbaits and tube jigs had the best luck. Anglers fishing the Elk River continued to catch smallmouth bass while drifting leeches along the bottom or casting swimbaits.

Manistee

A few Chinook salmon were caught in the area while trolling along the shelf straight out from town. The lake trout bite was fair when trolling near the bottom north of town. Bass were reported from the piers, caught using night crawlers, soft plastics and lures.

Ludington

A few Chinook salmon, lake trout, steelhead and a couple brown trout were caught at Big Sable Point when trolling from 100 to 250 feet of water and fishing 70 to 90 feet down with spoons, flies or meat rigs.

Frankfort/Lake Michigan

North winds and rain pushed in cooler water temperatures, and very good numbers of alewives were reported throughout the area. Chinook salmon numbers were still a bit low but were picking up. Anglers heading to Platte Bay reported excellent numbers of lake trout while trolling spin-n-glos and jigging pimples near the bottom. Mayflies hatched this week, and several steelhead were reported near the surface.

Onekama/Lake Michigan

North wind and rain dropped the surface temperatures down a few degrees, anglers reported catches and good marks out front in 180 to 210 feet of water. Anglers trolling the Barrel and in front of the golf course reported lower numbers as the water is not setting up yet.

Leelanau County

In Lake Michigan, anglers out of Leland did well on lake trout on both the first and second banks. King salmon were harder to find following the recent turnover of the lake and warmer water temperatures throughout the water column, though some were still found around South Manitou. In Lake Leelanau, the walleye bite had slowed down.

Lake County

Fishing was reported to be very slow. The Pere Marquette River was very low, and the fishing was also slow. Big Star Lake had recently been treated for weeds, which resulted in extremely slow fishing. Reports indicated no walleye were being caught and very few bass.

Oceana County

Fishing was very slow on the inland lakes and out of Pentwater.

Newaygo County

Warmwater fish were being caught in lakes throughout the county. Trout fishing was very slow due to low water levels in the Muskegon River.

Mecosta County

Walleye fishing was slow on the Muskegon River. Panfish and bass activity picked up on inland lakes with warmer water temperatures.

Back to top

Upper Peninsula

St. Ignace

At the Carp and Pine rivers, shore anglers were successful when floating leeches for walleye and perch. Boat anglers targeting walleye at the Pine River were floating leeches or trolling night crawler harnesses. Fishing before sunrise has been the best time over the past week for walleye and perch to bite.

Ontonagon River

Fishing efforts on the river were fair. The river saw a good amount of recreational activity during the holiday weekend. Walleye were reported caught in low numbers.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay

Ontonagon saw a fair amount of fishing effort throughout the past week. Angling efforts from Union Bay and Silver City were low in comparison. Recent inclement weather conditions occasionally limited reasonable lake access. Reported catches consisted of lake trout in low numbers, caught by those trolling at a variety of water depths.

Black River Harbor

Fishing efforts from the harbor were very low over the past week. Angler reports suggested that fishing was very slow. Reported catches consisted of lake trout in low numbers. Some anglers stated that, to catch fish, they had to shift their focus to trolling in much deeper waters. Additionally, recent inclement weather conditions occasionally limited reasonable lake access.

Little Bay de Noc

Walleye anglers reported slow fishing. Those who had success caught fish sporadically during dawn or dusk. Some trolled crawler harnesses or crankbaits, while others cast jigs tipped with worms or soft plastics. Smallmouth bass fishing was good, with anglers targeting structure or rocky areas using soft plastics.

Big Bay de Noc

Smallmouth bass fishing was good. Anglers caught fish in the Garden and Ogontz bays. Some anglers are targeting offshore reefs or islands, although some anglers are still catching fish near the shore by vegetation.

Fairport

Anglers caught Chinook salmon, with steelhead as the occasional by-catch. Both spoons and flasher-fly presentations were successful.

Keweenaw Bay/ Huron Bay

Anglers reported catching a fair number of coho salmon, along with very few chinook salmon, over the past week. These were caught by trolling crankbaits, spoons, and flasher/flies in 25 to 80 feet of water. Those targeting lake trout were successful when trolling and jigging with both natural and artificial presentations in 100 to 200 feet of water. Anglers fishing for whitefish saw little success.

Marquette

There was a very limited number of anglers around Marquette again this week due to heat, wind and thunderstorms. The coho salmon and Chinook salmon bite around Marquette remained slow this week.

Au Train

Only a few anglers were out this week. One caught his limit of lake trout in two and a half hours, along with a 16-pound king salmon, so the fish were still out there. The other caught five lake trout in three hours. Both were trolling for lake trout at depths of 150 to 180 feet northeast of Au Train Island, out in the flats.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry

Anglers reported catching lake trout while jigging between 50 and 150 feet of water. They had greater success when jigging with natural bait. Anglers trolling spoons and flasher/flies caught lake trout as well as a few coho. Most success occurred in 60 to 90 feet of water, with most fish suspended in the water column.

Les Cheneaux Islands/DeTour

Anglers in Hessel caught good numbers of pike off the pier using live bait. Most of the pike were undersized, but a few legal ones were still being caught. Perch fishing remained challenging for most anglers in the area, as recent fly hatches seemed to have filled the fish up. Though difficult to find, some herring were caught in the Cedarville area over the past week. However, in the DeTour area, anglers did well catching herring around the islands, including Harbor and Big Trout.

Munising

Few anglers to report, though the few boating anglers reported catching lake trout trolling around Grand Island with best time being early in the morning.

Back to top

Fishing tip: summer lures

Use lighter line and smaller, natural-colored lures during summer. Fish can be more cautious in clear, warm water, so subtle presentations often work best.

Back to top

This report is intended to give you an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and conservation officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species.