The Family Friendly Fishing Waters map shows family-friendly fishing locations across the state that are easy to access and have a high likelihood of catching fish. You can filter the locations by what type of fish you want to catch, what kind of fishing you are looking for (boat, pier, shore) what amenities you would like (swimming, restrooms, etc.) and more to find the perfect fishing experience for your family. 

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Fishing along the east side of the bay from Quanicassee to Caseville was slow for anglers targeting walleye, with only a few boats making it out on the water. A few walleye were caught along the shallow side of the slot near weed beds. Those targeting yellow perch caught a few but had to put in some time and move around. Some anglers had decent catches, although they often had to sort through smaller fish to find keepers. Anglers fished out front of Quanicassee in 8 to 10 feet of water, east of the spark plug in 24 to 27 feet of water, and in the slot between Sunset Marina and Sebewaing in 14 to 17 feet of water.

Western Saginaw Bay: Walleye fishing was poor throughout the area. Perch anglers enjoyed some success fishing near the Spark Plug buoy in 22 to 27 feet of water. They spent a lot of time sorting and fished at least half a day to keep 7 to 8 perch. Predominantly east winds over the weekend contributed to slower fishing.

Port Austin: A few smallmouth bass were caught from the breakwall and inside the harbor from boats casting artificial lures. Grindstone saw little activity.

Harbor Beach: Pike and smallmouth bass were caught and released from the breakwall and by boats inside the harbor while casting lures. An occasional coho salmon was taken in the early morning, mostly using spinners. A couple of boats trolling in 100 feet of water and deeper for salmon and trout picked up a few walleye.

Port Sanilac: Pike and smallmouth bass were caught from both the north and south breakwalls by casting a variety of lures. Occasional coho salmon and steelhead were taken with spinners and Cleos in the early morning.

Lexington: Pike were caught by casting around the boat launch area. A couple of steelhead and coho salmon were caught using a variety of lures.

Lake Erie: Although yellow perch fishing had picked up a bit the previous week, this week was slow. Anglers had more success just on the Ohio side of the Michigan-Ohio line in 25 feet of water. Many 8-inch perch were caught this year, with fewer larger perch overall on the Michigan side. There was still some success east of the Bolles Harbor launch in 22 feet of water, using minnows fished near the bottom. Walleye remained in much deeper water outside the Michigan side, though a few smaller ones were still caught in Brest Bay on crawlers. However, they were not caught in big numbers and required significant time and effort.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven: Boat anglers caught decent numbers of salmon. There were also good numbers of steelhead caught. The fish were caught from 60 feet of water out to well beyond 120 feet of water. Spoons caught almost all the fish. Perch fishing was slow, and pier fishing was also slow for all species.

St. Joseph: Boat anglers had another good week of fishing. The anglers targeting salmon did well fishing beyond 100 feet of water. Most of the fish were caught on spoons. Anglers caught a mixed bag of lake trout and salmon. A few fish were also caught inside of 60 feet of water. The better fishing was out deeper, but a few staging salmon were caught there. Perch anglers had a good week of fishing, with some nice-sized catches made around 40 feet of water. Anglers fished both north and south of the piers. Pier anglers had pretty slow fishing for salmon. A few fish were caught on shrimp and by casting lures. The water around the pier heads was still warm and hampered fishing for steelhead and salmon.

Black River: The anglers fishing the Black River caught a few salmon. The river was on the warm side but anglers saw a good number of salmon in the river.

Grand Haven: Pier anglers targeting salmon found the action to be slow. A few were caught while casting glow spoons. Boat anglers found some immature salmon 65 to 120 feet down in 120 to 200 feet of water. Glow spoons worked the best.

St. Joseph River: There were a decent amount of salmon caught in the lower river. The river temperatures were on the warm side but anglers trolling and jigging in the river had good success.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Consistent numbers of Chinook salmon were caught each day. Early morning and late-night fishing were equally successful. Boat anglers trolled 15 feet down between the Cheboygan County Marina and the buoy markers. J-plugs and spoons in combinations of green, chartreuse, orange, and black were productive. Salmon anglers fishing the Cheboygan Dam spillway were most successful when floating or bottom-bouncing spawn. Stick baits in combinations of green, orange, purple, and pink also produced decent results.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Boat anglers fishing in 80 feet of water caught a handful of walleye and a few steelhead. Those trolling spoons and plugs in 20 to 30 feet of water out from the river reported limited success. Anglers fishing from the pier found a few coho salmon while casting spoons and spinners—pink, orange, and fire tiger were popular colors. A handful of Chinook salmon were caught off the pier and catwalk by anglers casting crankbaits and glow spoons early in the morning. A few Atlantic salmon showed up during the week, with a couple taken off the pier.

Harrisville: Anglers fishing in the harbor reported moderate success this week with some mornings being better than others. Coho salmon and a few Chinook salmon were taken on crankbaits, spinners and spoons. Spawn produced a few salmon also.

Presque Isle: Anglers reported catching lake trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and coho salmon. Finding the bait was key for the best results. The most productive depths were between 40 and 80 feet of water. Anglers who ran lines throughout the water column found the most success. Productive colors included green, orange, blue, white, black-and-white, and glow patterns, especially early and late in the day. Steelhead were hitting high in the water column on orange spoons. Good fishing spots included the area between the two lighthouses, as well as south toward Stoneport and False Presque Isle.

Rogers City: Good, cold water was present, along with plenty of baitfish. The main challenge was getting out on the lake. Anglers started by locating the bait, which was mostly found in waters 40 to 70 feet deep. Baitfish were located straight out from the harbor, up toward the state park and Forty Mile Point, as well as south in front of Swan Bay and off Adam’s Point. Anglers ran lines throughout the water column, using a mix of spoons, flasher-fly combos, a few meat rigs, and J-plugs for adult Chinook salmon. Adult Chinook salmon were still staging off Swan Bay. In tighter waters, anglers ran bombers and J-plugs off planer boards. Outside of Swan Bay, there was a good mix of lake trout, young salmon, Coho salmon, and the occasional steelhead. Regular and smaller-sized spoons were productive, especially since the baitfish were about two inches in length—so matching the size was important. Productive colors included green, blue, white, black-and-white, and glow patterns early and late in the day. Steelhead were hitting high in the water column on one to three colors of leadcore, with brightly colored spoons such as orange and bright pink performing well.

Tawas/Au Gres: Anglers fishing the pier caught smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, along with a few perch. Only a couple of coho salmon and Chinook salmon were taken from the Tawas River. Spoons seemed to be the most productive. Not many boats were out last week due to the wind. In Au Gres, boat anglers targeting perch did not have much luck but were able to find success toward the shipping channel. Shore fishing from Au Gres to Standish was slow overall.

Alpena: Boat anglers reported slow fishing in the bay. Those who fished near Thunder Bay Island and North Point caught Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead in 50 to 80 feet of water. Fish were scattered throughout the water column. Spoons and plugs in green, black/silver, chartreuse, and orange were all productive. An occasional walleye was also caught in the same waters. Pier anglers had limited success casting spoons and crankbaits for salmon, with green/silver, blue/silver, and chartreuse being popular colors. A couple of coho salmon were caught while casting gold spinners.

Thunder Bay River: Those fishing from Second Avenue to the 9th Street dam caught Chinook, coho, and the occasional Atlantic salmon. Drifting spawn worked well at various times of the day. Crank baits and spoons were productive early and late in the day with white, purple, chartreuse, and glows being most popular. Boat anglers trolling the river had limited success trolling plugs and spoons.

Rockport: Little fishing activity was seen that week. Lake trout were found in 70 to 120 feet of water and were reported to be scattered in the bottom half of the water column. Flashers with spin glows worked well close to the bottom, whereas spoons were productive for suspended fish. Chartreuse, orange, and watermelon spoons were the most productive. Near False Presque Isle, anglers targeted salmon in 20 to 40 feet of water. Plugs and spoons both produced fish, with greens, blues, and glows working best. Steelhead were reported to be scattered from Stoneport to Middle Island, high in the water column. Standard-sized spoons in orange, coolers, and watermelon worked well on three to five color lead cores.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Frankfort/Lake Michigan: The Chinook salmon season wound down as anglers reported low numbers out front. Trolling in 40 to 60 feet of water with spoons and plugs during the early morning and at dusk produced limited results. The best numbers came from anglers who headed out to 150 to 180 feet of water and trolled the top 60 feet, where they picked up young Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead. Anglers reported moderate numbers of coho salmon in Platte Bay, weather permitting. Pier anglers picked up the occasional Chinook salmon using spawn or by casting spoons.

Leland: Pier fishing increased as more Chinook salmon entered the marina. Anglers floating skein before sunrise or 30 minutes after sunset had the best success.

Northport/Suttons Bay: Anglers who launched out of Suttons Bay and went to Stoney Point found some success jigging for Chinook salmon. Pier anglers in Northport reported some success off the long pier casting Thundersticks. A few salmon were also seen throughout the marina.

West Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers trolling in front of the Boardman River caught salmon between 50 and 70 feet down in 90 to 120 feet of water. Those casting crankbaits or spinners in the river mouth also caught a few Chinook salmon and an occasional coho salmon. Salmon were caught in the Boardman River by anglers drifting skein.

East Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout were caught by those trolling out of Elk Rapids in 100 to 130 feet of water. Salmon continued to be caught, though the bite was tough this past week. Anglers trolling in the southern areas of the bay, 60 to 80 feet down in 110 to 140 feet of water, had the best luck. White trolling spoons, as well as green and blue flasher-fly combos, were productive baits to try. Those drifting skein and spawn on the Elk River caught salmon and an occasional lake trout.

Charlevoix: Anglers targeting salmon found most of their success fishing near Medusa Creek. Floating spawn and skein, as well as casting body baits, produced decent numbers of Chinook salmon. Boat anglers fishing in deeper water reported cooler water temperatures over the weekend—low 50s at 100 feet down. They also reported salmon in Round Lake and into Lake Charlevoix.

Little Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing the Bear River in Petoskey reported decent salmon fishing in the early morning and late evening. Bottom bouncing spawn, flies, and beads produced results. Those floating spawn and skein near the mouth of the river also reported some salmon catches. The occasional brown trout, steelhead, and pink salmon were landed. Boat anglers reported slow but steady numbers of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead by the Petoskey breakwall and near Harbor Springs.

Manistee: Pier anglers reported catching a couple of Chinook salmon while jigging and casting spoons, but fishing was generally slow. Those trolling outside the harbor in 30 to 35 feet of water with glow and green plugs picked up a couple of Chinook salmon in the early mornings, but it was hit or miss. Anglers also found immature salmon, with a few adults mixed in, straight out in 150 to 200 feet of water while fishing 60 to 100+ feet down with plugs, spoons, and flasher-fly combos. A few pike and freshwater drum were also caught by salmon anglers in the harbor.

Ludington: A few smallmouth bass and pike were caught from the piers while casting spoons, spinners, and plastics. Those trolling reported slow fishing with limited numbers of salmon at Big Sable Point in 100 to 150 feet of water, fishing 60 to 70 feet down with plugs. A good number of fish moved into the river systems in the area, while the harbor had very little activity. Coho salmon and some Chinook salmon were found at the state park below the dam.

Onekama/Lake Michigan: Anglers trolling straight out in 120 to 180 feet of water reported a few Chinook salmon and coho salmon working the top 60 feet on spoons. The season slowed and angler numbers declined, but dedicated anglers were finding the fish.

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Upper Peninsula

Ontonagon River: Angling efforts on the river remained fairly low over the past week. Reports of walleye being caught in low numbers. Recent rain showers and runoff had left the river waters dirty.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Ontonagon saw a fair amount of fishing effort over the past week. Effort from Union Bay and Silver City was high. Anglers reported catches consisting primarily of lake trout, with brown trout, coho salmon, and Chinook salmon caught less frequently. Reports suggested that anglers had the best luck when trolling in water depths of approximately 60 to 80 feet.

Black River Harbor: The harbor saw low angling effort over the past week. Reported catches consisted primarily of lake trout in fair numbers. Catches of coho salmon and brown trout were reported less frequently. Anglers reportedly had the best luck when trolling in water depths of 80 to 100 feet.

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers reported slow perch fishing. They fished areas with weeds, as well as deeper spots. Anglers reported scattered schools, noting that finding and staying on the school was the hardest part of catching perch. They used perch minnows, either jigging or dragging the rig near the bottom. Walleye anglers also reported slow fishing, with most catching only a few fish per boat.

Big Bay de Noc: Angler presence was limited, with only a few anglers out this week. Those fishing for northern pike reported slow to fair success while casting or trolling crankbaits. Smallmouth anglers had success in shallow areas near deep water access.

Keweenaw Bay/ Huron Bay: Anglers reported fair to good numbers of salmon being caught. Coho salmon and the occasional Chinook salmon were caught while trolling spoons and flasher/fly combos in the upper portion of the water column. Anglers also reported fair lake trout fishing while trolling and jigging.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers reported fair to good lake trout fishing, along with a few Coho salmon being caught. Lake trout were caught by trolling near the bottom in 80 to 120 feet of water, with spoons and flasher/flies being the most productive. Anglers targeting depths of 25 to 50 feet around river mouths had the most success when fishing for salmon.

Grand Marais: Boat anglers did well targeting lake trout, trolling and jigging for them. The salmon bite was slow, but a few Coho salmon were caught by boating anglers trolling shallow east of the break wall. Shore anglers also reported catching a few salmon fishing off the break wall and at the mouth of the Sucker River. Anglers casting spoons and using spawn had the best success.

St. Ignace: Over the past week, salmon anglers had the best luck in the morning. At Nunns Creek, those floating spawn about 100 yards from the mouth reported the highest catch rates. However, stick baits and spoons were also successful. There were not many fish in the creek yet. Cooler nighttime temperatures were expected to start pushing more fish closer to shore. Anglers fishing the Carp River cement footing pier near the mouth of the river reported low numbers of salmon.

Les Cheneaux/DeTour: Anglers in Hessel started to see a few splake show up, but the bite was tough. Water temperatures were still too warm for them to come in and feed. A few pike were caught off the marina’s outside wall using spoons, along with a few smallmouth bass. The perch had left the marina, but some were still caught within Cedarville Bay. In DeTour, anglers limited out on lake trout in the flats while trolling spoons close to the bottom. The perch bite was still on to the north around the islands, but the fish were constantly moving around.

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Fishing tip: Fall fishing

As the weeds begin to die off in the fall, baitfish and game fish like walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike move toward deeper structure such as drop-offs, rock piles, and points. Focus your efforts on these transition areas using jigs tipped with minnows, blade baits, or deep-diving crankbaits. Slow your retrieve — cooler water means sluggish fish, and a slower presentation often triggers more bites.

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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.