Spring fishing is finally here! Today, Wednesday, April 1, is the official kickoff to the new fishing license year in Michigan. Grab your gear, get your fishing license and invite someone new to join you and share the fishing experience.

Before you hit the water, make sure to thoroughly review the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations to learn any new regulations that apply to your favorite fishing spots.

All anglers ages 17 and older are required to have a fishing license to fish public waters in Michigan.

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Anglers were fishing for yellow perch along the east side of the bay from Sebewaing to Caseville. In Sebewaing, anglers reported sorting through many smaller perch at times to find keeper-sized fish. There were some good catches in both the river and marina, but those who did best put in long hours of fishing.

Around the Caseville area, fishing for yellow perch was slow, with mostly small, throwback-sized fish. Once again, anglers that caught good numbers put in hours to achieve their catches. Anglers caught perch on standard perch rigs and small jig heads with either a full minnow or a minnow head.

Saginaw River: Walleye fishing picked up slightly with the nicer weather. Number of catches were not all that great, averaging 2–4 per boat. Jig-and-twister-tail and jig-and-minnow-body combinations worked well, but some anglers also caught fish with blade baits. Some anglers tipped their baits with minnows while others did not, and there did not seem to be a clear preference either way. Most walleye were caught from downtown Saginaw to the Clemens Airport area near Bay City, in various productive locations throughout. Anglers were advised to be mindful of rain in the forecast, as river conditions could change quickly as a result.

Lower Saginaw Bay: From Thomas Road to Lyndy’s Marina, there were around 14 shore anglers, but very few yellow perch were caught. Water levels were low.

A few walleye were caught out in front of Linwood Marina on Saturday while trolling in 8 to 12 feet of water. At Tower Beach Road, a few yellow perch were caught by shore anglers using minnows.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven: Very few boats made it out on the lake the past week. Most of the fishing pressure was from the piers. Pier anglers caught a few coho and the occasional brown trout. All these fish were caught on spawn.

St. Joseph: Fishing was inconsistent the past week. Next to no boats were able to make it out on the lake. Pier anglers had inconsistent fishing. One day, anglers were able to find coho salmon and brown trout. After that, there was little to no luck. Spawn fished on the bottom worked best. Anglers surf fishing caught a few coho salmon when the lake allowed.

Muskegon: Pier anglers caught a few brown trout and steelhead on spawn. When the weather allowed, a few boats are ventured out. Boat anglers trolling the shoreline for brown trout found the action to be slow. A few anglers had luck using chartreuse or orange body baits. There are docks in at Cottage Grove, Snug Harbor, and Fishermans Landing on Muskegon Lake.

Grand Haven: Dirty water continues to be a problem for boat and pier anglers. Pier anglers found the bite to be slow for brown trout and steelhead. There is a dock in at the Harbor Island boat launch.

Black River: The anglers fishing the river mostly caught suckers. However, there were a few steelhead caught on spawn. 

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas/Au Gres: Anglers in Tawas reported catching lake trout from the pier. Most were caught on live minnows, a white tube jig, or spoons. Those fishing the Tawas River reported slow fishing. Boats that were able to get out mostly went south looking for walleye and reported a few, but overall fishing was slow.

Fishing was slow from Au Gres to Standish. A few anglers targeted perch in the cuts and marina's and reported catching a few smaller fish. The Pine River was slow as well.

Alpena/Thunder Bay: The marina harbor was still locked up with ice. Several anglers were observed casting spoons from the pier with no success. One boat was observed trolling the waters near the cement plant and managed a couple Atlantic salmon.

In Thunder Bay, anglers reported the steelhead bite to be a little better with the warmer temps. Drifting beads and spawn were still productive from the 9th Street dam to Rotary Island. Those casting spinners had hit or miss success for steelhead and the random Atlantic salmon. Best colors were orange, blue/silver, and gold.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers fishing the pier/catwalk experienced slow fishing the past week. A few steelhead and Atlantic salmon were caught, along with a few walleye. Anglers targeting steelhead used spawn bags and casting spoons. Anglers targeting Atlantic salmon casted orange and gold spoons, countdown Rapalas, or used minnows.

Anglers fishing the Au Sable River were picking up a few steelhead below the Foote Dam on spawn, beads, and wax worms. A few steelhead were also caught in town while bottom-bouncing spawn. Anglers found Atlantic salmon throughout the river using spawn or flies.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Manistee: Windy weather and cold water kept the action slow. Steelhead were caught off the north and south piers while using spawn from the Lake Michigan side of the piers. A limited number of brown trout were also caught. Those fishing from the beach were unsuccessful.

Ludington: Cold water remained and fishing was slow. One dock was in at Loomis St. Those fishing from the pier reported very slow steelhead action with no brown trout.

Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Pier anglers on the Frankfort and Elberta side reported good action on spawn throughout the week. Steelhead and the occasional brown trout were being caught on a regular basis as water temperature is slowly rising.

Boat anglers trolling inside the pier heads reported a few brown trout and steelhead on body baits.

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Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Ice conditions continued to hold in the upper bay despite the warm temperatures. Anglers reported shoreline ice deterioration but were still able to get on the ice without much of an issue. They reported slow perch fishing, with low catch numbers but some large fish. Overall, fishing was very slow, with most anglers having single-digit harvests or fewer. Those fishing in shallower regions of the bay saw fish but caught only a few. Anglers fishing in deeper water reported marking fish, although less frequently than in shallow areas. Wigglers and small bug presentations were reported to be the most productive.

Munising: The coho salmon bite remained steady for anglers this past week. Anglers reported a fair perch bite. There were some nice splake and herring caught in the bay along with a lot of smelt. Anglers targeting Burbot at night reported good success. Popular baits were wax worms and minnows.

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers reported good numbers of coho salmon and cisco caught. Anglers targeting lake trout had mixed results. Anglers also reported success targeting smelt both during the day and at night. The night bite for burbot was good, with many larger fish taken in the last week. Whitefish anglers reported a better bite as well.

Marquette: The past week was slow for fishing in all areas due to icy conditions on Lake Superior along the breakwall and river mouths. A few coho salmon were caught on the break wall on days when the ice allowed anglers to cast into the lake. This occurred toward the end of the week when the sun came out and some of the ice melted.

The Carp River was a little too shallow and icy early in the week, but as it warmed up, there was more area to cast. A few anglers who ventured out onto the ice on the Carp River caught some coho salmon using floating spawn bags. If the mouth of the river was not producing, anglers were advised to move further up the river, as a few fish were reported farther upstream past the prison.

The Chocolay River ran slowly this week since water levels had dropped. The only good action reported came from kayakers fishing upriver.

Les Cheneaux Islands: In Hessel, anglers were still ice fishing in Hessel Bay, targeting perch. Anglers reported the bite being extremely slow, and it was difficult for anglers to find fish. However, a few anglers came in with good catches. There was also a single splake caught, along with a few smelt.

In Cedarville, anglers were still fishing in Musky, Urie, and Moscoe channels, having about as much luck as the anglers in Hessel. The perch were hard to find, but a few were brought in from Musky Bay later in the week.

Au Train: The Au Train River mouth did slightly open and could be fished as of Saturday but ice may have pushed back in on windy days so. The coho salmon that were caught were out by the mouth of the river on the ice cliffs. Most were caught with either jigs with wax worms or floating spawn eggs.

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Fishing tip: Steelhead in April

Steelhead begin moving upstream in April, so target rivers and tributaries near current breaks, pools, and transition zones where fast water meets slow water. Use spawn, wax worms, or small jigs, and focus on early morning or late afternoon when bites are most consistent.

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This report is intended to give you an idea of fishing conditions around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and conservation officers. With nearly 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams in Michigan, not all locations can be listed.