When is Salmon Season in Michigan? A Guide to Catching Kings, Cohos, and More

In Michigan, which is on four of the five Great Lakes, you can find some of the best freshwater fishing in the world. There are a lot of exciting things to do in the state’s waters, whether you’re looking to catch dinner or your next fishing trophy. Before you go fishing in Michigan, you should learn about the seasons, since what you catch will depend on when you go.

Like the rest of the upper Midwest, Michigan gets cold during wintertime. However, the fishing doesn’t stop even when its waters are all but frozen. The name of Michigan’s state park is even called “Winter Wonderland,” which is a great name for a fishing spot.

To find out exactly how the fishing changes and how the seasons turn, stick with us. Here is a list of Michigan’s fishing seasons, broken down by month, so you know what to expect no matter when you go.

What is the best season to go fishing in Michigan?

The best time to go fishing in Michigan is in the summer, when you can see the Great Lakes and catch all the great fish that live there. From June to September, most of the fish you’ll find here, like Walleye, Chinook, Coho Salmon, and most of the others, will be biting.

Summertime is also the peak season on many other lakes you’ll find in Michigan. For example, Lake St. Clair features fantastic Muskie action when the waters are warm. Meanwhile, Manistee and Maple rivers can put you on some of the best Trout fishing around. Whichever way you go during the summer, you’ll be in for a productive time on the water.

With this in mind, you can fish Michigan’s waters no matter when you visit. It’s just that the period between December and March is usually reserved for ice fishing. Take a look at our list below to learn more about what each month has to offer. Or, check out what’s biting in Michigan right now.

It’s deep winter in the Mitten State, with many of its waters completely frozen over. For anglers brave enough to tackle the frigid weather, this means only one thing – ice fishing. This kind of fishing has been done for a long time in Michigan and is a favorite activity for both tourists and people who live there.

There are many different spots you can visit throughout the state. Among them, Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay is a popular destination during Michigan’s ice fishing season. In winter, fishing here will net you one of the tastiest catches out there – Walleye. Other lakes, like Hamlin, Cadillac, or Mitchell Lake, are full of Northern Pike, Walleye, and Crappie. Finally, Crystal Lake is a great choice if you want to reel in some Lake Trout.

Compared to summertime, ice fishing trips in Michigan do have their fair share of logistics attached to them. You’ll need shanties, augers, ice fishing gear, as well as transportation to the prospective lakes. You can bring your own gear or rent it, but the best thing to do is hook up with one of Michigan’s many ice fishing guides. They will also give you all the gear you need to make your trip comfortable and let you know where the bite is.

Many lakes inside the state are frozen over right now, but big rivers like the Manistee or the Muskegon will still be flowing. In them, you’ll find plenty of Trout, as well as Steelhead, the supercharged migratory version of Rainbow Trout. Of course, you’ll need to make sure you’re ready for the cold, since the average temperature is between 20 and 30 F.

The ice fishing conditions are largely the same as in January. In Saginaw Bay, you’ll see some Perch and Walleye take your bait. Lake Gogebic is another spot renowned for its Perch fishing. You can catch Bluegill, Crappie, Northern Pike, Trout, and other fish on other lakes.

In Michigan, the first half of March is still pretty cold, and a lot of the state’s water is still frozen. Because of this, it’s smart to check the ice fishing reports or ask a bait shop in your area if the ice is thick enough to fish on. If so, you can expect the same kind of action in January and February. Depending on where you go, the best fish to catch are Walleye, Perch, Pike, and Trout.

Towards the latter half of March, you’ll start seeing the first signs of spring. Steelhead will start their spring run when the water warms up in rivers like the Pere Marquette near Ludington or the Muskegon and Manistee. You should go out in the cold to catch these fish because they are some of the best freshwater fighters you can find.

Now that spring has finally come to Michigan, steelhead will be making their way up the state’s rivers. The Pere Marquette and White Rivers usually have the first runs. Soon after, the Muskegon, Manistee, and other rivers join in. For those among you who’ve been itching to wrestle some Steelies, this is your chance to do so.

Alternatively, Walleye fishing on the Detroit River is absolutely on fire in April. Their fishing season in Michigan generally begins as soon as the ice thaws. Early during the Walleye run, you’ll have the chance to reel in trophy-sized fish. Later on, the fishing gets more and more consistent, with anglers often hitting limits of smaller fish.

Also, you can fish for walleye in the Saginaw River again on the last Saturday of April, right after the spawning season is over. Right now is when you can expect to catch some of the best and most plentiful Walleye in this part of Michigan. For those who can’t go in the summer, this is the best time to catch these tasty fish.

By May, most charter boats will be offering fishing trips on the four Great Lakes surrounding Michigan. From the middle of the month on, you can fish in Lake Michigan for Coho Salmon, Trout, Bass, and other fish. If you go to Lake Superior instead, you can fish for Grayling, Brown Trout, and Coho and Chinook Salmon early in the season.

Another excellent place to fish around this time of year is Lake Erie’s western basin. Launch from Monroe, and you’ll get the opportunity to reel in plenty of delicious Walleye. Alternatively, the Tittabawassee River is also a great option if you want to catch some ‘Eyes.

If you want to catch panfish, on the other hand, head to Union Lake or the Portage Chain-of-Lakes. Around this time, big Bluegill should be hanging out in the shallows, along with some Crappie. Strawberry Lake in particular is known for the chubby Bluegill swimming through its waters.

June marks the beginning of the high season on the Great Lakes. Lake Michigan is a great place to fish for Steelhead, Lake Trout, Coho, and even Chinook Salmon. There are also a lot of Salmon and Trout in Lake Superior, but Walleye fishing is usually best in Lake Erie.

Other options for Walleye anglers are the Detroit River, St. Clair River, and Lake St. Clair. All three will be teeming with these delicious fish during the month of June. On Lake St. Clair, you’ll also get the chance to reel in some Smallmouth Bass, as well as the elusive Muskellunge.

However, if you’re looking for the most diversity, there’s no better choice than to visit Lake Huron. It offers amazing Walleye action in places such as Saginaw Bay and Thunder Bay. Besides that, there is also a group of Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Coho, and even Atlantic Salmon in another part of the lake. The number of species you can catch on Lake Huron ensures you’ll never get tired of these waters.

One last thing to note regarding June fishing in Michigan is the hex hatch. The hatch marks the high time for fly fishermen to hit the waters as Trout will be swimming near the surface, looking to feed. Visit rivers such as Au Sable, Manistee, Pere Marquette, or Grand River for some of the best fly fishing in the whole Michigan state.

The fishing only gets better in July. Now is the time to go to Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, or Lake Huron if you want to catch the famous Chinook Salmon. Also known as King Salmon, these fish are some of the finest fighters out there. It might be the most exciting time to go fishing in Michigan during salmon season, so make sure you join in the fun.

If you catch all the salmon you can handle early in your trip, you’ll be glad to know that those three lakes also have other fish for you to catch. All of them are actually home to a lot of Lake and Brown Trout, which are fun to chase. Finally, you might even hook into some leftover Coho Salmon, though the fishing usually drops off in July.

Of course, it’s peak season pretty much everywhere else in Michigan, too. Walleye fishermen in Lake Erie always catch their limit, even if they don’t spend the whole day on the water. On Lake St. Clair, the Smallmouth Bass fishing is absolutely on fire. Besides that, Muskellunge are hiding nearby, giving you the chance to catch the “Fish of a Thousand Casts.” ”.

Finally, if you’re itching to add Atlantic Salmon to the mix, St. Marys River is a great place to do so in July. Kings will also be biting, and you’ll sometimes even hook into Walleye. All in all, it’s worth checking out.

The amazing King Salmon fishing July brings only continues in August. If you want to catch some on Lake Michigan, Traverse City and the towns nearby are great places to start. Otherwise, head to Lake Superior or Lake Huron and reel in your share of these freshwater superstars.

A lot of anglers think of Walleye fishing when they think of Lake Erie. This is still true this time of year. The fishing is extremely consistent, with limits of Walleye being the standard, rather than the exception. We are talking about the finest Walleye fishery on the planet, after all.

St. Marys River remains a prolific Salmon fishery in the summertime. It drains Lake Superior into Lake Huron, offering some of the best fishing you can find in either. By August, Chinook Salmon should be biting throughout the river. Otherwise, fish near the mouth of Tahquamenon River for some Perch, Walleye, and Bass.

You can still enjoy plenty of King Salmon action in the first half of September. They’ll be getting ready to go upstream to spawn, so you can often find them getting ready near lakes. Of course, you’ll also get to reel in Coho Salmon on Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior.

If you turn to Lake Erie instead, Walleye will naturally still be biting. However, September also marks the start of the fall Perch season. At this time, you’ll be able to catch bigger ones of these tasty fish and add to your Walleye catch with more others.

On other lakes, such as Lake St. Clair, it’s once again a great time to catch some Smallmouth Bass. On the nearby Detroit River, Walleye fishing is still going wrong. And, of course, there’s always Brown Trout swimming along Michigan’s various rivers.

By now, fall is in full swing in Michigan. On Lake St. Clair, the Muskellunge bite will pick up again as the water temperatures settle into the 40s. This usually takes place in the second half of the month, which is a great time to catch big Musky.

Late October also marks the return of the beloved Steelhead. These overgrown Trout haven’t exactly been to the ocean, causing some anglers to put their moniker to doubt. We call them Steelhead because they look and fight like West Coast Steelhead.

When it’s fall fishing season in Michigan, rivers like the Pere Marquette, Manistee, Au Sable, Platte, and Muskegon are good places to find fish. Now is the best time to go fishing in these waters, whether you like to use a rod and reel or a fly rod and reel. The fish will definitely be biting.

Most of the time, October is the last month you can rent a boat and fish on the Great Lakes. By the end of the month, most captains will be preparing their boats for the oncoming winter.

In Michigan, the Steelhead fishing season will still be at its peak in November, even though the water will be getting cold. We’ve already mentioned a few rivers where you can catch these fish in our October writeup. This time, you should know that there will still be salmon in the water in early November.

By the middle of the month, you can expect Whitefish fishing to pick up. There’s plenty of Smallmouth Bass to catch as well. They’ll be scattered throughout the various Michigan lakes, including Skegemog, Upper Herring, Lake Leelanau, and numerous others. The Lake St. Clair Musky bite is usually great as well during the first half of November.

Other fish, like Northern Pike, Brown Trout, and Walleye, will be biting in the lakes and rivers inside the country. There are times when Great Lakes charter guides offer some of their last trips of the season in the first few days of November.

Big rivers like the Manistee, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette are not likely to freeze over this winter. Instead, they offer steady Steelhead and Trout fishing for anyone eager to still get out there. With fewer anglers fishing, the waters are under less pressure, leaving you to enjoy them all by yourself.

On the other hand, you can expect many smaller lakes to start accumulating ice. People who live near the lake you want to fish on should tell you if the ice is thick enough since it’s still early winter. If so, you’re in for a treat because fish like Perch, Walleye, Bluegill, Northern Pike, and Trout will be biting.

If you can manage to get on Lake St. Clair during the first half of December, you might still get to reel in some Musky. After the winter fishing season in Michigan is over, this lake will also freeze over, so you’ll need to bring your ice fishing gear or hire a guide.

Lake Michigan salmon population surges

FAQ

What time of year do salmon run in Michigan?

Where is the best salmon fishing in Michigan?

How many salmon are you allowed in Michigan?

When can you fish for salmon in Lake Michigan?

When is the best time to go salmon fishing in Michigan?

Arguably, this is also the most popular and most productive technique when you go Salmon fishing in Michigan. The best time to hit the open waters of the lakes is in low-light conditions, usually just before dawn. During the high season, you’ll see local charter boats moving out just as the eastern skies begin to brighten.

When do salmon spawn in Michigan?

Atlantic Salmon – Michigan Atlantic Salmon start to enter some rivers as early as July and will spawn in October and November. They are found from the St Clair River to the St Marys River, with some of the best fishing On the St Mary’s River, Thunder Bay River, and the AuSable River.

Can you go salmon fishing in Michigan?

Salmon fishing charters are one of the best ways to experience salmon fishing on Michigan lakes, but anglers with suitable boats and the right gear for the big lake can do very well on their own. The state of Michigan has Lake Huron on its east, lake Michigan on its west, and Lake Huron to the north, and all areas have good salmon fishing.

What is salmon fishing in Lake Michigan?

Salmon fishing in Lake Michigan is one of the most thrilling angling opportunities in North America. The lake is bordered by Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and anglers come from all over to seek out the Chinook salmon (kings), coho salmon (silvers), and the occasional pink salmon and Atlantic salmon that come to Lake Michigan waters.