Fishing in
Michigan
14,321 named waters · 6 stocked in the last 30 days
Michigan's Great Lakes shoreline runs one of the best Chinook salmon and steelhead fisheries in the country, with rivers like the Manistee and Pere Marquette hosting massive fall salmon runs. The Au Sable River holds a legendary place in American fly fishing history, and muskellunge fishing on lakes like Lake St. Clair adds a trophy predator fishery few states can match.
Michigan holds 14,321 fishable waters on the books. Michigan DNR has logged 781 stockings in the last year, led by walleye. The biggest water in the state is Lake Superior at 20,263,182 acres.
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When does Michigan stock?
Stocking peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Walleye161 waters
- Rainbow Trout105 waters
- Brook Trout89 waters
- Brown Trout81 waters
- Muskellunge24 waters
- Splake18 waters
- Lake Trout15 waters
- Coho Salmon14 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Lake CharlevoixWalleyeJul 9, 2026
- Pontiac LakeWalleyeJul 9, 2026
- Portage LakeWalleyeJul 8, 2026
- Pontiac LakeWalleyeJul 8, 2026
- Lake CharlevoixWalleyeJul 8, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Manistee River30× stocked
- Muskegon River20× stocked
- Grand River16× stocked
- Lake Michigan16× stocked
- Au Sable River14× stocked
- Saint Joseph River13× stocked
- Boardman River13× stocked
- Lake Huron13× stocked
- Sturgeon River12× stocked
- Platte River11× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Superior20,263,182 ac
- Lake Huron14,593,996 ac
- Lake Michigan14,296,871 ac
- Lake Saint Clair277,783 ac
- Torch Lake18,728 ac
- Houghton Lake17,606 ac
- Burt Lake17,405 ac
- Lake Charlevoix17,337 ac
Major rivers
- Detroit Riverorder 10 · ~211,478 cfs
- Saint Clair Riverorder 10 · ~206,130 cfs
- North Channel Saint Clair Riverorder 10 · ~11 cfs
- Saint Marys Riverorder 9 · ~81,782 cfs
- Saint Joseph Riverorder 9 · ~3,877 cfs
- Saginaw Riverorder 8 · ~3,632 cfs
- Tittabawassee Riverorder 8 · ~3,493 cfs
- Ontonagon Riverorder 8 · ~1,155 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Marquette (502) · Gogebic (459) · Oakland (437) · Iron (433) · Schoolcraft (358) · Chippewa (328) · Alger (316) · Ontonagon (297) · Mackinac (280) · Lapeer (274) · Kent (263) · Sanilac (258) · Newaygo (254) · Houghton (243) · Luce (243) · Tuscola (239) · St. Clair (230) · Delta (226) · Monroe (223) · Keweenaw (214) · Lenawee (209) · Ogemaw (204) · Genesee (204) · Huron (200) · Barry (193) · Livingston (191) · Menominee (187) · Wayne (187) · Montcalm (183) · Van Buren (181)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Michigan's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Michigan fishing — FAQ
Where does Michigan stock fish?+
Michigan DNR logged 781 stockings across Michigan in the last year, led by walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Michigan stock fish?+
Stocking in Michigan peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Michigan?+
Yes — Michigan requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Michigan?+
Michigan has 14,321 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.