Lake fishing

Lake Michigan fishing

Lake Michigan (lake, 57,750 km², Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana): which fish are recorded here, what licence you need and when they bite today.

Bite times today at Lake Michigan

Loads the weather for this place from the National Weather Service.

Set a bite alarm for Lake Michigan Solunar table

Fish in Lake Michigan

Choose a page

Recorded species

Yellow perch Common carp Largemouth bass Rainbow trout Bluegill Brown trout Northern pike Crappie Chinook salmon Walleye Pumpkinseed Coho salmon Flathead catfish Smallmouth bass

Records from agency surveys and other datasets on GBIF.org since 2000 around the lake (grid of about 20 km), sorted by number of record sites. Sources

Fishing licence

Michigan Michigan sells an all-species license by the day or for a year; anglers under 17 do not need one.
Wisconsin Fishing licences are sold by the state fish and wildlife agency.
Illinois Fishing licences are sold by the state fish and wildlife agency.
Indiana Fishing licences are sold by the state fish and wildlife agency.

Size limits, bag limits and seasons are set by each state and can differ on single lakes. Check them with the state fish and wildlife agency before you fish. Fishing licence USA: agency by state

Nearby

Tackle shops nearby

Shops often sell licences and know the lake. Call ahead to check opening hours.

Bait vending machine88.8 km
Cabela'sGreen Bay · 119.2 km
Sportsman's Warehouse119.4 km
Cabela's140.9 km
Fishin' HoleSaint Francis · 147.2 km
Cabela's149.7 km

Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Distance in a straight line from the centre of the lake.

Quick answers

Do I need a fishing licence for Lake Michigan?

Yes, anglers need a licence from the state they fish in (Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana). Some states have free fishing days and exemptions for children; the licence pages linked above list the agency, prices and exemptions.

What fish are in Lake Michigan?

Recorded species include Yellow perch, Common carp, Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout, Bluegill, Brown trout, Northern pike, Crappie. The list above comes from agency surveys and other records on GBIF.org.

When do fish bite at Lake Michigan?

Often at dawn and dusk and when air pressure falls slowly. The forecast above works this out for today from the real local weather, with moon and sun times.

All lakes · Fishing forecast for your area

Know more?

Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.

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