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Fishing in Michigan

5,459 public fishing lakes and rivers in Michigan — Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Rock Bass, Yellow Perch and Walleye.

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Browse venues in Michigan

See every public fishing venue in Michigan on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.

Open the Michigan Map
State
Michigan
Country
USA
Venues
5,459
Licence
State-issued

Fishing in Michigan

PiscaMaps covers 5,459 public fishing venues across Michigan in 5 regions — 4,057 lakes and reservoirs and 1,364 rivers. The largest is Lake Michigan, at 6,138,000 acres. Grand River is the longest mapped river, running 322 km. Upper Peninsula has the most venues on file, with 2,170. 563 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across Michigan's public waters are Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Rock Bass, Yellow Perch and Walleye — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 1,367 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 859 have nearby camping, and 1,609 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in Michigan

Michigan's public fishing venues are spread across 5 regions on PiscaMaps:

Upper Peninsula · 2,170 Northern Lower Peninsula · 1,145 Southwest Michigan · 951 Mid-Michigan & Thumb · 912 Southeast Michigan · 243

Species Recorded in Michigan

The most frequently recorded species across Michigan's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Smallmouth Bass · 5,327 Northern Pike · 5,306 Largemouth Bass · 5,232 Bluegill · 5,228 Black Crappie · 4,242 Rock Bass · 4,132 Yellow Perch · 4,052 Walleye · 3,941 Channel Catfish · 3,802 Pumpkinseed · 3,448

Fishing Licence in Michigan

Anyone 17+ needs a Michigan DNR fishing licence — the resident annual all-species licence is about $26, the non-resident annual about $76, and 1-day and 3-day all-species licences are sold. Michigan folded the old separate trout/salmon stamp into the base all-species licence in 2014, so one licence covers everything including trout, salmon and the Great Lakes; there is no separate stamp. Michigan residents 65 and older buy a reduced-price senior licence, and anglers under 17 fish free. Buy from the DNR at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. A Michigan all-species fishing licence covers navigable rivers and the Great Lakes. Lake Erie's western basin is fished on a Michigan or Ohio licence in the reciprocal zone; the Menominee and other border waters on a Michigan or Wisconsin licence. Designated trout streams carry their own seasons.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Michigan

Rivers in Michigan

Grand River Muskegon River Saint Joseph River Au Sable River Kalamazoo River River Raisin Manistee River Shiawassee River Ford River Pine River

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