21 public waters in the Mid-Michigan & Thumb region — 11 lakes/reservoirs and 10 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a Michigan licence.
See every public fishing venue in Michigan on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Rainbow Lake (301 acres) sits in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (public boating access). A southern-Michigan inland lake — warmer, more fertile, often ringed with cottages. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill and shellcracker, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Channel Catfish, and Common Carp. Bass and Panfish are the bread and butter; the bigger lakes hold pike and the occasional Muskie.
Gratiot County, Michigan — Unit B is a 205-acre lake, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Gratiot County, Michigan — Unit A is a 157-acre lake, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Gratiot County, Michigan — Collier Creek Lake is a 134-acre lake, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (public boating access): A southern-Michigan inland lake — warmer, more fertile, often ringed with cottages. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill and shellcracker, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Channel Catfish, and Common Carp. Bass and Panfish are the bread and butter; the bigger lakes hold pike and the occasional Muskie.
Unit D (99 acres) sits in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Half Moon Lake, a 72-acre lake in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (public boating access): A southern-Michigan inland lake — warmer, more fertile, often ringed with cottages. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill and shellcracker, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Channel Catfish, and Common Carp. Bass and Panfish are the bread and butter; the bigger lakes hold pike and the occasional Muskie.
Half-Moon Lake (67 acres) sits in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Gratiot County, Michigan, Unit C is a 63-acre lake, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Gratiot County, Michigan, Unit E is a 44-acre lake, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Unit Y (29 acres) sits in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Little Rainbow, a 16-acre lake in Gratiot County, Michigan, managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Pine River runs 164 km through Gratiot, Midland, Montcalm and 2 more counties in Michigan: A Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout stream — the state's best cold-water rivers for wild and stocked brown, brook and Rainbow Trout, with special regulations (flies-only, artificial-only, no-kill or trophy sections). The Au Sable Holy Water, the upper Manistee, the Pere Marquette flies-only, the South Branch, the Sturgeon, and the UP's Fox, Escanaba and Two Hearted.
Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot and 1 more county in Michigan — Maple River is a 120 km stream: A Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout stream — the state's best cold-water rivers for wild and stocked brown, brook and Rainbow Trout, with special regulations (flies-only, artificial-only, no-kill or trophy sections). The Au Sable Holy Water, the upper Manistee, the Pere Marquette flies-only, the South Branch, the Sturgeon, and the UP's Fox, Escanaba and Two Hearted.
Saginaw and Gratiot Counties, Michigan — Bad River is a 64 km stream: A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Beaver Creek (34 km) flows through Saginaw and Gratiot Counties, Michigan. A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Gratiot and Clinton Counties, Michigan — Pine Creek is a 25 km stream: A Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout stream — the state's best cold-water rivers for wild and stocked brown, brook and Rainbow Trout, with special regulations (flies-only, artificial-only, no-kill or trophy sections). The Au Sable Holy Water, the upper Manistee, the Pere Marquette flies-only, the South Branch, the Sturgeon, and the UP's Fox, Escanaba and Two Hearted.
Brady Creek runs 6 km through Gratiot County, Michigan: A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
North Shade Drain River (10 km) flows through Gratiot County, Michigan. A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
North Branch Pine River (12 km) flows through Montcalm, Isabella and Gratiot Counties, Michigan. A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Gratiot County, Michigan — Honeyoey Creek is a 11 km stream: A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Gratiot County, Michigan — Otter Creek is a 9 km stream: A warmwater Michigan river (the Kalamazoo, Huron, Raisin, Shiawassee, Cass, Flint, Thornapple, Rogue, Looking Glass, Red Cedar) — smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Bluegill, channel and Flathead Catfish, and Crappie in the slow water. Wade or float; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Across its mapped waters, Gratiot County holds 19 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Walleye, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch and Black Crappie.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Michigan map Join PiscaMapsOne Michigan DNR all-species fishing licence covers every public water in the state, trout and salmon included — the resident annual is about $26, the non-resident annual about $76, with 1-day and 3-day licences sold. Michigan folded the old trout/salmon stamp into this base licence in 2014, so there is no separate stamp for inland trout or the Great Lakes salmon fishery. Michigan residents 65 and older buy a reduced senior licence, and anglers under 17 fish free. Buy at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses.