Michigan Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Michigan charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Salmon194 charters · April to September, also March and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: also fished | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: also fished | November: also fished | December: off peak |
Trout100 charters · April to October, also January, March and November | January: also fished | February: off peak | March: also fished | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: also fished | December: off peak |
 Walleye61 charters · April to October, also December to March | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: also fished | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: also fished |
 Steelhead57 charters · March to April and October to November, also May and December to February | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: peak | April: peak | May: also fished | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: also fished |
 Smallmouth Bass25 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Yellow Perch24 charters · July to October, also May to June and December to February | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: also fished | June: also fished | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: also fished |
 Muskie12 charters · July to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Northern Pike11 charters · May to June and September to October, also July to August and December to February | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: also fished |
 Largemouth Bass9 charters · June to August, also May and September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: also fished | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: also fished | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sturgeon6 charters · April to May and July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Michigan fishing, month by month
- January
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- February
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- March
- Steelhead
- August
- Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Muskie, Largemouth Bass, Sturgeon
- September
- Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Muskie, Northern Pike, Sturgeon
- October
- Trout, Walleye, Steelhead, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Muskie, Northern Pike
- December
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
Before you book
- Walleye: Lake Erie walleye is open all year. Inland lakes open in early to mid May (late April in lower Michigan).
- Smallmouth Bass: Spring smallmouth is mostly catch and release, for example on Green Bay into late June and a 1-fish limit on Ohio's Lake Erie until late June.
- Muskie: Muskie season opens in early June in Minnesota and Michigan.
- Sturgeon: Lake sturgeon rules are strict and vary by water. Minnesota's Rainy River closes to sturgeon fishing from late May through June.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Michigan charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the Great Lakes, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Michigan's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.