Where to Fish in Michigan
We’re working on updating this guide to provide you with more locations to cast out a line, relax, and catch one of the many fishes that call Michigan home. Until we can accurately do that, we will share some of our favorite lures for targeting some of our favorite kinds of fish.
Plus, at the bottom of this page, we’ll list every location where we’ve caught fish in Michigan.
How to catch Trout in Michigan
We extensively cover trout fishing in this Keweenaw, Houghton, and Ontonagon Trout Stocking Map article.
Lures
Some of the easiest to use and most effective lures to catch Brooke Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brown Trout in Michigan are humble spinners. Our favorite brands are Panther Martin, Mepps, and Roostertails. We recommend starting small, as you’ll likely catch a big fish with a small lure, but not vice versa.
Our favorite color scheme is a yellow body with black dots. However, we’ve had luck with most of the traditional colors with Panther Martin, Mepps, and Roostertail spinner lures.
Flies
We don’t have as much hands-on experience with flies as we do lures; however, these two have proven capable in our expertise and come well recommended.
The mighty Parachute Adams was first tied in Michigan and is a popular dry fly throughout the state and across the country. It isn’t terribly tricky to tie and is readily available in most shops online and in-store.
The American Pheasant Tail doesn’t have a direct tie to Michigan, but it’s a popular nymph that may give you luck if the mayflies just hatched.
How to catch Largemouth Bass in Michigan
Some of our favorite baits for catching largemouth bass are plastic worms. We love Yamamoto Senko Worms and Yum’s imitation (the Dinger), but anything that looks similar will likely work on Michigan lakes and rivers. There are many ways to rig up a plastic worm, but our favorite two styles are Whacky and on a Texas Rig. Whacky is easy and tends to land us bigger fish (that might just be a coincidence), whereas the Texas Rig is fantastic for weedy lakes, as the hook isn’t as easily exposed.
Spinnerbaits do well in Michigan lakes and rivers, too, and they’re a surefire way to catch a fish when not much else is working. Your color should depend on the time of day and how clear the water is, but our favorite colors are typically red, black, yellow, or a combination of two of those.
You’ll get made fun of for using a topwater frog in some places. We’re not sure why that is, especially considering some of the largest bass we’ve ever caught came from using them. These are perfect for spots with heavy weeds or lilypads, as the hooks are hidden. We’ve found that these work best in the early morning or as the sun sets.
How to catch Pike in Michigan
We’ve found that a lot of the time in Michigan, you’ll often catch a pike when you aren’t trying to. They’re the apex predator in many Michigan lakes and ponds, and they’ll strike most lures that you might use to catch other fish. We’ve caught fish on every lure listed on this page (not the flies, though).
If you’re targeting pike, a spoon is an excellent bet. We like spoons because of their weight, durability, and versatility. You can whip them around, and they don’t mind getting smacked onto rocks occasionally, either. We like Little Cleo and Dardevle spoons, but most brands will do just fine. A yellow body with red dots is a favorite, but that will depend on the water you’re fishing.
Spinnerbaits are another excellent option for pike. If you’re targeting pike, it might be worth investing in a nicer lure, as cheaper ones bend easier when you hook a big fish. That said, even Walmart spinnerbaits bend back pretty easily.
