Best Times & Seasons to Fish Lake Michigan (Full Guide)
Lake Michigan is one of the largest lakes in North America and is home to some of the best trout and salmon fishing in the country. Knowing the best times and seasons to fish this massive body of water can help you put bigger fish in the boat.
The best time to fish Lake Michigan is April to May for yellow perch and bass, from May to June for lake steelhead and trout, July to August for king salmon, and June through October for coho salmon.
In this article, we will discover the best times of day to fish Lake Michigan for a variety of species. We will also look at how seasonality and monthly progressions can impact the fishing success rates and how fish respond.
Seasonal Fishing Guide: Lake Michigan
Winter
Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 18°F to 34°F during the winter months. Lake Michigan water temperatures in winter vary from 31°F to 38°F.
Winter is a great time to experience ice fishing on Lake Michigan. Anglers usually choose to enjoy ice fishing in the lake’s harbors and ports.
Ice fishing is good from sunrise to the middle of the day. Ice fishing has to be done in shallow waters. Steelhead can be found in the lake’s tributaries. Lake Michigan does not freeze completely during the winter months. The great lakes are notorious for unstable and unpredictable ice conditions so be careful and never fish alone.
Spring
Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 28°F to 69°F during the spring months. Lake Michigan water temperatures in spring vary from 32°F to 54°F.
Water warms up during springtime and fishing is getting better. Spring fishing in Lake Michigan is good between the middle of April and May. Anglers can catch brown trout, lake trout, yellow perch, walleye, and coho salmon during this time of the year.
The best time of the day to go fishing on Lake Michigan in spring is between early morning and midday. Salmon go to deeper waters of Lake Michigan during the spring months. Fishermen should book a charter boat and use trolling to fish Lake Michigan in the spring.
Summer
Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 58°F to 82°F during the summer months. Lake Michigan water temperatures in spring vary from 51°F to 74°F.
The weather is getting warmer in summer, so fish become more active during this time of the year. June is a good time to target coho salmon as well as rainbow trout. Fishing on the lake is very productive as well. Summer is the best season for trophy-class salmon.
A lot of anglers choose to fish Lake Michigan early in the morning. Water cools down and fish begin to feed actively during the morning hours.
Fish can be found in the deep cold waters of Lake Michigan in summer. Small silver spoons and power lines work well for fishing the lake during the summer months.
Fall
Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 33°F to 72°F during the fall months. Lake Michigan water temperatures in spring vary from 44°F to 69°F.
Lake Michigan’s fishing is very productive in the fall. Local anglers can catch a variety of fish species in the lake during the fall months.
These include brown trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout as well as salmon species. The chances to catch a trophy fish are high during this time of the year.
Anglers who fish Lake Michigan in the fall get excellent results between the early morning and afternoon.
Fish go to the shallow waters of Lake Michigan and rivers in the fall. Anglers should aim to focus on steelhead and salmon when fishing the waters of Lake Michigan during the fall months. Frankfort, Platte Bay, and Grand Haven are good fishing spots to target Lake Michigan in the fall.
Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Lake Michigan
These Lake Michigan-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Powderhorn Sportfishing | Holland, MI |
| Prime Time Fishing Charters | Williamsburg, MI |
| Danel Sportfishing | Grand Haven, MI |
| Fish-X-TC Fishing Charter | Traverse City, MI |
| Fish Napper Charters | St. Joseph, MI |
| Silver Beach Fishing Co | St. Joseph, MI |
| Elsie K Charters – Lake Michigan | Manistee, MI |
| Fish Stalker Charters | St. Joseph, MI |
| Hooked Sportfishing Charters | Frankfort, MI |
| Manistee River Fishing Company | Brethren, MI |
| Limitless Fishing Charters | Muskegon, MI |
| Lure-In Fishing Guide – Sturgeon Bay | Sturgeon Bay, WI |
Monthly Breakdown: Lake Michigan
January: Steelhead is preparing for spawning season after the fall run in January. Fish can be found in the rivers around the lake. Winter steelhead bites well in the lake from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
February: It’s possible to fish for rainbow trout and brown trout in the late winter. Rainbow trout and brown trout bite well in February. The fish will bite well during warm days. A lot of fish can be found in the Muskegon River.
March: Steelhead spawning run starts in March. Fish starts feeding actively at the beginning of the month. The best time of the day to fish Lake Michigan in March is between the late morning and midday. A lot of steelhead can be found in the rivers around the lake.
April Steelhead spawning run continues in April. Fish that are waiting to spawn actively feed this month. The Muskegon River is full of steelhead fish in the middle of April. Fishermen get a lot of bites during the midday hours.
May: Water is getting warmer in Michigan in the late spring, so anglers get more bites. Anglers can fish for brown trout and lake trout as well as Coho salmon and Chinook salmon in May. Lake Michigan fishing in the late spring is productive in the early morning, midday, and late evening.
June: The run for steelhead is coming to an end in the early summer and they can be found in warmer waters in the lake. In early summer, it’s possible to fish for steelhead at any time of the day.
July: Salmon moves to the Muskegon River every year. Salmon fishing is excellent in July. Salmon can be found in large schools this month. It makes sense to fish in Muskegon Lake port. Salmon bites well after sunrise and before sunset.
August: Late summer provides anglers with a good chance to catch trophy fish on Lake Michigan. Salmon bite well in the early morning and late evening. A lot of salmon can be found in the lake’s harbors and in the Muskegon River.
September: It’s possible to catch a trophy Chinook salmon in September. The annual salmon spawn run begins in the early fall.
Hundreds of thousands of salmon head into rivers and smaller creeks to spawn and die. Salmon fishing is very productive between late morning and afternoon hours.
October: A lot of salmon can be found in the Muskegon River between the middle of October. Also, it’s possible to fish for steelhead at this time of the year. Steelhead run begins after the salmon run. Traditionally, fishermen get a lot of bites in the afternoon.
November: November is a great time to fish for steelhead in Lake Michigan. Fall steelhead are well-known for their aggressive bites. Steelhead bites well during low light conditions.
So, anglers should go fishing at sunrise or at sunset. A lot of steelhead can be found in the Manistee, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers.
December: December is a great month for steelhead the tributaries of Lake Michigan. The best time of a day to fish for steelhead in Lake Michigan in December is between morning and afternoon.
Lake Michigan Species Breakdown
Largemouth Bass
The waters of Lake Michigan are full of largemouth bass. Fishing for largemouth bass is incredible. Oftentimes, largemouth bass bites well on Indiana’s shoreline and near rocky areas. A lot of largemouth bass can be found in the tributaries of Lake Michigan.
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass fishing in Lake Michigan starts in May and continues until the middle of November. The season to fish for smallmouth bass is high between early May and July. It’s possible to catch smallmouth bass at any time of the year.
Rainbow Trout
Fishing for rainbow trout is always exciting. A lot of rainbow trout can be found in the many streams and tributaries around the lake. Fishing is productive in the late spring and during the summer months.
Salmon
It’s possible to catch salmon species in the waters of Lake Michigan. A lot of Chinook and Coho salmons can be found in the lake. Fish gets active in the spring and early summer. Salmon continues to bite until the late summer.
Yellow Perch
Yellow perch is the main target on Lake Michigan during the winter months. When the lake freezes, it’s time to target yellow perch.
Yellow perch goes to warmer waters in winter. It’s possible to find a lot of yellow perch in the lake’s harbors and ports.
Charters & Fishing Guides: Lake Michigan
– Best season to book
Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan is the best in spring and the early fall. It’s possible to fish for salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout, and yellow perch during these months.
Traditionally, a lot of anglers visit the lake in June, July, and August. It would be better to plan Lake Michigan fishing adventures for March – April.
– Time of day to book trip
Morning
A lot of anglers choose to fish in the lake in the morning during the summer months. Water cools down and that’s why fish bite well during the morning hours in summer. It’s more comfortable to fish during the morning hours in summer because anglers can avoid heat.
However, Lake Michigan fishing in the morning is not productive during the cold months. Morning fishing is not suitable for anglers, who want to wake up early.
Midday
Midday fishing on Lake Michigan is productive during the cold months of the year. The water heats up and the activity of fish increases.
However, many fish species don’t bite well during midday hours in summer. Also, fishermen can expect the peak of summer heat during the summertime.
Afternoon
It’s a good idea to fish Lake Michigan during afternoon hours at any time of the year. The water heats up in the afternoon during cold months.
Also, water cools down in the afternoon during hot months. On top of that, there is no need to wake up early if you choose to fish the lake during the afternoon hours.
However, anglers can’t spend too much time fishing if they choose to start their adventures in the afternoon.
Full-day
Full-day fishing trips are suitable for anglers, who want to get the most out of a fishing trip on Lake Michigan. Anglers spend a whole day on fishing and have a good chance to catch a trophy.
Anglers receive meals and drinks during full-day fishing trips as well. However, full-day fishing trips are more expensive than half-day ones.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Erie, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Ontario, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Huron, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Superior, please check out this helpful guide. To learn how good the fishing on Lake Erie is, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the quality of fishing in Lake Michigan, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the quality of fishing in Minnesota, check out this article. Check out this guide for a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Illinois.
