The Family Friendly Fishing Waters map shows family-friendly fishing locations across the state that are easy to access and have a high likelihood of catching fish. You can filter the locations by what type of fish you want to catch, what kind of fishing you are looking for (boat, pier, shore), what amenities you would like (swimming, restrooms, etc.) and entrance fee.
All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Presque Isle: Anglers reported fish scattered in depths of 90 to160 feet of water with water temperatures in the mid-60s to 70 degrees. Lake trout were taken straight out of the harbor to the new lighthouse when fishing close to bottom with flasher/spin glows and spoons. A few Chinooks, coho and walleye were taken while fishing the middle of the column in 90 to 140 feet of water. Walleye were found from North Bay to Black Point in depths of 50 to 70 feet of water. Best results came from crankbaits ran at 20 to 40 feet down.
Cheboygan River/Lake Huron: The salmon run came earlier than expected in Cheboygan this year. Boat anglers caught them within the Cheboygan River channel as well as farther offshore. Salmon were also found off the pier and at the dam, though the pier tends to be more productive during this early part of the run. Pier anglers can also expect to catch northern pike on salmon lures. Time of day can make a big difference on whether salmon bite. Early in the morning (before sunrise) has been the best in Cheboygan.
Rockport: Anglers reported fair catches of walleye from false Presque Isle to Middle Island. Spoons and crankbaits were productive 15 to 25 feet down over 50 to 70 feet of water. Lake trout fishing was good from 60 to 110 feet of water while running flasher/spin glows and spoons. Spoons run at 20 to 50 feet were producing steelhead, Atlantics and a decent number of Chinooks. Early and late in the day was most productive for Chinooks, with green, chartreuse and watermelon spoons working best.
Alpena/Thunder Bay River: Those targeting catfish had hit-or-miss results late evenings from 9th Avenue Bridge to Mill Island Park. Pier anglers reported fishing as slow. A few bass, pike and panfish were caught using crawlers and crankbaits. Walleye in the bay were difficult to find, with the most results coming from North Point and the deeper waters around Scarecrow Island. Weather permitting, the waters around Thunder Bay Island to the humps were giving up lake trout, Chinook, coho, steelhead and Atlantics. Fish were widely scattered, so running lines at all depths had the best results. Anglers reported a few Chinooks had made their way inside the bay, with spoons, plugs and flies catching a few fish.
Tawas: Anglers fishing in 60 to 70 feet of water caught about half the limit of walleye, three to five fish, with reports of a couple steelhead being caught while fishing for walleye as well. Yellow perch were targeted more and caught in good numbers around structure in the bay. Anglers fishing for catfish from shore at Gateway Park had a little bit of luck and reported catching largemouth bass there.
Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers reported catching smallmouth bass with the occasional walleye.
Rogers City: Chinook salmon started to stage off Swan Bay. Due to warm water, fish were not biting well. Anglers reported catching a few very early, before daybreak, and a few after dark. Anglers were running lines throughout the water column for best results. Spoons, flashers with flies, squids or meat rigs with flashers were catching the fish. Anglers reported using downriggers, dipseys, lead core and copper off boards. The best depths were anywhere from 20 to 120 feet of water. There were quite a few walleye taken incidentally from anglers targeting salmon. When cold water comes in, the fishing is better, so pay attention to the winds and plan to fish then for better results. Anglers reported very few other species taken lately, as most anglers focused on salmon. Lake trout were reported to be caught out deep in 120 feet of water or more. Fishing close to the bottom with big flashers and spin glows or green spoons has given anglers success.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Grand Traverse bays: Lake trout moved to deeper water, and Chinook salmon were caught off the north end of the bays.
Charlevoix: Fishing pressure was low due to bad weather conditions with high winds. Anglers fishing early morning found the most success, looking for the temperature break. Fishing anywhere between 75 to 150 feet of water produced some results for Chinook and coho salmon. Those fishing the piers had very low success targeting smallmouth bass. The occasional channel catfish and coho salmon were reported while fishing off the ends of the piers.
Petoskey/Harbor Springs: Salmon anglers fishing in Little Traverse Bay had their best luck fishing the southern half of the bay. Darker Chinook salmon were reported in higher densities fishing from boats, while those fishing the Bear River reported a slow increase of fish activity. Lake trout anglers fishing the north line of the refuge continued to have very good success.
Frankfort: Anglers reported good catches of Chinook salmon, with the early morning bite producing the best catches. Using spoons and lead core worked well, with the meat bite landing the biggest catches using eight-color with meat or flies. Best results were in 120 to 200 feet of water and trolling 70 to 90 feet down. Coho salmon were reported to be caught as well, especially in Platte Bay, where anglers reported bites while trolling and jigging.
Manistee: Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan was steady, as the fish move closer to spawning season.
Onekama: The Barrel is still producing good catches of Chinook salmon in the morning and at sunset. Anglers who worked the top 60 feet of water with spoons and plugs reported the best results.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Perch anglers reported slow to fair fishing, with continued success fishing and drifting minnows. Walleye anglers in the upper bay caught small fish, with occasional keepers. Drifting and trolling harnesses or body baits were the main methods in use. Some larger fish were caught by anglers launching out of the Ford River.
Big Bay de Noc: Yellow perch fishing was fair to good. Perch minnows and worms worked well. Anglers reported smallmouth fishing as good in Ogontz and Garden Bays.
Marquette: Anglers reported the best places for catching lake trout were near the northwest side of the White Islands and trolling out toward Granite Island. Anglers trolling around 80 to 120 feet of water caught the most lake trout near the White Islands, while anglers trolling for lake trout around Granite Rock had the most luck trolling at around 120 to 200 feet of water. Several Chinook and coho were caught as well at around 40 to 100 feet of water near the Chocolay River on toward Shot Point. Yellow tails, silver and pearl multicolored spoons, cow bells, and green and blue flasher flies were good lures for lake trout, while gold spoons, lime green crank baits, and moonshine glow spoons were good for Chinook and coho salmon.
Au Train: Due to high winds, fishing pressure was low. Anglers who made it out caught near their limit of lake trout, and a few big Chinooks. The best places for anglers to catch fish were near the northeast side of Au Train Island and out toward the Shelter Bay clay banks. Anglers trolling or jigging in around 160 feet of water or trolling along the flats caught the most lake trout. Also, trolling cowbells around 145 feet of water with sucker meat or smelt had good success for some anglers north of Au Train Island. Trolling or jigging bright green/silver spoons, or cow bells with sucker, smelt or white fish bellies were common baits. Green spin and glows at around 80 to 100 feet of water were successful for lake trout out by the clay banks.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers in both bays saw increased numbers of pink salmon and lake trout caught during fishing trips. Anglers came off Lake Superior with more successful trips in the mornings than in the afternoons. Anglers caught the most fish on a combination of spoons and flasher flies while trolling in about 100 feet of water. Some anglers reported success in shallower water; however, most fish were throughout the water column.
Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Canal: Anglers reported large catches of pink salmon and lake trout, with some coho and Chinook salmon caught as well. Most anglers were successful when trolling as well as fishing a wide range of depths but focusing at around 80 feet of water. Larger catches of fish were reported during morning fishing trips. Anglers used artificial baits almost exclusively during these trips.
Ontonagon River: Fishing was slow, with average catches of walleye in low numbers. Both trolling and jigging were utilized by anglers and yielded similar levels of success. Recent rains caused deteriorated water conditions, possibly contributing to the slower bite that was reported.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Anglers found good numbers of lake trout along with some coho and Chinook salmon. Trolling artificial lures across a variety of depths was the key to successful trips. Anglers reported a broad dispersion of fish throughout the water column. All times of day yielded similar levels of success.
Black River Harbor: Those fishing from the harbor had good luck, with catches consisting primarily of lake trout. Occasional coho and Chinook salmon were caught in low numbers. Anglers found success at all times of day while trolling artificial lures across a variety of depths.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Anglers caught yellow perch out from Stony Point in 27 feet of water on minnow perch rigs, with green being the most successful color. Walleye were few and far between unless fishing Ohio or Canadian waters. Smallmouth bass were caught in 20 feet of water using crawlers. Largemouth bass were caught using soft plastics closer into shore.
Lake St. Clair: Anglers reported smallmouth bass action as slow, but using dark green baits worked well. Anglers did well in front of the Lake St. Clair Metropark in 12 to 14 feet of water. Perch anglers did fair in the Sny in 13 feet of water while fishing with artificial bait and crawlers. Walleye were caught in deep water in the channel mouths in approximately 26 feet of water. The water was muddy in many areas due to heavy rainfall. Angers who fished near the 30 can and the St. Clair lighthouse caught some walleye and smallmouth bass. Musky anglers did not have much success but did report catching sizable northern pike in the mouth of the middle channel.
Saginaw Bay: Heavy wind and rain kept anglers off the bay. Anglers who were able to make it out near Quanicassee struggled fishing for walleye and perch. The Sebewaing to Caseville area was also slow for walleye, with very few anglers out.
Lower Saginaw Bay: Boat anglers fishing in the lower part of the Saginaw River were successful in catching small numbers of yellow perch using perch rigs with minnows.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Muskegon: Boat anglers found the action to be slow for salmon. Anglers had the most success fishing for salmon 55 to 100 feet in 70 to 130 feet of water. Glow spoons, meat rigs and J-plugs seemed to work the best.
Grand Haven: Boat anglers reported salmon action as good in 40 to 80 feet of water. Glow or chrome J-plugs worked well, along with white flasher/flies. Pier anglers caught a few salmon while casting spoons in low light conditions.
South Haven: Poor weather limited fishing activity. When boat anglers made it out, the salmon fishing was pretty good. The best fishing was in around 100 feet of water. Anglers did well from 90 to 120 feet of water. Using meat rigs, rotators and flies seemed to catch the most fish. Perch fishing was inconsistent. The beginning of the week, anglers were doing well in 30 feet of water, but they struggled toward the end of the week. Pier fishing was slow for all species except sheepshead. Anglers trolling the Black River for salmon also had a very slow week.
St. Joseph: Due to poor weather, very few anglers made it out salmon fishing. Boat anglers were targeting 90 to 100 feet of water when they made it out. Perch fishing was also slow due to weather. Pier anglers who targeted trout and salmon had slow fishing. There were a few smallmouth bass and sheepshead caught.
