As the Great Lakes State, Michigan offers world-class salmon fishing opportunities. Its many rivers and lakes see huge runs of salmon each year attracting anglers from across the country. With so many options, deciding where to target salmon can be a daunting task. This complete guide will provide everything you need to know to plan a successful salmon fishing trip in Michigan.
The Best Salmon Rivers in Michigan
Michigan’s rivers offer some of the most outstanding salmon fishing in the country Here are the top salmon rivers to target
Manistee River
The Manistee River is one of Michigan’s most popular and productive salmon fisheries. From the mouth at Lake Michigan up to Tippy Dam, anglers flock here to catch trophy Chinook and Coho salmon. The best fishing is near Tippy Dam as salmon stack up before passing through. Prime season is August through October.
Pere Marquette River
Known for its beauty and massive salmon runs, the Pere Marquette River is a top destination for salmon anglers. It sees huge numbers of Chinook salmon from mid-September through October. Drift fishing with spawn sacks is highly effective.
Muskegon River
The Muskegon River gets huge runs of Chinook salmon below Croton Dam. Wading and drift boat anglers both find success here from September through November. Big kings over 30 pounds are possible!
Grand River
Flowing through Grand Rapids, the Grand River offers urban salmon fishing at its finest. The 6th Street Dam sees heavy runs of kings and coho during September and October. Further downstream also holds fish.
Betsie River
The Betsie River has a great fall salmon fishery thanks to its connection to Lake Michigan. Chinook run first in September followed by coho in October. Drift fishing is the most popular technique.
St. Joseph River
Once a small run, the St. Joseph River near Berrien Springs now receives a massive salmon run. Its chinook and coho runs peak from September through October below the Berrien Springs Dam.
Au Sable River
Known for trout, the Au Sable also boasts strong salmon runs. Chinook, coho, and Atlantic salmon ascend this river in the fall. Some of the best fishing is near the mouth at Lake Huron.
Top Salmon Lakes in Michigan
In addition to rivers, Michigan’s Great Lakes and inland lakes offer excellent salmon fishing. Here are some top options:
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan hosts massive populations of Chinook, coho, and even some Atlantic salmon. Trolling offshore with spoons and plugs produces fish from spring through fall. Pier and surf fishing are also options.
Lake Huron
Like Lake Michigan, Lake Huron holds good numbers of salmon. Troll near river mouths and offshore structure for the best action. Georgian Bay and the St. Mary’s River area are salmon hotspots.
Lake Superior
Lake Superior has fewer salmon than Lakes Michigan and Huron but still offers opportunities to catch them. Target areas near tributaries and over deep drop-offs.
Inland Lakes
While not as famous as the Great Lakes for salmon, some inland lakes like Lake Margrethe and Hubbard Lake have decent salmon fishing. These are stocked with Chinook and coho salmon.
Best Times to Catch Salmon
Timing your salmon fishing trip for when the most fish are running is key to success. Here are the peak seasons:
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Chinook Salmon: Mid-August through October
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Coho Salmon: Late September through November
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Pink Salmon: Late August through September
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Atlantic Salmon: June through August
Plan your salmon fishing around these prime timeframes to maximize your chances of connecting with fish. Of course, checking fishing reports for current information is advised.
Helpful Salmon Fishing Tips
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Use bright colored spoons and spinners that mimic baitfish to trigger reaction strikes.
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When river fishing, focus on deeper pools, below riffles, and eddies where salmon hold and rest during their spawning run.
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In lakes, target structure like drop-offs, points, and sunken islands, especially near river mouths.
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Try different depths until you locate where salmon are suspended. Lead core line allows lures to run deeper.
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When drift fishing spawn bags on rivers, bounce along the bottom and vary drift speed according to the current.
With this overview of the best salmon waters and tips for fishing them, you’ll be set to tackle a successful salmon fishing adventure in Michigan. Just pick a promising spot, time it right, and employ some proven techniques, and you should find yourself hooked into hard-fighting salmon.
Atlantic Salmon – Unlike Any Other
We spoke plenty about the Pacific superstars, now let’s talk about Atlantic Salmon – local fighters that will impress you with their acrobatics. Just like their distant Pink family, these Salmon choose rivers and streams as their home and hunting ground. This species can grow to be anywhere from 2–6 pounds.
Atlantic Salmon like to move around in search of the perfect water temperature, so you’ll find them in different sections of the water column throughout the year. In spring, they’ll be closer to the surface and shore, until warm summer days chase them further away. They usually spawn in July, which marks the beginning of their high season that sometimes lasts until December.
As these fish make their way up the rivers, fly fishermen wait excitedly for them to show up. Lake Huron and St. Marys River boast excellent Atlantic Salmon action, as well as sections of St. Clair and Au Sable Rivers. Some bodies of water, like Thunder Bay River and Torch Lake, are also stocked with Atlantic Salmon to encourage the further improvement of the population.
Fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon is fun and often successful, but if you prefer a more traditional approach, trolling and drift fishing work well. Any of the options is a good idea for anglers looking to land a feisty tasty fish like Atlantic Salmon.
Chinook Salmon – The All-Time Favorite
If you’re after the biggest Salmon you can find, then you should target Chinook. Also known as King Salmon, this species is the largest of its cousins, averaging between 10–20 pounds. Even though they’re of the Pacific variety, they’ve been thriving in Michigan’s waters for over half a century.
Size-wise, Chinook are dominant in the Great Lakes (especially Michigan and Huron). They’re up for grabs most of the year, but July and August are the prime time to chase them. After that, they begin their run upstream, and head to the surrounding rivers and streams to spawn.
Kings live in deeper, cooler waters and they’re most active when the light is low, i.e. in the early mornings and evenings. You can even fish for them during the night, as long as you use glow-in-the-dark spoons to get their attention. Look for them in the deeper sections of the lakes, where water is anywhere from 50–150 feet deep.
Chinook respond well to a number of artificial lures like plugs and spinners, but they also respond well to alewives, salmon eggs, and rainbow smelt.
These fish are so popular in Michigan that they’ve made it into the school classrooms. As part of the program “Salmon in the Classroom,” kids all over the state nurture Chinook from eggs to smolt, then release them where the conditions are good for the fish to keep growing.
Where When & How To Catch Salmon In The River / Tips For SALMON FISHING IN MICHIGAN RIVERS
FAQ
Where is the best salmon fishing in Michigan?
The Chinook salmon are nicknamed “kings” as they are typically over 20 pounds. The most popular areas to fish Chinook salmon are Lake Michigan piers, the streams along the Lake Michigan coast, and inland in Manistee, like the Tippy Dam, Pere Marquette, and St. Joseph rivers.
What River do salmon run in Michigan?
However, the primary place for Atlantic salmon fishing is the St. Marys River. You can also find them in Lake Huron and even the St. Clair River.
When to fish for salmon in Michigan?
September – October. During September and October is a great time to experience battling a 30 lb Chinook Salmon on a light line, something you can tell for years to come. These two months we see the annual Salmon spawning run, with thousands of Chinook Salmon migrating up our rivers.
Are salmon in the rivers yet in Michigan?
The best available Michigan Salmon Fishing Dates are from early September through late October. King Salmon migrate into the rivers first, then Coho Salmon and Fall Steelhead. December offers some of the best Fall and Winter Steelhead fishing that Michigan has to offer.