River Fishing in Michigan

Michigan has over 300 named rivers and streams in the upper and lower peninsulas. With so many different bodies of water available, it's no wonder Michigan is full of fishermen. When fishing in a Michigan river, you can fish by boat, from the shore, on the ice in winter, fly fish or even do something called smelt dipping.

Fly and Trout Fishing

Michigan has many small rivers that are just wide enough to walk in, cast your fly rod and catch a trout. Fly fishing can be done in larger rivers as well, but there is more success in the shallower waters where the trout thrive. Trout are the main target when you use a fly rod over standard rod and reel. Fly fishing requires different lures and no bait. Popular rivers where the fly fisherman hang out in Michigan include the Pine and Huron.

Smelt Dipping

In Michigan rivers, smelt dipping--catching smelt with a big net--is popular. Smelt are small fish ranging from 4 to 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. They "run" in the spring, some time in late April to early May and head upstream to spawn. The fishing process involves standing in the river or along the shore with a big net, lowering it in the river and coming up with a bunch of fish.

In the past, people could catch smelt by the hundreds, but the population has been gradually decreasing. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNR) is encouraging people to only keep what they will actually eat so the populations can increase. There are certain rivers in Michigan that have better smelt runs than others, and they are the Rifle, AuGres and Cheboygan Rivers. No special license is needed to smelt dip, only the regular Michigan fishing license.

From a Boat

Some rivers in Michigan are big enough to support fishing from a boat or a canoe. Rivers like the Tittabawassee, the Saginaw and the Flint Rivers can handle boats with engines, however, there are many no wake zones along the way. There are no size restrictions for boats, however, you'll want to use caution as rivers are full of logs and debris that could harm a boat engine. The rivers are typically full of walleye, bass, carp, catfish, panfish and some perch.

Fishing Licenses

Michigan fishing licenses can be purchased from any DNR office across the state, sporting goods stores and some large retails shops like K-Mart and Meijer. The price for the licenses are the same, no matter where you get them.

A standard license for residents of Michigan is meant for adults and covers all fish except for trout and salmon and costs $15 for one year. Getting the license with no restrictions on fish is $28. A youth license for all fish is just $2. Non-residents of Michigan will pay $34 for a standard license and $42 for an unrestricted license covering all types of fish.

Fishing Tips

If you don't mind cool weather or cold water, you can fish from or in a Michigan river almost year round. Walleye season open at the end of April, and the Saginaw Bay area rivers are known for producing big fish. The smelt runs begin in April and lasts until May. The summer months yield fish of every type, including perch, catfish and panfish.

The trout bite best in June and July, when the hatches of bugs, damselflies and lacewings are highest. The trout prefer smaller rivers where you can fly fish, but occasionally they are found in bigger rivers where they have been stocked.

During November and December, it is hard to fish if it's cold, but not cold enough to produce thick, safe ice to walk on. Once the ice is thick enough during the winter months, however, you can ice fish for perch, pike and walleye.