Lake Michigan fishing

Lake Michigan fishing is stocked with Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Coho Salmon, Muskellunge, and 2 more on a natural lake. It is stocked about 9.6 times a year since 2010. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout and Brook Trout, dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and Muskellunge, and dawn, dusk, and night for Crappie.

Last stocked: 2025; Coho Salmon
Plants on record: 153; Since 2010
Species recorded: 8
Average size: 6.5 in
Surface acres: 14,387,446.2

Fish at Lake Michigan

8 stocked · 0 confirmed present

Brown Trout Stocked · 53 plants · last 2025 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked 2025 · avg 6.8 in · 53 plants

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brown Trout species guide

Rainbow Trout Stocked · 33 plants · last 2025 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked 2025 · avg 6.4 in · 33 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide

Coho Salmon Stocked · 27 plants · last 2025

Last stocked 2025 · avg 6.2 in · 27 plants

Coho Salmon species guide

Chinook Salmon Stocked · 21 plants · last 2025

Last stocked 2025 · avg 3.4 in · 21 plants

Chinook Salmon species guide

Lake Sturgeon Stocked · 11 plants · last 2022

Last stocked 2022 · avg 8.8 in · 11 plants

Lake Sturgeon species guide

Muskellunge Stocked · 6 plants · last 2025 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked 2025 · avg 11.2 in · 6 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Muskellunge species guide

Brook Trout Stocked · 1 plant · last 2010 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked 2010 · avg 7.8 in · 1 plant

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brook Trout species guide

Crappie Stocked · 1 plant · last 2023 Best: dawn, dusk, night

Last stocked 2023 · avg 9 in · 1 plant

Best: dawn, dusk, night

Crappie species guide

How Lake Michigan is stocked

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Fish stocked in 2010

815,345

Fish stocked in 2011

830,388

Fish stocked in 2012

863,376

Fish stocked in 2013

642,740

Fish stocked in 2014

670,573

Fish stocked in 2015

902,705

Fish stocked in 2016

987,678

Fish stocked in 2017

426,355

Fish stocked in 2018

386,810

Fish stocked in 2019

491,136

Fish stocked in 2020

329,314

Fish stocked in 2021

456,428

Fish stocked in 2022

657,772

Fish stocked in 2023

208,000

Fish stocked in 2024

524,146

Fish stocked in 2025

204,060

Stocking history

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Date	Species	Quantity	Avg. length	Source
2025	Coho Salmon	34,535	6.55 in	report
2025	Rainbow Trout	7,087	6.28 in	report
2025	Rainbow Trout	7,020	6.4 in	report
2025	Muskellunge	1,995	10.72 in	report
2025	Coho Salmon	12,500	6.38 in	report
2025	Brown Trout	59,290	6.23 in	report
2025	Chinook Salmon	81,633	3.45 in	report
2024	Coho Salmon	10,980	6.2 in	report
2024	Muskellunge	2,000	11.75 in	report
2024	Brown Trout	123,393	6.32 in	report
2024	Coho Salmon	23,634	6.73 in	report
2024	Coho Salmon	67,218	6 in	report
2024	Brown Trout	44,545	4.7 in	report
2024	Chinook Salmon	252,376	3.58 in	report
2023	Muskellunge	303	11.09 in	report
2023	Coho Salmon	29,857	5.1 in	report
2023	Rainbow Trout	100	14 in	report
2023	Chinook Salmon	90,453	3.37 in	report
2023	Coho Salmon	24,355	6 in	report
2023	Brown Trout	62,882	6.3 in	report
2023	Crappie	50	9 in	report
2022	Rainbow Trout	44,258	5.83 in	report
2022	Muskellunge	366	13 in	report
2022	Rainbow Trout	123,158	3.08 in	report
2022	Rainbow Trout	125,879	3.42 in	report
2022	Lake Sturgeon	8	15.8 in	report
2022	Brown Trout	118,120	6.35 in	report
2022	Rainbow Trout	130	12 in	report
2022	Coho Salmon	68,569	5.7 in	report
2022	Chinook Salmon	131,712	3.33 in	report
2022	Coho Salmon	45,572	5.9 in	report
2021	Muskellunge	2,979	9.7 in	report
2021	Coho Salmon	61,496	6.15 in	report
2021	Chinook Salmon	267,383	3.26 in	report
2021	Rainbow Trout	1,936	4.5 in	report
2021	Brown Trout	122,634	6.46 in	report
2020	Chinook Salmon	123,037	3.56 in	report
2020	Coho Salmon	62,838	5.98 in	report
2020	Brown Trout	88,949	6.41 in	report
2020	Brown Trout	10,384	5 in	report
2020	Rainbow Trout	33,970	6.27 in	report
2020	Coho Salmon	10,136	5.59 in	report
2019	Chinook Salmon	215,613	3.38 in	report
2019	Lake Sturgeon	14	12 in	report
2019	Rainbow Trout	67,429	6.6 in	report
2019	Brown Trout	129,479	6.65 in	report
2019	Brown Trout	20,016	4.4 in	report
2019	Lake Sturgeon	1,080	7.8 in	report
2019	Coho Salmon	57,505	6.35 in	report
2018	Coho Salmon	50,473	6.35 in	report
2018	Lake Sturgeon	992	6 in	report
2018	Chinook Salmon	217,957	3.66 in	report
2018	Brown Trout	10,400	4.5 in	report
2018	Brown Trout	58,021	6.54 in	report
2018	Lake Sturgeon	10	12.5 in	report
2018	Rainbow Trout	48,957	6.07 in	report
2017	Chinook Salmon	181,424	3.41 in	report
2017	Coho Salmon	22,892	6.55 in	report
2017	Brown Trout	120,240	6.5 in	report
2017	Rainbow Trout	59,971	6.32 in	report
2017	Coho Salmon	40,178	6.17 in	report
2017	Lake Sturgeon	1,650	5.45 in	report
2016	Brown Trout	59,707	7.88 in	report
2016	Coho Salmon	74,369	6.65 in	report
2016	Brown Trout	163,578	6.78 in	report
2016	Rainbow Trout	2,000	6.24 in	report
2016	Coho Salmon	73,725	6 in	report
2016	Brown Trout	112,087	8.01 in	report
2016	Chinook Salmon	30,401	2.97 in	report
2016	Brown Trout	93,554	8.28 in	report
2016	Coho Salmon	5,992	6 in	report
2016	Rainbow Trout	2,387	5.94 in	report
2016	Rainbow Trout	101,280	6.4 in	report
2016	Brown Trout	54,231	7.24 in	report
2016	Lake Sturgeon	1,105	7.6 in	report
2016	Chinook Salmon	213,262	3.38 in	report
2015	Brown Trout	99,979	5.84 in	report
2015	Rainbow Trout	2,385	5.74 in	report
2015	Rainbow Trout	2,257	6.5 in	report
2015	Coho Salmon	58,257	5.23 in	report
2015	Chinook Salmon	180,232	3.56 in	report
2015	Chinook Salmon	31,155	3.4 in	report
2015	Rainbow Trout	72,079	6.43 in	report
2015	Coho Salmon	106,623	6.58 in	report
2015	Brown Trout	87,031	7.49 in	report
2015	Brown Trout	67,992	8.2 in	report
2015	Lake Sturgeon	1,078	6.5 in	report
2015	Brown Trout	77,317	6.69 in	report
2015	Brown Trout	116,320	6.91 in	report
2014	Brown Trout	136,841	6.76 in	report
2014	Chinook Salmon	173,490	3.57 in	report
2014	Brown Trout	48,281	7.7 in	report
2014	Coho Salmon	98,459	6.34 in	report
2014	Lake Sturgeon	1,126	8.5 in	report
2014	Brown Trout	87,221	7.92 in	report
2014	Rainbow Trout	93,616	6.24 in	report
2014	Chinook Salmon	31,539	3.3 in	report
2013	Coho Salmon	62,313	6.34 in	report
2013	Rainbow Trout	13,223	6.41 in	report
2013	Chinook Salmon	32,757	3.49 in	report
2013	Lake Sturgeon	1,179	9 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	56,703	5.48 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	142,071	6.69 in	report
2013	Rainbow Trout	58,961	6.4 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	6,011	4.5 in	report
2013	Rainbow Trout	12,603	6.48 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	33,508	8.12 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	14,018	6.9 in	report
2013	Chinook Salmon	74,655	3.7 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	54,555	7.71 in	report
2013	Brown Trout	80,183	8.17 in	report
2012	Rainbow Trout	13,566	5.82 in	report
2012	Lake Sturgeon	500	5.5 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	29,229	7.17 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	27,525	6 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	48,674	2.3 in	report
2012	Coho Salmon	71,982	6.28 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	107,006	8.21 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	115,632	6.99 in	report
2012	Coho Salmon	36,251	7.46 in	report
2012	Chinook Salmon	52,031	2.93 in	report
2012	Rainbow Trout	14,726	5.02 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	42,195	8.92 in	report
2012	Rainbow Trout	62,362	6.19 in	report
2012	Chinook Salmon	200,435	3.74 in	report
2012	Muskellunge	264	10.7 in	report
2012	Brown Trout	40,998	7.05 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	28,688	7.43 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	27,695	7.91 in	report
2011	Rainbow Trout	100,136	6.25 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	125,573	7.17 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	10,600	5.3 in	report
2011	Rainbow Trout	12,160	6.46 in	report
2011	Rainbow Trout	13,238	5.77 in	report
2011	Rainbow Trout	8,688	5.25 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	87,116	8.5 in	report
2011	Coho Salmon	85,069	6.44 in	report
2011	Brown Trout	18,540	7.4 in	report
2011	Chinook Salmon	312,885	3.37 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	51,498	7.16 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	15,994	5.55 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	31,840	7.06 in	report
2010	Rainbow Trout	14,137	5.37 in	report
2010	Coho Salmon	26,886	6 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	42,444	7.3 in	report
2010	Rainbow Trout	17,217	6.88 in	report
2010	Rainbow Trout	34,299	7.62 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	131,377	7.22 in	report
2010	Brook Trout	23,760	7.77 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	56,427	7.8 in	report
2010	Rainbow Trout	37,346	6.28 in	report
2010	Brown Trout	36,490	7.69 in	report
2010	Chinook Salmon	295,630	3.67 in	report

Access and facts

Water type: natural lake
Nearest town: Howard, WI
Facilities: restrooms, camping, dock

Brown County's Bay Shore Park on the bay's east shore has a 4-lane ramp behind a breakwall, vault toilets and a launch fee, and allows shore fishing. Smaller gravel ramps are at Harbor Lights Road (Suamico) and Peter's Landing (Howard); Deerfield Docks Park in Howard adds a launch and kayak deck.

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

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Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before you go.

About Lake Michigan

Photo of Lake Michigan — Lord Laitinen, CC0

Nearest lakes

Forestville Flowage 28.2 mi last stocked 2022 Washington Lake 28.3 mi last stocked 2025 Shawano Lake 28.6 mi last stocked 2025 Loon Lake 29.3 mi last stocked 2025 Becker Lake 30.3 mi last stocked 2025

Common questions

What fish are at Lake Michigan?

Fishing Lake Michigan usually means Brown Trout: Brown Trout accounts for 53 of 153 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout and 6 more. Brown Trout was last stocked 2025, averaging 6.8 in. Rainbow Trout was last stocked 2025, averaging 6.4 in. Coho Salmon was last stocked 2025, averaging 6.2 in. Chinook Salmon was last stocked 2025, averaging 3.4 in. 4 more species are on the stocking report.

When is Lake Michigan stocked?

Last stocked 2025. It is stocked about 9.6 times a year since 2010.

How big are the fish stocked at Lake Michigan?

Stocked fish average 6.5 in. Brown Trout average 6.8 in. Rainbow Trout average 6.4 in. Coho Salmon average 6.2 in. Chinook Salmon average 3.4 in.

How do you get on Lake Michigan?

The nearest town is Howard, WI. Facilities include restrooms, camping, and dock. Brown County's Bay Shore Park on the bay's east shore has a 4-lane ramp behind a breakwall, vault toilets and a launch fee, and allows shore fishing. Smaller gravel ramps are at Harbor Lights Road (Suamico) and Peter's Landing (Howard); Deerfield Docks Park in Howard adds a launch and kayak deck.

Sources (8) +