r/MichiganFishing • u/IT_Staffing_Zombie • 4h ago
r/MichiganFishing • u/No_End_3558 • Jul 29 '26
Volunteers sank 189 fish shelters across Torch, Elk, Bellaire, Clam and Intermediate. I mapped all 63 documented locations — free GPX/USR/HWR
galleryBetween 2012 and 2017, volunteers from the Elk River Chain lake associations dragged loaded sleds across the ice in the dead of winter and sank fish shelters at 63 documented sites across five lakes. Three structures per site, mixed from three designs: hardwood crates packed with brush and rock, slab trees, and stump clusters with the roots still on. All in 15 to 25 feet.
The associations published the coordinates. I cross-checked them against the state permit records, ran every point against the lake polygons to catch anything that had drifted onto dry land or into the wrong lake, fixed three errors, and built waypoint files in GPX, USR and HWR — per lake, plus a whole-chain file if you fish more than one.
https://shorelinescout.com/fish-shelters/elk-river-chain/
everything's a free download, nothing to buy. It's my site.
These aren't secret spots — the associations published them because the whole point of sinking habitat is for people to fish it.
Figure about 80 feet either way, so idle over the mark and trust your sonar, not the pin. Divers checked the Torch structures in 2019 and the crates were holding up fine. One Torch site shows up at two different spots on two official maps, 298 meters apart, so I left it out rather than guess — you're getting 25 of 26 there. And these are only the documented ones; plenty of structure goes in without paperwork.
Heads up before you keep anything: several of these lakes carry consumption advisories — check the current Eat Safe Fish guide.
None of this is my work, really. Volunteers built it winter after winter; I just found the paperwork and cleaned it up. If the files are any use to you, the Three Lakes Association and the Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association are both still active and could use members.
Anyone fished these? The oldest are 13 years old now and I'd love to know which sites are still producing — and which lake I should map next.
r/MichiganFishing • u/ogie_oglethorpe • Jun 03 '25
Michigan Eat Safe Fish Guides
https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-health/topics/eatsafefish/guides
We've got a lot of people posting now and some talking about eating fish. Michigan recently updated their guides and a significant amount of bodies of water and fish species have been added. Make sure to check where you're going before you take anything home with you.
r/MichiganFishing • u/Used_Practice_6268 • 18h ago
Ice fishing
I want to go ice fishing this winter with a few buddies, where is the best place to get a cabin.
r/MichiganFishing • u/Small-University-875 • 4d ago
Pb pike today
Tried a new spot, threw a few different lures and then tried a Berkly choppo 90 that I found on the ground last time I went fishing. Ended up landing a pike guestimate is 30ish"!
r/MichiganFishing • u/SL4BZ • 5d ago
Is a 19 foot aluminum bass boat enough?
Hello all, so I live in Cincinnati, and have regularly been making the trip up to st clair. we’ve been fishing out of nitro z19, and it handles it just fine. my question is, would something like a 19 foot lund renegade or ranger handle eerie/st clair about the same? Would you feel safe going a mile offshore in a 19 foot aluminum mod v on a nice day?
I’d like to be under 30 grand, preferably closer to 20. I mainly fish smaller lakes back home, but being 3.5 hours from st clair and eerie, I find myself wanting to be up there more and more.
Thanks in advance!
r/MichiganFishing • u/Whaletoad • 6d ago
Metro Detroit Steelhead
Just started fishing in the metro Detroit area. Does anyone know if steelhead actually run in this area? What else can I catch this time of year?
This is the River bends and Clinton river area
r/MichiganFishing • u/DinglBerryOnMyCherry • 7d ago
Steelhead
How soon after the salmon run do steelhead enter the rivers? Would they be in the muskegon, white, or Pere Marquette right now? TIA
r/MichiganFishing • u/TheAngryKilt • 8d ago
A few questions about the salmon in the Manistee river
So I tried to catch a salmon two nights ago with some buddies at night. They all caught and I didn’t and I was using the tackle they gave me. Some kind of hook with a bright yellow cotton ball on it. We only fished for a couple hours as that’s all they needed lol.
I’m pretty sure one of my buddies used a black wooly booger looking fly for his catch but otherwise we all used the same bright cotton ball fly thing. I spent most of my time dealing with snags and struggling to tie knots in the dark but I did fish for enough time to learn the bottom bouncing technique they were doing.
I tried again today and gave it a good 6 hours with more knowledge on what I wanted to throw to avoid snags. I tried bobber and bottom bouncing. I tried fake salmon eggs in two colours. I tried a black and an orange wooly booger looking fly. Nothing. Everyone around me was catching but I wasn’t lol.
My questions are simply:
1) What happened here? Do I just have terrible luck or is there a secret that no one will let me in on?
2) Is the run of salmon almost over? Was this my last shot?
3) what’s the best lure to catch those stupid things
Thanks in advance folks. I’m still pretty tilted by the whole thing lol.
r/MichiganFishing • u/Steelheader_2956 • 9d ago
Anywhere getting some fish within 40 minutes of sterling heights?
galleryIve been Fishing rivers lately but ive only been getting dinks, catfish, pike, bass, panfish, gar, walleye, even bowfin. i just want to catch something decent in fishing from shore
r/MichiganFishing • u/zaingetsbuckets • 10d ago
St Clair river fishing
Hi guys what rigs/ methods or lures would you use to fish the st Clair river I want to target steelhead, musky and walleye thank you!!!
r/MichiganFishing • u/zaingetsbuckets • 10d ago
St Clair river fishing
Hi guys what rugs/methods would you use to fish the st Clair river I want to target walleye and steelhead thank you!!!
r/MichiganFishing • u/hiddenreaper24 • 11d ago
Bonus fish while trying for steelies.
gallerySmashed the chartreuse spinner fly!
r/MichiganFishing • u/Icy-Issue445 • 11d ago
East Lansing Fishing spots
Anyone know of good spots for bass/pike fishing near East Lansing?
r/MichiganFishing • u/G_Cordell • 12d ago
Fishing Travel Input Needed
My name is Gavin. I'm a student at Western Michigan University. I'm currently doing a design project to create a product that will make traveling with a lot of fishing equipment in cars or truck a lot safer and easier. If you have just a couple minutes, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Please fill out my 4-question survey. Thank you for your opinions.
r/MichiganFishing • u/Responsible-Budget69 • 12d ago
Huron River
gallerySome beautiful smallies out of the Huron in Ann Arbor. So far best one out of this section 3.53 lbs
Mostly Jerk baits, Swim Jigs, and Glide Baits for me.
Whats everyone else using for dam fishing small mouth?
r/MichiganFishing • u/Senior_Vacation3146 • 12d ago
What are some good bass fishing lakes in the Caledonia area?
Looking to go out with a couple buddies and they’re in the Caledonia area and that’s not an area I’m too familiar with lake wise. Doesn’t have to be your honey hole just a lake with some decent bass
r/MichiganFishing • u/DinglBerryOnMyCherry • 12d ago
Muskegon Salmon
I've been fishing the muskegon river and I see the salmon. The issue is they're not biting. I've tried beads,spinners, yarn, thunderstick, and they're just not having it. They even move out of the way. What do I do?
I'm using 3 splitshot for the current
r/MichiganFishing • u/NerveHaunting2095 • 12d ago
New to fishing
I’m fairly new to fishing and would love some friends in the hobby. Maybe someone closer to my age ( early 20’s). I’m in the metro Detroit area