Fishing Report – Northern Michigan, June 15, 2026
Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
Weather: Mostly sunny with a few afternoon clouds possible. Highs in the low to mid 70s°F, lows in the low to mid 50s°F. Light westerly winds 5-15 mph. Low chance of showers (under 20%). Water temperatures are warming nicely into the 60s°F range on most inland lakes — excellent early summer fishing conditions.
Tight lines, anglers! Mid-June is delivering solid action as fish move into predictable summer patterns. Live bait remains king — leeches, green crawlers, and minnows — paired with crankbaits, spoons, jigs, and crawler harnesses. Early mornings and evenings are prime time.
Western Northern Michigan
Covering areas around Traverse City, Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, and nearby. Strong smallmouth, walleye, and salmon/trout opportunities, especially near Lake Michigan.
1. Torch Lake – Smallmouth bass and lake trout are active in clearer waters. Anglers are catching good numbers of smallies casting tubes, swimbaits, and drop-shot rigs near breaks and structure in 10-30 feet; lake trout on spoons or jigs deeper. Fishing has been good with post-spawn bass moving to summer haunts.
2. Lake Charlevoix – Bass and walleye producing well. People are catching smallmouth and walleye trolling crankbaits or crawler harnesses near drop-offs and river mouths.
3. Lake Leelanau – Walleye and smallmouth active. Fishing has been fair with people using slip bobbers and leeches and summer trolling with crawler harnesses.
4. Crystal Lake – Perch, pike, and smallmouth. Good perch and bass reports on small jigs and live bait near weeds; pike on spinnerbaits.
5. Elk Lake – Bass, pike, and panfish. Solid mixed bag action using plastics and crankbaits for bass/pike.
6. Glen Lake – Trout and bass. Fishing has been fair with people using slip bobbers and leeches and summer trolling with crawler harnesses.
7. Platte Lake – Walleye and bass. Trolling harnesses and crankbaits producing walleye.
8. Long Lake (Grand Traverse) – Perch and walleye. Good reports of perch and walleye on jigs and leeches in 15-30 feet; also smallmouth bass on plastics.
9. Green Lake – Bass (largemouth and smallmouth) and northern pike. Strong bass action on plastics, tubes, and crankbaits near structure and weeds; pike on spinnerbaits.
10. Duck Lake – Pike and panfish. Pike hitting spinnerbaits in weedy areas.
11. Lake Michigan (West Grand Traverse Bay) – Salmon and lake trout. Boat anglers catching Chinook and lakers trolling spoons and flasher-fly combos in 50-150+ feet.
12. Boardman River – Smallmouth and steelhead. Casting spinners and flies for smallies.
13. Manistee River – Salmon and trout. Good numbers on spoons and spinners.
14. Portage Lake – Walleye and perch. Crawler harnesses working for walleye.
15. Bass Lake (Benzie) – Bass and panfish. Active bass on plastics.
16. Lower Herring Lake – Perch, bass, walleye. Perch on small jigs.
17. Betsie Lake – Salmon and trout. Trolling spoons productive.
18. Bear Lake (Manistee) – Pike and bass. Spinnerbaits for pike.
19. Cadillac Lake – Pike and panfish. Good pike action.
20. Lake Mitchell – Bass and walleye. Bass on crankbaits.
21. Clam Lake – Panfish and bass. Family panfish bites strong.
22. Higgins Lake (edge) – Lake trout and perch. Deep trolling/jigging for lakers.
23. Houghton Lake (south edge) – Walleye and panfish. Harnesses and jigs.
24. Tippy Dam Pond – Salmon and trout. Spoons working.
25. Pere Marquette River – Steelhead and salmon. Drifting spawn or flies.
Tips: Green/orange spoons excel for salmon/trout. Finesse presentations in clear water for smallmouth. Leeches and crawlers top producers.
Central Northern Michigan
Areas around Otsego, Crawford, Kalkaska, Wexford, Roscommon. Great mix of warmwater and trout fisheries.
1. Otsego Lake – Muskie, pike, bass, panfish. Pike and muskie on large spinnerbaits and bucktails; bass on plastics.
2. Lake Margrethe – Walleye and bass. Trolling crawler harnesses and crankbaits for walleye.
3. Big Chub Lake – Trout and panfish. Fishing has been fair with people using slip bobbers and leeches and summer trolling with crawler harnesses.
4. Pickerel Lake – Bass and panfish. Strong panfish on worms/jigs.
5. Long Lake (Kalkaska) – Walleye and pike. Harnesses producing walleye.
6. Eagle Lake – Bass and perch. Good bass action.
7. Blue Lake – Trout options. Jigging or trolling for trout.
8. Manistee Lake – Panfish and bass. Abundant panfish.
9. Lake Cadillac (near) – Pike. Spinnerbaits effective.
10. Lake Mitchell (near) – Bass. Plastics and crankbaits.
11. Houghton Lake – Walleye, pike, panfish. Busy with walleye on harnesses and panfish on jigs.
12. Higgins Lake – Lake trout, browns, rainbows. Deep trolling spoons for lakers.
13. Marl Lake – Trout. Good trout fishing reported.
14. Muskegon River (upper) – Smallmouth and trout. Spinners and flies.
15. Boardman (sections) – Various. Mixed species on live bait.
16. Au Sable River – Trout. Fly fishing productive.
17. Crawford Lake – Panfish. Excellent for families.
18. Grass Lake – Bass. Good numbers on topwater.
19. Island Lake – Pike. Spinnerbaits in weeds.
20. Green Lake (additional) – Productive bass and walleye.
21. Bear Lake variants – Panfish. Strong bluegill bite.
22. Skegemog Lake – Walleye and bass. Harnesses for walleye.
23. Intermediate Lake – Bass and pike. Solid predator action.
24. Ellsworth Lake – Panfish. Worms under bobbers.
25. Torch River – Connecting waters, bass. Casting for smallies.
Tips: Leeches/crawlers for walleye and bass. Topwater early/late for pike in weedy bays. Panfish abundant for kids.
Eastern Northern Michigan
Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Alpena, Montmorency, and Inland Waterway focus. Excellent walleye, pike, sturgeon, and bass.
1. Burt Lake – Walleye, smallmouth, pike, sturgeon. Walleye on crawler harnesses and jigs near drop-offs/river mouths; smallmouth on tubes. Strong Inland Waterway action.
2. Mullett Lake – Walleye, lake trout, sturgeon, bass. Good walleye and lakers; check sturgeon regs. Trolling and jigging productive.
3. Black Lake – Walleye, pike, muskie, sturgeon. Premier walleye/pike on harnesses and spinnerbaits.
4. Douglas Lake – Northern pike, smallmouth, panfish. Aggressive pike on spinnerbaits.
5. Long Lake (Cheboygan) – Walleye, perch, pike. Perch and walleye on jigs/leeches.
6. Grand Lake (Presque Isle) – Walleye, bass, pike. Harnesses and crankbaits for walleye.
7. Hubbard Lake – Walleye and perch. Good walleye reports.
8. Ocqueoc Lake – Trout and bass. Fishing has been fair with people using slip bobbers and leeches and summer trolling with crawler harnesses.
9. Avery Lake – Panfish and bass. Excellent panfish action.
10. Bear Den Lake – Family panfish/bass. Worms and small jigs.
11. Munro Lake – Bass and pike. Plastics for bass.
12. Lancaster Lake – Panfish, bass. Family-friendly bites.
13. Crooked Lake – Bass and pike. Spinnerbaits productive.
14. Pickerel Lake (additional) – Panfish. Strong numbers.
15. Cornwall Flooding – Walleye and pike. Harnesses working.
16. Kleber Pond – Various. Mixed bag on live bait.
17. Tower Pond – Local action. Fishing has been fair with people using slip bobbers and leeches and summer trolling with crawler harnesses.
18. Fletcher Pond – Pike and panfish. Good pike.
19. Cheboygan River – Smallmouth, walleye. Drifting jigs/live bait.
20. Indian River – Connecting waters, bass. Good smallmouth.
21. Black River – Steelhead and smallmouth. Spinners effective.
22. Sturgeon River – Various. Mixed species.
23. Mullet River – Walleye. Harnesses.
24. Lake Huron (near Cheboygan) – Lake trout and salmon. Limits on spoons in 40-70 feet at reefs.
25. Presque Isle Harbor area – Trout and bass. Spoons and jigs.
Tips: Crawler harnesses and crankbaits for walleye on structure. Spinnerbaits for pike/musky. Electronics help locate fish; follow DNR regs, especially for sturgeon.
Conditions look favorable — get out and enjoy these beautiful waters. Support local bait shops for the latest.
Tight lines. BAITMAN. OUT.
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