Cisco 🔴 Threatened
🔬 Coregonus artedi
Once the most abundant fish in Lake Michigan -- historical commercial catches exceeded 30 million pounds annually. Silvery, streamlined, and schooling in massive open-water aggregations. Critically important forage species for lake trout, muskellunge, and northern pike. Also called "lake herring." Has been listed as Michigan Threatened due to catastrophic population decline from overfishing and sea lamprey predation.
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Bite this month
Good
Best season
Fall, Winter
Keeper size
12" at ~4 yrs
Ice fishing
Viable target
Regulations
limit 25
Where to Catch Cisco in Michigan
Cisco Conservation Status
🔴 Threatened Cisco is listed as threatened in Michigan. Listed as Michigan Threatened. Once the most commercially important Great Lakes fish -- millions of pounds harvested annually from Lake Michigan alone. Populations crashed from a combination of commercial overfishing, sea lamprey predation, and competition with introduced rainbow smelt. Recovery is ongoing but slow. Critical prey base for lake trout and other Great Lakes predators. The daily bag limit is 25.
Cisco Habitat & Behavior
Cold, deep water in all Great Lakes and select cold inland Michigan lakes. Suspends at thermocline in summer. Spawns near shore at night in late fall on rocky or sandy bottom. DNR records show Cisco present in 34 Michigan water bodies. Bite activity rates Good or better in Jan, Feb, Mar, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. Cisco is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.
Best Cisco Techniques
Ice fishing with small spoons and jigging lures at thermocline depth; fall trolling near river mouths with small spoons
Best Cisco Baits
Small jigs, minnows, emerald shiners, spoons, ice flies
Cisco Fishing Regulations in Michigan
25
Daily limit
50
Possession limit
Year-round
Season
Excellent eating fish. Most active in cold, deep water. Fall and winter through the ice are prime times.
⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually.
Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.
Michigan DNR Cisco Stocking Records
Cisco Stocking Events by Lake
| Date | Lake | County | Quantity | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 more recent stocking event available with Fishing Pro
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Most valuable for Cisco anglers
See where Cisco will be stocked next
Full stocking history across all 1 lakes, plus a forecast of which waters are due for restocking this season.
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1
Historical stocking events
1
Lakes stocked
Nov
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
Nov
Top Stocked Lakes
See the top 1 lakes most likely to be stocked with Cisco next season.
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Forecast based on historical DNR stocking patterns. Not a guarantee of future stocking. Verify with the Michigan DNR.
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Estimated Mature Cisco — September
See Which Lakes Have Mature Cisco Right Now
Based on DNR stocking records from 2021–2023, we estimate which Michigan lakes likely hold Cisco at keeper size (12") today.
Best Times to Fish Cisco
❄️ Cisco is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.
Angler Tips for Cisco
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