Splake Introduced
🔬 Salvelinus fontinalis x namaycush
A stocked hybrid of brook trout (female) and lake trout (male) produced at Michigan DNR hatcheries. Grows significantly faster than either parent species and reaches catchable size years earlier than lake trout. Provides quality fishing in cold, deep inland lakes where natural reproduction is not the goal. Sometimes called "wendigo" trout.
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Bite this month
Excellent
Best season
Winter, Spring, Fall
Keeper size
12" at ~3 yrs
Ice fishing
Viable target
Regulations
15" min · limit 5
Where to Catch Splake in Michigan
| Lake | County | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ackerman Lake | Alger | |
| Anna River | Alger | |
|
Arbutus Lake
510 acres
|
Grand Traverse | |
| Arfelin Lake | Marquette | |
| Au Sable River | Crawford | |
| Au Sable River | Oscoda | |
| Avalon Lake | Montmorency | |
| Bass Lake | Dickinson | |
| Bass Lake (Long Lake Township) | Grand Traverse | |
| Beatons Lake | Gogebic | |
| Beaverhouse Lake | ||
| Belle Lake 1 | ||
| Benny Lake | ||
|
Big Blue Lake
620 acres
|
Muskegon | |
|
Big Twin Lake
210 acres
|
Wexford | |
| Blind Lake | ||
| Bullhead Lake | ||
| Camp Seven Lake | ||
|
Cass Lake
1,280 acres
|
Oakland | |
| Cedar Lake | Leelanau |
Splake Conservation Status
Introduced Splake was introduced to Michigan and is now an established part of the fishery. Sterile hatchery hybrid produced by crossing brook trout and lake trout. Stocked by MDNR in select northern Michigan lakes as a management tool -- provides quality trophy fishing without establishing a permanent population. Cannot be told apart from lake trout without close examination. Check the MDNR stocking report for your specific lake. Michigan requires a minimum length of 15" to keep. The daily bag limit is 5.
Splake Habitat & Behavior
Cold, deep inland lakes in northern Michigan. Stocked specifically in lakes that have suitable cold water depth but where establishing a self-sustaining lake trout population is not practical. Cannot reproduce -- all fish are hatchery-born. DNR records show Splake present in 113 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Marquette, Antrim and Gogebic counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Jan, Feb, Mar, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. Splake is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.
Best Splake Techniques
Same techniques as lake trout and brook trout -- jigging spoons in deep water, trolling with downriggers, and ice fishing with large tube jigs and spoons near bottom in deep water
Best Splake Baits
Small jigs, minnows, spoons, wax worms, small swimbaits
Splake Fishing Regulations in Michigan
15"
Minimum size
5
Daily limit
10
Possession limit
Year-round on most stocked lakes
Season
Brook Trout à Lake Trout hybrid. Stocked in select deep, cold Michigan lakes. Great ice fishing target.
⚠️ 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 Splake Stocking Records
Splake Stocking Events by Lake
| Date | Lake | County | Quantity | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13 more recent stocking events available with Fishing Pro
See what's been stocked recently, including lake, quantity, and size.
|
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| May 4, 2026 | Cheboygan harbor, Lake Huron | Cheboygan | 9,995 | 8.2" |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Lake Ellen | Iron | 4,300 | 7.8" |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Sporley Lake | Marquette | 1,999 | 7.8" |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Big Twin Lake | Wexford | 420 | 7.8" |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Moon Lake | Luce | 3,100 | 7.8" |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Imp Lake | Gogebic | 3,100 | 7.8" |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Moon Lake | Gogebic | 3,100 | 7.8" |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Thumb (Louise) Lake | 10,199 | 7.9" | |
| Apr 22, 2026 | Avalon Lake | Montmorency | 20,398 | 7.9" |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Clear Lake | Schoolcraft | 8,249 | 7.9" |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Clear Lake | Houghton | 8,249 | 7.9" |
| Mar 26, 2026 | Maceday Lake | Oakland | 10,200 | 7.0" |
Most valuable for Splake anglers
See where Splake will be stocked next
Full stocking history across all 100 lakes, plus a forecast of which waters are due for restocking this season.
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2,045
Historical stocking events
100
Lakes stocked
Apr
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
May
Apr
Jun
Top Stocked Lakes
See the top 5 lakes most likely to be stocked with Splake 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 Splake — September
See Which Lakes Have Mature Splake Right Now
Based on DNR stocking records from 2022–2024, we estimate which Michigan lakes likely hold Splake at keeper size (12") today.
Best Times to Fish Splake
❄️ Splake is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.
Angler Tips for Splake
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