The only catadromous fish in Michigan — born in the ocean, lives in freshwater, returns to sea to spawn. Found in some Lower Peninsula rivers. Rare and declining. Excellent eating but rarely targeted.
No stocking records are on file for American Eel.
This is common for several reasons: this species may reproduce naturally and not require stocking (e.g. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike), it may be managed under a different program not tracked here, or records may predate our database. For the most current data, check the Michigan DNR Stocking Database directly.