Lake Trout ⚠ Special Concern
🔬 Salvelinus namaycush
Deep, cold-water species. Excellent in the Great Lakes and deep inland lakes.
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Bite this month
Excellent
Best season
Winter, Spring
Keeper size
18" at ~8 yrs
Ice fishing
Viable target
Regulations
15" min · limit 5
Where to Catch Lake Trout in Michigan
| Lake | County | Population |
|---|---|---|
|
Charlevoix Lake
17,260 acres
|
Charlevoix | |
|
Crooked Lake
650 acres
|
Emmet | |
|
Crystal Lake
9,854 acres
|
Benzie | |
|
Elk Lake
7,793 acres
|
Antrim | |
|
Glen Lake
4,944 acres
|
Leelanau | |
|
Higgins Lake
9,600 acres
|
Roscommon | |
|
Lake Michigamme
4,149 acres
|
Marquette | |
|
Otsego Lake
1,989 acres
|
Otsego | |
|
Pickerel Lake
830 acres
|
Cheboygan | |
|
Portage Lake
800 acres
|
Washtenaw | |
| Ackerman Lake | Alger | |
| Anna River | Alger | |
| Au Sable River | Crawford | |
| Au Sable River | Oscoda | |
| Au Train River | Alger | |
| AuGres | Arenac | |
| Avalon Lake | Montmorency | |
| Barber Creek | Allegan | |
| Bass Lake (Long Lake Township) | Grand Traverse | |
| Beatons Lake | Gogebic |
Lake Trout Conservation Status
⚠ Special Concern Lake Trout is listed as a species of special concern in Michigan. Native to Michigan and all Great Lakes. Not listed as Threatened in the current DNR fish list, reflecting significant recovery from near-extirpation caused by sea lamprey predation in the 1950s-60s. Ongoing sea lamprey control and MDNR stocking programs have rebuilt inland and Great Lakes populations. Still carefully managed with size and bag limits. Michigan requires a minimum length of 15" to keep. The daily bag limit is 5.
Lake Trout Habitat & Behavior
Deep, cold inland lakes and the Great Lakes. Requires 55°F or colder water. Found in depths of 60–200 feet in summer. DNR records show Lake Trout present in 159 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Allegan, Antrim and Cheboygan counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Jan, Feb, Mar, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. Lake Trout is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.
Best Lake Trout Techniques
Jigging spoons deep, vertical jigging
Best Lake Trout Baits
Tube jigs, swimbaits, spoons, live smelt, cut bait
Lake Trout Fishing Regulations in Michigan
15"
Minimum size
5
Daily limit
10
Possession limit
Year-round on Great Lakes; inland lakes vary
Season
Primarily found in Great Lakes and deep cold inland lakes. Jigging in 60–120 feet is most productive.
⚠️ 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 Lake Trout Stocking Records
Lake Trout 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.
|
||||
| May 5, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 69,796 | 6.3" |
| May 2, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 49,868 | 6.1" |
| May 2, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 49,872 | 6.2" |
| May 1, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 69,885 | 6.0" |
| May 1, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 70,082 | 6.1" |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 69,859 | 6.0" |
| Apr 29, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 69,796 | 6.1" |
| Apr 26, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 69,993 | 5.9" |
| Apr 25, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 32,049 | 6.3" |
| Apr 25, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 32,042 | 6.3" |
| Apr 22, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 40,117 | 6.1" |
| Apr 22, 2026 | Lake Michigan | Allegan | 40,111 | 6.2" |
Most valuable for Lake Trout anglers
See where Lake Trout will be stocked next
Full stocking history across all 124 lakes, plus a forecast of which waters are due for restocking this season.
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5,418
Historical stocking events
124
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 Lake Trout 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 Lake Trout — September
See Which Lakes Have Mature Lake Trout Right Now
Based on DNR stocking records from 2016–2020, we estimate which Michigan lakes likely hold Lake Trout at keeper size (18") today.
Best Times to Fish Lake Trout
❄️ Lake Trout is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.
Angler Tips for Lake Trout
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