Bluegill Native
🔬 Lepomis macrochirus
Abundant and fun on light tackle. Great for kids.
🎣 Plan Your Trip with Fishing Pro
Unlimited trip planning & stocking alerts · $4.99/mo · Cancel anytime
Bite this month
Good
Best season
Spring, Summer
Keeper size
7" at ~3 yrs
Ice fishing
Viable target
Regulations
limit 25
Where to Catch Bluegill in Michigan
Bluegill Conservation Status
Native Bluegill is native to Michigan waters. Michigan's most abundant panfish. Found in virtually every warm-water lake in the state. The daily bag limit is 25.
Bluegill Habitat & Behavior
Weedy bays and dock edges throughout Michigan. One of the most abundant and widely distributed panfish. DNR records show Bluegill present in 702 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Marquette, Oakland and Roscommon counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov. Bluegill is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.
Best Bluegill Techniques
Worms, crickets, small spinners near docks and weeds
Best Bluegill Baits
Wax worms, red worms, small flies, tiny jigs, crickets
Bluegill Fishing Regulations in Michigan
25
Daily limit
50
Possession limit
Year-round
Season
Combined sunfish limit (Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Green Sunfish) is 25/day on most waters.
⚠️ 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 Bluegill Stocking Records
Bluegill Stocking Events by Lake
| Date | Lake | County | Quantity | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | Swedetown Ponds | 1,200 total | 5.1"–5.5" | |
| May 7, 2026 | stocking event | 400 | 5.5" | |
| May 15, 2025 | stocking event | 400 | 5.5" | |
| May 1, 2024 | stocking event | 400 | 5.1" | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | Wildfowl Lake | 1,600 total | 5" | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | stocking event | 600 | 5" | |
| May 1, 2024 | stocking event | 1,000 | 5" | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | Lake Geneva | 2,600 total | 4.5"–5" | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | stocking event | 600 | 5" | |
| May 1, 2024 | stocking event | 1,000 | 5" | |
| May 6, 2023 | stocking event | 1,000 | 4.5" | |
| Apr 30, 2025 | Brownlee Lake Alcona County | Alcona | 3,000 total | 4"–5" |
| Apr 30, 2025 | stocking event | 1,500 | 4" | |
| May 9, 2023 | stocking event | 1,500 | 5" | |
| Nov 21, 2024 | Lake St. Helen Roscommon County | Roscommon | 1,055 | 5" |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Lobdell Lake Genesee County | Genesee | 239 | 4.5" |
| May 10, 2024 | Cook Lake Alger County | Alger | 150 | 3.9" |
| Nov 14, 2023 | Jose Lake | 400 | 5" | |
| Nov 6, 2023 | Chain Lakes Iosco County | Iosco | 400 | 5" |
| Oct 30, 2023 | Hopkins Lake Shiawassee County | Shiawassee | 573 total | 4" |
| Oct 30, 2023 | stocking event | 100 | 4" | |
| Oct 28, 2022 | stocking event | 473 | 4" | |
| Oct 8, 2023 | Private Pond | 450 | 6" | |
| Apr 29, 2023 | Thread Creek | 500 | 4" | |
| Nov 5, 2022 | Diamond Lake Newaygo County | Newaygo | 266 total | 3.5"–5" |
| Nov 5, 2022 | stocking event | 204 | 3.5" | |
| Oct 30, 2021 | stocking event | 62 | 5" | |
| Nov 5, 2022 | Diamond Lake Cass County | Cass | 266 total | 3.5"–5" |
| Nov 5, 2022 | stocking event | 204 | 3.5" | |
| Oct 30, 2021 | stocking event | 62 | 5" | |
| Oct 30, 2021 | Rifle Lake Ogemaw County | Ogemaw | 300 | 4" |
| Jun 24, 2021 | Outdoor Discovery Center Pond | 170 | 5.5" |
Showing the 25 most recent stocking events for Bluegill, across 16 lakes. Lakes with several events can be expanded.
Bluegill DNR Stocking History
Total stocked: 1,102,101
Stocking events: 371
Peak year: 1997 (219,850)
371
Historical stocking events
172
Lakes stocked
May
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
Jun
May
Oct
Top Stocked Lakes
Forecast based on historical DNR stocking patterns. Not a guarantee of future stocking. Verify with the Michigan DNR.
Estimated Mature Bluegill, October
Based on DNR stocking records from 2022–2024 (2–4 years ago), these 14 lakes likely hold mature Bluegill at or near 7" keeper size today.
1
Lake Geneva
~300
est. mature
→
2
Brownlee Lake
~225
est. mature
→
3
Lake St. Helen
~150
est. mature
→
4
Wildfowl Lake
~150
est. mature
→
5
Private Pond
~100
est. mature
→
6
Hopkins Lake
~90
est. mature
→
7
Thread Creek
~80
est. mature
→
8
Swedetown Ponds
~60
est. mature
→
9
Chain Lakes
~60
est. mature
→
10
Jose Lake
~60
est. mature
→
11
Lobdell Lake
~40
est. mature
→
12
Diamond Lake
~30
est. mature
→
13
Diamond Lake
~30
est. mature
→
14
Cook Lake
~20
est. mature
→
Estimates based on average stocking-size survival rates. Actual populations vary by habitat, fishing pressure, and lake conditions. Data sourced from Michigan DNR.
Best Times to Fish Bluegill
❄️ Bluegill is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.
Angler Tips for Bluegill
No tips yet for this species. Sign in to share tips and photos.
Be the first to share an angler tip
Sign in to share a tip