Trout & Salmon

Landlocked Salmon Fishing in Michigan

Landlocked Salmon
Image: Timothy Knepp, USFWS · Public domain

A freshwater form of Atlantic salmon, native to a few Maine river basins and stocked in deep, cold lakes across Maine and New Hampshire. Landlocks feed on smelt near the surface in spring and fall, when streamers and smelt-like lures work best.

Waters
1
State
Michigan
Water
Freshwater
Methods
Fly, Spin & Bait

Prime Months in Michigan: No Agency Season Found

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

What to Use for Landlocked Salmon

Fishing In

Landlocked Salmon

No agency season found

Spin / Cast

7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 6 to 8 lb line with smelt-pattern spoons. Lead core line or a downrigger in summer.

Rod, Reel and Line

  • RodUgly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod · 7 ft medium, 6 to 15 lb, 1 pieceCheck Price
  • ReelPflueger Trion Spinning Reel · size 25Check Price
  • LineBerkley Trilene XL Monofilament · 6 or 8 lbCheck Price

Tie On in November

  • Bait for November · Single or clusterCured Salmon EggsEgg sacs, where bait is legal.

Picks: general for this fish, each checked against state and federal agency pages, not specific to this water. Ask a local shop what is working.

Gear: rods, reels and lines are starting points, sized from each maker's page. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Licenses & Regulations

Most anglers need a Michigan fishing license; age cutoffs and exemptions are set by the state. Seasons, limits, and tackle rules vary by water, so check current regulations before you go.

Where to Catch Landlocked Salmon

1 of 1 waters

Shops to Stock Up

Landlocked Salmon Fishing by State