UTERNorthern pike fishing in Lake Michigan
In Lake Michigan, northern pike peak September–October and December–May and are around year-round, spawning in April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Tip-ups and jigging spoons off Bayshore and the Bays de Noc; winter steelhead in the Manistee and St. Joe.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Northern pike in Lake Michigan, month by month
- JanuaryPeakGreen Bay ice: walleye, perch, whitefish and pike. Tip-ups and jigging spoons off Bayshore and the Bays de Noc; winter steelhead in the Manistee and St. Joe.
- FebruaryPeakIce fishing peaks on the bays; coho may show off Indiana. Walleye at dusk on Green Bay; shore-cast the Indiana warm-water discharges if the lake is open.
- MarchPeak
- AprilSpawningCoho and browns nearshore; peak steelhead run. Troll shallow along the Illinois and Indiana shore; drift spawn in the Michigan rivers.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakThe salmon run. Pere Marquette, Big Manistee, the Root and the Kewaunee — skein and spawn, flies in the flies-only water.
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberPeakWinter steelhead and the first bay ice. Manistee and Muskegon steelhead on mild days; wait for safe ice on Green Bay.
Where to fish northern pike near Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph
The salmon lake: open water to 900 feet with kings and coho over the thermocline, the river mouths and pier heads of Michigan's west coast where the runs stage, the shallow southern end where the spring coho come in, and Green Bay — a walleye, pike, muskie, perch and whitefish fishery all its own.
Fish Scouter charts 434 lake, 75 reservoir spots in the Lake Michigan map area — the kinds northern pike hold on.
What to use for northern pike
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 33–76°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch northern pike in Lake Michigan?
Peak season is September–October and December–May, with fish spawning in April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Northern pike are here year-round.
Where do northern pike hold in Lake Michigan?
Look on lake, river — around Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph, Ludington, Manistee, Milwaukee.
What is the best bait for northern pike in Lake Michigan?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners). Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about northern pike · Lake Michigan, the whole year