Fishing By The Moon
Hunting Fishing
Fishing in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Along with hunting, fishing is an activity specifically allowed by the Congress of the United States when it authorized the lakeshore in 1966.
Fishing Opportunities
With its many streams, inland lakes, and Lake Superior, the lakeshore offers a variety of fishing opportunities. Common cool water game fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, whitefish, menominee and smelt. Trout species include brook trout, rainbow trout, lake trout and coho salmon.
The table in the fishing site bulletin offers more details about fish species of specific lakes and streams within the lakeshore.
A percentage of steelhead in the Hurricane, Sevenmile and Mosquito drainages have been implanted with a 1 inch long electronic tag to identify fish movement. The tag is free in the body cavity and should be easily observed when cleaning your catch. If you have found a PIT tag in the body cavity of a brook trout or steelhead, please take the tag to a park, forest, wildlife refuge, or DNR office. We would appreciate your name, date, location of where you caught the fish, size, and species information.
Fishing Regulations
State of Michigan fishing regulations apply, including creel limits, license requirements, and seasons. However, special restrictions apply to bait to prevent VHS, a deadly fish disease.
By Superintendent’s Order, Pictured Rocks prohibits use as bait for fishing, any fish or fish part, including fish roe, amphibians, or crayfish, in NPS administered waters within the Lakeshore Zone of the National Lakeshore. Digging for bait within the Lakeshore is also prohibited.
Fishing licenses are available at businesses in local communities. A trout and salmon stamp is required to fish for many species. Persons under 17 years of age may fish without a license.
The fishery is managed jointly by the National Park Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Both Park Rangers and Michigan Conservation Officers are authorized to enforce state fishing regulations within the Lakeshore.
Fishing Tips
The best fishing is usually in the early morning and evening when many fish feed.
Your personal floatation device won’t do you any good if it if inaccessible. Wear it on the inland lakes and Lake Superior. Before venturing onto the big lake, get an updated marine weather forecast and be aware of quick changes in weather and sea conditions. The only safe harbors are Munising Bay and Grand Marais Bay on either end of the lakeshore.
Ice fisherman should ensure safe ice conditions before fishing. Snowmobiles are permitted on designated roads and on Grand Sable Lake and Lake Superior.
Fisherman wishing to leave their boats unattended longer than 24 hours at designated stream mouths may do so with written permits from the Lakeshore Superintendent.
Only electric motors are permitted on Beaver Lake and Little Beaver Lake. On Grand Sable Lake, horsepower is limited to 50. All other inland lakes are accessible only by carrying your canoe.
Fish Consumption Advisory
The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) recommends that you use caution when eating certain kinds and sizes of fish from Michigan’s lakes and rivers. Some fish have chemicals in them that can be harmful to human health if they are eaten too often.
The Michigan Family Fish Consumption Guide shows you which fish are okay to eat and how often they can be eaten. The guide is available online at http://www.michigan.gov/fishandgameadvisory or by contacting MDCH at 800-648-6942.
Exotic Aquatic Species
Anglers and resource managers across the U.S. are concerned about exotic species that threaten aquatic systems. Several occur here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and in nearby waters. With your help, the impact of these invaders on our lakes and rivers can be minimized.
Inspect your boat, trailer, and boating equipment (anchors, centerboards, rollers, axles) and remove any plants or animals that are visible before leaving the water body.
Drain water from the motor, live well, bilge, and transom wells while on land before leaving the lake area.
Empty your bait bucket on land before leaving the water body. Never release live bait into a water body, or release aquatic animals from one water body into another.
Learn what these organisms look like (at least those you can see). If you suspect a new infestation of an exotic plant or animal, report it to lakeshore staff.
Jay Bryce is a community manger at iFished.com (http://www.ifished.com/). iFished.com has
fishing
and local information for over 40,000 fishing areas in the United States. Information includes current weather and forecasts, best times Fishing Charts, maps, local businesses,
Fishing Videos
, Fishing Articles and current
fishing reports
to help you catch more fish.
GoPro HD: Hunting and Fishing
|
|
Lansky Nathan’s Natural Honing Oil $1.16 Nathan’s Natural Honing Oil is specially formulated for use with all Lansky Sharpeners and Natural Arkansas Benchstones…. |
|
|
Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener $68.91 Work Sharp’s WSKTS knife and tool sharpener is specially designed to sharpen any number of knives and tools in your collection. Thanks to its flexible abrasive belts, the WSKTS sharpens knives with straight blades, serrated blades, and any other silhouette or sort of blade. Get quality-grade sharpening functionality in your own shop or job site with the WSKTS’s precision-sharpening gui… |
|
|
Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System $49.99 The Deluxe Sharpening System features a line of sharpening hones ranging from extra coarse to ultra fine…. |
|
|
Play the Game — Victorian and Edwardian Sporting Songs $9.62 As featured on WBUR’s sports program “Only A Game”. A unique collection of songs about sport. The ideal gift for the sports lover…. |
|
|
Joe Perham’s Guide to Hunting and Guide to Fishing in Maine $8.99 … |
|
|
Totally in Tents 2 CD set released by Spid Pieper. Songs are: Disc One: 1. Up North, Disc 2: 1. Cheese H… |
|
|
In Search of the World Record Brook Trout $17.99 Visit Ontario’s Nipegon river – home of the World Record Brook Trout – a fourteen pound giant. See huge “brookies”, King Salmon, northern pike, rainbow trout, lake trout, and more in this incredible river. Wildlife abounds, bears, moose, otter and more!… |
|
|
Getting Started Fly Fishing $7.99 … |
|
|
Sports Afield: Fishing [VHS] $14.95 … |
|
|
Rayovac SE3DLN Sportsman Xtreme 300-Lumen LED Lantern $22.66 With optimized beams, rubber grips, and tactical switches, Rayovac’s Sportsman Xtreme lights are what you need for the outdoors when you head for the hills, woods, or even the backyard. Nicely compact and ultra-portable at just 7 inches tall and under 3.5 inches wide, this Rayovac SE3DLN lantern also provides an incredibly bright 300-lumen light. See larger image. Rayovac… |