01
Tawas Bay walleye
The Tawas Walleye Tournament runs the second weekend in June. Even without entering, charter boats fill up months out.
On water · Year-round · 3 fisheries
Season · Year-round
Fishing.
Walleye out of Tawas, brown trout in Thunder Bay, salmon and steelhead in the AuSable, perch through the ice. Charter or DIY, license required.
Tawas Bay walleye tournament · June
Walleye
May–Jul
Tawas Bay · Saginaw River
Lake trout
Year-round
Thunder Bay · Rogers City
Salmon run
September
AuSable · Thunder Bay River
Ice fish
Jan–Feb
Hubbard Lake · Mullett Lake
Where to fish · 5 fisheries
Five places, five different fish.
Curated by Sunrise Coast Council editors. Routes, sites, and pull-offs from south to north along US-23.
02
Thunder Bay brown trout
The Brown Trout Festival in late July is the biggest party on the coast. The fishery runs all summer.
03
AuSable salmon run
Chinook and coho push up the river to spawn. Foote Dam holds them; tens of thousands stack up below the lip.
04
Hubbard Lake perch
An 8,800-acre inland lake half an hour from Alpena. Perch through 18 inches of ice; bring a heater.
05
Rogers City pier salmon
The harbor pier puts you in casting distance of king salmon coming in to spawn. Bring 20-lb test.
A four-season fishery
A coast that fishes every month.
Most coasts have a season. The Sunrise Coast has four. Steelhead start running into the AuSable in April. Walleye come into Tawas Bay in May. Brown trout out of Alpena hit peak in late June. Lake trout deep in Thunder Bay run cold and strong all summer. Then the chinook salmon come up from the lake in September and pile up below Foote Dam. By December the inland lakes have eight inches of safe ice and the perch shanties go out.
You can get on a charter for any of it. Most run $350–500 for a half-day with up to four people, gear included. Or you can buy a license for $26 and fish from any public pier or beach on the coast.
4 seasons
Active fishery
$26
Annual license
18 in
Safe ice depth
Fishing · a four-season fishery
"You don't catch walleye in Thunder Bay. The walleye catch you."— Mariner's Almanac of the Great Lakes
Gear & know before you go
What to bring, what's provided.
License & rules
- MI fishing license required, all ages 17+
- $26 resident, $76 non-resident, annual
- Trout/salmon stamp extra ($11)
- Possession limits posted at every access
Charters (typical)
- $400 / half-day · 4 anglers
- $700 / full-day · 4 anglers
- Gear, bait, cleaning included
- Captain keeps no fish — all yours
Best months
- May–June: walleye, smallmouth
- July–Aug: brown + lake trout
- September: chinook salmon run
- January: perch & pike through the ice
Questions · 4 answers
Fishing on the coast — questions.
Quick answers to what travelers ask most.
Q.01
Is fishing good on Michigan's Sunrise Coast?
Yes — Walleye out of Tawas, brown trout in Thunder Bay, salmon and steelhead in the AuSable, perch through the ice. Charter or DIY, license required.
Q.02
When is the best time of year for fishing on the Sunrise Coast?
The recommended season for fishing on Michigan's Sunrise Coast is Year-round. Walleye: May–Jul — Tawas Bay · Saginaw River.
Q.03
Where can I fishing on the Sunrise Coast?
5 fisheries along the 200-mile coast. A standout option: Tawas Bay walleye — Charter $400 · DIY $0. The Tawas Walleye Tournament runs the second weekend in June. Even without entering, charter boats fill up months out.
Q.04
What gear or preparation do I need for fishing on the Sunrise Coast?
License & rules: MI fishing license required, all ages 17+; $26 resident, $76 non-resident, annual; Trout/salmon stamp extra ($11); Possession limits posted at every access.