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| NPS photo by Richard Frear | | Fishing on the Miners River |
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Hidden backcountry beaver ponds and brook trout ... a paddle stroke through loon waters and the hard tug of a smallmouth bass ... Lake Superior's open horizons of wind and surf and spawning steelhead.
The fishing opportunities are many, and the experience draw us back.
Along with hunting, fishing is an activity specifically allowed by the Congress of the United States when it authorized the lakeshore in 1966.
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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 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.
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Fishing Regulations
State of Michigan fishing regulations apply, including creel limits, license requirements, and seasons. However, 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.
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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 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.
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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.
For more information ...
Exotic Aquatic Species (pdf)
Nonnative Species
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicimia or VHS
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Water, water everywhere
Is it safe to drink?
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West Nile Virus
a mosquito-borne disease
more... | | 
NOAA marine weather forecast
for the south shore of Lake Superior.
more... | | 
Boating safety
information from U.S. Coast Guard
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