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Bield:Fish
Fish stocking schedule

Michigan fish stocking schedule 2026.

Stocking NowMichigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan operates the largest Great Lakes salmon stocking program in the country — chinook and coho smolts are released into Great Lakes tributaries every spring to support the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron salmon fisheries.

Official source

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Stocking Report

Michigan Department of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative Michigan stocking schedule — Weekly updates in Searchable database format. For this week's actual stocking locations, dates, and volumes, view the official report directly.

View official Michigan stocking report

This page summarizes the Michigan stocking program for planning purposes. The agency report is the authoritative source — verify before any trip.

Primary stocked species in Michigan

Typical stocking pattern by species. Heavy fill marks primary stocking months; moderate fill marks possible stocking. Verify exact dates against the official report.

  • Chinook & Coho SalmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha / O. kisutch
    JanJan — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltFebFeb — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltMarMar — heavy stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltAprApr — heavy stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltMayMay — heavy stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltJunJun — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltJulJul — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltAugAug — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltSepSep — heavy stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltOctOct — heavy stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltNovNov — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smoltDecDec — no stocking Chinook & Coho Salmon typical size: 3–6 inch smolt
    Typical size: 3–6 inch smolt
  • Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycush
    JanJan — no stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsFebFeb — no stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsMarMar — heavy stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsAprApr — heavy stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsMayMay — heavy stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsJunJun — moderate stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsJulJul — no stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsAugAug — no stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsSepSep — heavy stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsOctOct — heavy stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsNovNov — moderate stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockingsDecDec — no stocking Lake Trout typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockings
    Typical size: 4–6 inch fingerling primarily; some yearling stockings
  • Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
    JanJan — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesFebFeb — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMarMar — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAprApr — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMayMay — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJunJun — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJulJul — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAugAug — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesSepSep — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesOctOct — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesDecDec — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
    Typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
  • Brown TroutSalmo trutta
    JanJan — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesFebFeb — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMarMar — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAprApr — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMayMay — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJunJun — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJulJul — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAugAug — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesSepSep — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesOctOct — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesDecDec — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
    Typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
  • WalleyeSander vitreus
    JanJan — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingFebFeb — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingMarMar — heavy stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingAprApr — heavy stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingMayMay — heavy stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingJulJul — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingAugAug — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingSepSep — heavy stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingOctOct — heavy stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingNovNov — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerlingDecDec — no stocking Walleye typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 1–2 inch fry; 2–4 inch fingerling
  • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
    JanJan — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingFebFeb — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMarMar — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAprApr — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMayMay — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJulJul — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAugAug — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingSepSep — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingOctOct — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingNovNov — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingDecDec — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling

Top stocked waterbodies in Michigan

Notable Michigan programs

  • Great Lakes Salmon Program
  • Lake Trout Restoration
  • Walleye Fry Stocking
  • Inland Trout Stream Stocking

State hatchery system

Michigan operates 6 state-run fish hatcheries supporting the stocking program.

Weekly stocking alerts for Michigan.

Bield: Fish reads Michigan Department of Natural Resources's stocking reports and alerts you when your saved waters are stocked. Set your county once and you'll know the day fish hit your home river.

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