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Best coho salmon lakes in Michigan

98 Michigan waters list coho salmon (official records or labelled estimates), 89 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Aggressive schooling salmon that rides warmer, shallower water than kings — a spring nearshore brawler.

1. Lake Michigan — Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands — 581 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
2. Lake Michigan — Michigan Northwest Shore — 690 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. Lake Superior — Marquette Shore — 798 ft max · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Huron — Thumb Shore — 191 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
5. Lake Superior — Keweenaw Peninsula — 850 ft max · real survey depth contours · Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
6. Lake Michigan — Michigan South Shore — 278 ft max · real survey depth contours · Yellow Perch, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Lake Michigan — Michigan Central Shore — 485 ft max · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Grand River — 14 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Manistee Lake (Manistee) — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
11. Pere Marquette Lake — 44 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Platte Lake — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Duck Lake — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Dowagiac River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
15. Escanaba River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Coho SalmonWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
16. Thousand Island Lake — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
17. Otter Lake — 29 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Pere Marquette River — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. St. Joseph River (MI) — 13 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
20. Osterhout Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Rush Lake — 58 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Pine Lake — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Crooked Lake — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
24. Half Moon Lake — 82 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Elbow Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 73 more Michigan waters holding coho salmon.

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When to fish coho salmon in Michigan

• Spring 3–25 ft — The famous spring coho bite: schools stack in the warmest nearshore water and mud lines, often in the top 15 feet.
• Summer 30–70 ft — Cohos hold at and just above the thermocline — shallower than kings, and they hit moving baits hard.
• Fall 8–40 ft — Staging and running fish concentrate off river mouths; cohos stay aggressive right up to the spawn.
• Winter 20–60 ft — Mostly offshore and scattered.

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Coho Salmon elsewhere: Ontario · British Columbia · Washington · Alaska · Idaho