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Best northern pike lakes in Michigan

30 Michigan waters hold northern pike, 23 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.

1. Lake St. Clair — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Lake Michigan — Green Bay North and Bays de Noc — 129 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskellunge
3. Lake Huron — Saginaw Bay — 83 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
4. Lake Gogebic — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
5. Mullett Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
6. Mullett Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
7. Houghton Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
8. Burt Lake — 73 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
9. Hamlin Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
10. Higgins Lake — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
11. Fletcher Pond — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
12. Manistique Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
13. Black Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
14. Lake Michigamme — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
15. Lake Huron — Les Cheneaux Islands — 118 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
16. South Manistique Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
17. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
18. Manistee Lake (Manistee) — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
19. Holloway Reservoir — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
20. Lake Mitchell — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
21. Clark Lake — 74 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
22. Big Star Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
23. Lake Cadillac — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
24. North Manistique Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
25. Fremont Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie

…plus 5 more Michigan waters holding northern pike.

When to fish northern pike in Michigan

• Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
• Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.

Also in Michigan: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best rock bass lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

Northern Pike elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · New Hampshire · Montana · Massachusetts · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Alaska · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Illinois · Maine · Manitoba · Alberta · Vermont · New Jersey