Best walleye lakes in Michigan
63 Michigan waters hold walleye, 43 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.
- Lake Huron — Sunrise Coast — 437 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Steelhead
- Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
- Lake St. Clair — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Michigan — Green Bay North and Bays de Noc — 129 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskellunge
- Lake Huron — Thumb Shore — 191 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Steelhead
- Lake Huron — Saginaw Bay — 83 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
- Lake Charlevoix — 122 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Charlevoix, Lake — 122 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Lake Gogebic — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Mullett Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Mullett Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
- Houghton Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Burt Lake — 73 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Portage Lake (UP) — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Yellow Perch
- Grand Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch
- Hamlin Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Hubbard Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch
- Manistique Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Black Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Michigamme — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Elk Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Menominee River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, Rock Bass
- Indian Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
- Grand River — 14 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
- Lake Huron — Les Cheneaux Islands — 118 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
…plus 38 more Michigan waters holding walleye.
When to fish walleye in Michigan
- Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
- Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
- Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.
Also in Michigan: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike 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
Walleye elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Montana · Wyoming · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Illinois · Kansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Missouri · Manitoba · Alberta · Georgia · Vermont · West Virginia · Pennsylvania