Best Fishing This Summer in the Midwest

May 31, 2024

Today we’re sharing some of the best Midwest Fishing Spots to explore this Summer. These hot spots would make a great central point to plan additional itinerary points so you can explore the rest of the region and make a whole stay of it. And of course, we’d love to hear your favorite fishing spots, too! Today’s selections are just a sampling of the abundant fishing spots in the region, so feel free to drop your top favorite spots in the comments and they may just make it into a future blog update.

Top Fishing Spots Around the Midwest

Fox Chain O’Lakes, Illinois and Indiana

These sprawling natural glacial lakes cover more than 7,000 acres of real estate, giving you plenty of ground to cover for prime catch. The most common fish are yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, pumpkinseed, black crappie, walleye, white bass, bullhead, and northern pike.

Middle Fork River, Illinois

Located at the Kickapoo State Recreation Area, the 2700 acres of Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area can be accessed by Kinney’s Ford, Higginsville Bridge, and Bunker Hill. Local fish varieties in the area include smallmouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, walleye, bullhead, spotted bass, largemouth bass, red ear sunfish, and striped bass.

Johnson Sauk Trail Lake, Illinois

This 58-acre lake receives regular stocking of several fish species, and is a great spot to fish by boat or along the shoreline. Fish found in the area include smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, bullhead, muskie, grass carp,and rock bass.

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Hot on the heels of our recent post on Summertime in Door County, we’d be remiss to not include the wonderful Sturgeon Bay on our list! The bay is known for its high populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, along with recordbreaking sized musky, walleye, and salmon! Fish in the area include rainbow and brown trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, chinook and coho salmon, perch, whitefish, sturgeon, musky, northern pike, and walleye. It’s an angler’s paradise, for sure!

Lake of the Woods, Minnesota

There are more than 14.000 islands in the Lake of the Woods Area, which borders the US and Canada. A prime spot for ice fishing in the winter, it’s also a top notch destination for summer season anglers as well. Local fisherman report finding Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Lake Sturgeon, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Whitefish, Tullibee, Trout, and Musky. Top spots for fishing here include South Shore, Kenora, Witch Bay, Clear Water Bay, Traverse Bay to name a few.

Lake St Clair, Michigan

This area is a veritable superhighway for fish migration thanks to its connections to the St Clair River, Detroit River and the Great Lakes! It’s so spectacular, in fact, that it is considered one of the top fishing destinations in the whole of the US. Another popular spot for ice fishing in the winter, it transforms into a goldmine during the summer! Book a summertime charter fishing boat along the lake, or opt for a quiet afternoon in a canoe or kayak to fish on your own. Fish in the area include Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Sturgeon, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Musky.

Lake Michigan, Michigan and Illinois

The most common catches are Coho and Chinook Salmon, brown and steelhead trout, and yellow perch. Additional species also include lake trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, and steelhead.

Lake Michigamme/Lake Gogebic, Michigan

Lake Michigamme is located to the west of Marquette, and is a prime spot for catching walleye. Local anglers like to spend time around the islands long the center of the lake. You can find Largemouth bass, black crappie, sunfish, walleye, brook trout, rock bass, musky, brook trout, lake trout, bluegill, northern pike, perch, salmon, and whitefish. Lake Gogebic is the largest lake in the Upper Peninsula and spans across two counties and offering pristine, sparkling clear waters, and is considered some of the best fishing in the region. Anglers note fish in the area as walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, jumbo perch, and yellow perch.

Lake Erie, Ohio

This lake is often dubbed “The walleye capital of the world”, and aptly so as you’ll find some of the largest walleye you’ve ever seen! There are three basins to fish, Central, Eastern, and Western, giving you plenty of variety in catches. Locals report high numbers of yellow perch, lake trout, steelhead, brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, chinook and coho salmon. If you want your best chances of a good catch, we highly recommend booking a professional charter to navigate the area and get you to the best spots at the perfect time!