Fishing in Huron County

From anglers looking to reel in a catch of a lifetime to families just looking for some fun on the water, the opportunities for fishing in the thumb are endless.

With over 90 miles of shoreline, from White Rock to Sebewaing, and two major bodies of water, Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, and a number of small rivers and streams to chose from, it’s no wonder that people travel from near and far to go fishing in the thumb. Freshwater fishing in this area provides many opportunities throughout the year and there are many types of fish to chose from.

Huron County offers great fishing year round. In winter you can take to the ice for the coolest sport around, ice fishing. Essentially any fish you can catch in the summer season is open game on the ice, just make sure to check which types are in season and which ones are catch and release. Anglers can choose to use a hook and line, tip up device, or even try their hand at spearing. Highly productive spots on the ice on Saginaw Bay can provide for some of the best perch fishing in the world, and usually bodes well for panfish, pike, and walleye fishing.

When the ice melts, spring fishing can be exhilarating to say the least! As fish move in closer to shore and into the warmer waters to spawn, fisherman can win big fishing for Saginaw Bay walleyes, wading rivers and streams for steelhead, and fishing off of local piers and in shallow waters for perch, trout, and perhaps the most thrilling of them all - bass. Saginaw Bay boasts some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the state though it is still very much under the radar. The shallow waters of the thumb’s coast have also been incredibly productive for a variety of Salmon species, including Coho, Chinook, Pink and Atlantic Salmon, in the spring.

Summers in Huron County are lively and ripe with opportunities for fishing fun. On shore and in the shallow waters, panfish like bluegill and crappie become active, and offshore on Lake Huron lake trout abound. The Pinnebog River is a great place to take the little ones to fish in the summer and can be easily accessed at the day use area at Port Crescent State Park.

For fisherman and boaters wanting to hook a slightly bigger catch, the cooler, deeper waters off the shore of Harbor Beach have been know to be called the lake trout capital of the Great Lakes.

Good fishing continues in the fall as fish sense the urge to fill up for the long winter ahead and fisherman can often find bass, pike, salmon, trout, whitefish, and walleye fishing in shallow or surface water to be extremely productive. Now that you’re aware of where and when you can catch fish in the thumb, let’s discuss how you can do so.

Fishing Experiences in Huron County

There are many opportunities to go fishing in Huron County, regardless of how much equipment or knowledge you possess. If you would like to experience fishing in Huron County, but don’t necessarily have the wherewithal to do so, booking a charter for you or your group is an excellent alternative. Typically, fishing charters in the thumb operate May through September and tend to have everything you need to catch fish and have a good time on the water. For those looking for a challenge, Huron County is home to a variety of sport fishing tournaments.

Beginning in April, you can take your pick from a handful of different types of tournaments ranging from ordinary to eccentric in nature. Perhaps the most unique tournament of them all, the Great Lakes Bowfishing tournament in Caseville is a lively challenge of shooting fish with barbed arrows and draws fishermen from across the nation to compete.

In addition to charters and tournaments, there are many well-maintained marinas and boat launches for you to access and utilize throughout the thumb and boating season. Some marinas even boast amenities such as lodging, bathhouses, and fuel stations. Heck, you can even find restaurants that will prepare and cook your catch for you!