Detroit River Fishing
Michigan launches, harbors, bays, limits and charters on Detroit River.
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Meet Detroit River
Detroit River is the connecting water from Lake St. Clair past Detroit and Trenton to Lake Erie. Its fishery runs to walleye in spring, white bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and lake sturgeon.
Launches here sit in Wayne County. You will find 1 harbor, 8 launches, 8 bays, 0 river mouths and 2 charters for Detroit River below.
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Public launches on Detroit River
- Belanger Park2 lanes, 45 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- Detroit River Canal Boat Accesscarry-in launch, courtesy pier, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- Elizabeth Parkboat ramp, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- John David Dingell Jr. Boat Access3 lanes, courtesy pier, toilet, fish cleaning station, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- Riverside Park on Detroit River4 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- Rotary Park2 lanes, 35 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- St. Jean Boat Accessboat ramp, 77 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
- Wyandotte Boat Access3 lanes, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Wayne County
Public harbors serving Detroit River
- William G. Milliken State Park and HarborWayne County, DNR managed (state owned)
Bank fishing on Detroit River
- Detroit, WaynePier, N/A, fee: None
- Detroit River (Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park) fishing site, Detroitfishing pier
MDNR boat access sites, MDNR harbors layer, MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Bays to fish on Detroit River
Smaller named bays: Baby Creek, Ballards Channel, Ecorse Channel, Fighting Island Channel, Gibraltar Bay, Livingstone Channel, Sugar Island Cut and Trenton Channel.
USGS GNIS bays and stream mouths assigned to the nearest Michigan Great Lakes assessment unit.
Water level on Detroit River
US Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District (CWMS) reading for Belle Isle Station, recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 22, 2026. Values are provisional.
NOAA CO-OPS Great Lakes water levels reading for Wyandotte (IGLD85), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 22, 2026. Values are provisional.
NOAA CO-OPS Great Lakes water levels reading for Fort Wayne (IGLD85), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 22, 2026. Values are provisional.
Limits and seasons on Detroit River
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | All waters except Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River (and the Beaver Island Archipelago waters in Note 2) | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River, Detroit River | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: 3rd Sat. in June – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye | Upper Peninsula Great Lakes and inland waters, and St. Marys River | 5; minimum 15 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Walleye | Lower Peninsula Great Lakes (except as noted) | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| Walleye | Lake Erie, Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River | 6 (through April 30, 2026; updated by May 1 annually); minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| Northern pike | Upper Peninsula Great Lakes and inland waters, and St. Marys River | 2; minimum 24 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Northern pike | Lower Peninsula Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River | 2 (up to 5 pike 24 inches or greater on Lake St. Clair, St. Clair R. and Detroit R.) | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | Statewide | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | Statewide | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Muskellunge (including tiger muskellunge) | All Great Lakes and inland waters and St. Marys River | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Muskellunge (including tiger muskellunge) | Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River | Only 1 per angler per license year; mandatory harvest registration; minimum 42 inches | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | Statewide (except as noted) | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfishes (black and white crappie, bluegill, green and hybrid sunfish | Statewide | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| White bass | Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Marys River, St. Clair River and Detroit River | 25 | Open all year |
| Cisco, lake whitefish, round whitefish | Great Lakes, connecting waters and Type F lakes | 10 in any combination (Lake Superior: up to 10 additional round whitefish) | Open all year |
| Smelt | Statewide | 2 gallons | Open all year (see General Netting Regulations) |
| Burbot | Statewide | 5 | Open all year |
| All other species | Statewide (species not listed, not trout or salmon, not threatened or endangered) | No possession limit | Open all year |
| Trout and salmon (Atlantic, Chinook, coho and pink salmon; brook, brow | Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Marys River, St. Clair River and Detroit River | 5 total in any combination; no more than 3 of any one species, except up to 5 coho, Chinook or pink salmon. St. Marys River: 5 additional pink salmon from last | Open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit) |
One Michigan all-species license covers the Great Lakes and connecting waters too: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents or $10 for a single day.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), Great Lakes and connecting waters tables. All Michigan limits.
Captains who run Detroit River
- Charters by Gregcharter, Belleville, (734) 796-4948
- Fish-N-Fun Chartercharter, Detroit, (313) 882-3018
Shore marinas for Detroit River
- Specialized Boat CareDearborn
- Custom EnterprisesDetroit
- Grayhaven State HarborDetroit
- Harbor Hill MarinaDetroit
- Henderson MarinaDetroit
- Johnny's Boat Propeller ServiceDetroit
- Riverside Marina Gas StationDetroit
- Safe Harbor Detroit RiverDetroit
- Worthy MarineDetroit
- Molnar LeasingGibraltar
- StowawayGibraltar
- Dieball SailingGrosse Ile
- Grosse Ile Community Recreation DepartmentGrosse Ile
- Kroger Fuel CenterPlymouth
- Humbug MarinaRockwood
- Boaters Value StoreWyandotte
- Bob's Indoor Boat StorageWyandotte
- Libra MarinaWyandotte
- Midway Marina IncWyandotte
- Motor CIty MarinaWyandotte
- Wyandotte Boat RampWyandotte
Yellow Pages listings; charters matched by name or shore county.
More big water after Detroit River
- Lake Superiorgreat lake
- Lake Michigangreat lake
- Lake Hurongreat lake
- Lake Eriegreat lake
- Lake St. Clairconnecting water
- St. Marys Riverconnecting water
- St. Clair Riverconnecting water
What Piscifun sells for Detroit River anglers
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and streams near Detroit River, pictured
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
Photo: Ian Rastall, CC0 1.0
Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Clockman26, CC BY-SA 4.0
Asked and answered: fishing Detroit River
Is a Great Lakes stamp needed on Detroit River?
One Michigan all-species license covers the Great Lakes and connecting waters too: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents or $10 for a single day.
How many Michigan ramps open onto Detroit River?
8 public launches and 1 harbor are listed on this page, busiest counties Wayne.
What swims in Detroit River?
Walleye in spring, white bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and lake sturgeon.
What tributaries feed Detroit River?
No Michigan stream mouths are listed for it on this page.
Where do charters leave for Detroit River?
2 charter listings, mostly out of Belleville and Detroit.
When is walleye open on Detroit River?
6 (through April 30, 2026; updated by May 1 annually); minimum 15 inches; Open all year.
Where are the gauges on Detroit River?
3 level stations on this page show dated readings from NOAA or the Corps of Engineers.
How many fish go into Detroit River?
No plants are logged for it in the MDNR table for 2024 to 2026.
Is Detroit River a Great Lake or a river?
A connecting water: the connecting water from Lake St. Clair past Detroit and Trenton to Lake Erie.
Run out onto Detroit River
Buy the all-species license and pick a ramp above.