Kokanee Salmon in Michigan
Kokanee salmon under the 2026 Michigan digest.
- 5 total in any combilimit
- 1.94 lbrecord
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A Michigan profile of Kokanee salmon
Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is filed by the Michigan DNR as game fish, found in great lakes and inland. great lakes, lake st. clair, st. marys river, st. clair river and detroit river carries 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 Sat. in April – Sept. 30; minimum 10 inches (lake trout and splake 15 inches) under the 2026 rules, season open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit).
The MDNR record table lists 1.94 lb from Clinton River in 1978 (hook and line).
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| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Sat. in Ap | Open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit) |
| Kalamazoo and Silver Lks. (Allegan), Betsie L. (Benzie), L. Charlevoix incl. Round L. (Charlevoix), Arcadia, Manistee and Portage | 5 total; no more than 3 of any one species, except up to 5 coho or Chinook salmon; minimum 10 inches | Open all year |
| Inland lakes classified Type A (60 lakes) | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 10", brown/rainbow/splake 12", lake trout 15", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Last Sat. in April – Oct. 31 |
| Inland lakes classified Type B (53 lakes) | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 10", brown/rainbow/splake 12", lake trout 15", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Open all year |
| Inland lakes classified Type C (26 lakes) | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 8", brown/rainbow/splake 8", lake trout 8", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Open all year |
| Inland lakes classified Type D (19 lakes) | 1; minimum brook 15", brown/rainbow/splake 15", lake trout 15", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Last Sat. in April – Oct. 31 |
| Inland lakes classified Type E (11 lakes) | 3; minimum brook 15", brown/rainbow/splake 15", lake trout 15", Chinook/coho/pink 10", Atlantic 15" | Open all year |
| Inland lakes classified Type F (16 lakes) | 5 fish in any combination, but no more than 3 of any one species, except up to 5 salmon (Chinook or coho); minimum brook 10", brown/rainbow/splake 10", lake trout 10", Ch | Open all year |
| Inland streams classified Type 1 (approx. 1,400 streams) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 7", brown 8", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30; possession: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30 |
| Inland streams classified Type 2 (13 streams) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 10", brown 12", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30; possession: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30 |
| Inland streams classified Type 3 (58 streams) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 15", brown 15", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Open all year; possession: Open all year |
| Inland streams classified Type 4 (128 streams) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 7", brown 10", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Open all year; possession: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30 for brook trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon; open |
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (Michigan DNR; rules run April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Michigan record Kokanee salmon
| Category | Weight | Length | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 1.94 lb | 18 in | Clinton River | Oakland | 1978 |
MDNR State Record Fish table, retrieved October 22, 2026; the table prints the year only and no angler names.
Finding Kokanee salmon on Michigan water
Flowing water with Kokanee salmon
- Clinton RiverOakland
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, fishing site lists, trout stream layer, stocking and records; largest waters first.
Other fish near Kokanee salmon in the digest
- Brook Troutgame fish
- Brown Troutgame fish
- Rainbow Troutgame fish
- Lake Troutgame fish
- Splakegame fish
- Chinook Salmongame fish
- Coho Salmongame fish
- Pink Salmongame fish
- Atlantic Salmongame fish
- Largemouth Bassgame fish
- Smallmouth Bassgame fish
- Walleyegame fish
Camera views of water by Kokanee Salmon
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region, Public domain
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Photo: starscream1211, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Michigan Kokanee salmon, the questions that come up
How many Kokanee salmon may I keep in Michigan?
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 Sat. in April – Sept. 30; minimum 10 inches (lake trout and splake 15 inches) on great lakes, lake st. clair, st. marys river, st. clair river and detroit river; season open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit). Other waters carry their own rows.
Does the MDNR list a record Kokanee salmon?
1.94 lb from Clinton River, Oakland County, in 1978 (hook and line).
Which waters name Kokanee salmon?
1 water page on this site name it, starting with Clinton River.
Do Michigan hatcheries raise Kokanee salmon?
The MDNR table lists no plants of it.
How does the MDNR classify Kokanee salmon?
Oncorhynchus nerka; game fish in great lakes and inland.
Are Kokanee salmon open to fishing all year in Michigan?
Open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit) on great lakes, lake st. clair, st. marys river, st. clair river and detroit river.
Which Michigan license covers Kokanee salmon?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
Do outfitters list Kokanee salmon?
None of the listed charters name it.
Choose a lake for Kokanee salmon
Pick a water above, then read its limits.