Splake in Michigan
MDNR limits, records and waters for splake.
- 5 total in any combilimit
- 17.5 lbrecord
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splake in Michigan, the short version
Michigan regulations treat Splake as game fish, with the fish turning up in great lakes and inland. For great lakes, lake st. clair, st. marys river, st. clair river and detroit river the MDNR prints 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); season open all year (lake trout and splake by management unit).
The Michigan hook and line record weighs 17.5 lb, caught on Lake Michigan – Big Bay De Noc in 2004. Hatchery plants from 2024 through October 2026: 72 events, 519,883 fish.
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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 |
| Lake Superior management unit MI 1-3 (Windigo, Rock Harbor, Black River Harbor, Ontonagon, Upper Entry, Copper Harbor) | 3; minimum 15-inch minimum; no more than 1 lake trout 34 inches or greater | Open all year |
| Lake Superior management unit MI 4-8 (Big Bay, Marquette, Au Train, Munising, Grand Marais, Keweenaw Bay, Whitefish Bay) | 5; minimum 15-inch minimum; no more than 1 lake trout 34 inches or greater | Open all year |
| Lake Superior management unit Stannard Rock (MI-5) and Big Reef (MI-6) (Stannard Rock, Big Reef) | 1; minimum 15-inch minimum (new limit in 2026, see pp. 9, 20) | Open all year |
| Lake Huron management unit MH 1 (DeTour, Cedarville, St. Ignace, Mackinaw City, Cheboygan, Rogers City) | 3; minimum 15-inch minimum | Jan. 1 – Sep. 30 |
| Lake Huron management unit MH-2 (Presque Isle, Rockport, Alpena, Black River) | 3; minimum 15-inch minimum | Jan. 1 – Sep. 30 |
| Lake Huron management unit MH 3-6 (Harrisville, Tawas, Grindstone, Harbor Beach, Lexington) | 3; minimum 15-inch minimum | Open all year |
| Lake Michigan management unit MM 1-5 (Menominee, Escanaba, Manistique, Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, Elk Rapids, Traverse City, Nort | 2; minimum 15-inch minimum | Jan. 1 – Sep. 30 |
| Lake Michigan management unit MM 6-8 (Arcadia, Manistee, Ludington, Grand Haven, Holland, New Buffalo) | 3; minimum 15-inch minimum | 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.
splake records by method
| Category | Weight | Length | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 17.5 lb | 34.5 in | Lake Michigan – Big Bay De Noc | Delta | 2004 |
MDNR State Record Fish table, retrieved October 22, 2026; the table prints the year only and no angler names.
splake plants since 2024
MDNR Fish Stocking Report (FSIS), events January 2024 to October 14, 2026.
Water to fish for splake
Lakes holding splake
- Avalon Lake386 acres
- Golden Lake274 acres
- Maceday Lake207 acres
- Lake Ellen139 acres
- Clear Lake, Montmorency County138 acres
- Moon Lake, Gogebic County95 acres
- Imp Lake91 acres
- Mirror Lake, Ontonagon County91 acres
- Sporley Lake77 acres
- Lake Angeline75 acres
- Lake Arfelin58 acres
- Twilight Lake56 acres
- Twin Lake, Marquette County46 acres
- Pretty Lake, Luce County46 acres
- Tank Lake24 acres
- Twin Lake (north), Marquette County18 acres
- Neds Lake14 acres
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, fishing site lists, trout stream layer, stocking and records; largest waters first.
Fish sharing a rule row with splake
- Brook Troutgame fish
- Brown Troutgame fish
- Rainbow Troutgame fish
- Lake Troutgame fish
- Chinook Salmongame fish
- Coho Salmongame fish
- Pink Salmongame fish
- Atlantic Salmongame fish
- Kokanee Salmongame fish
- Largemouth Bassgame fish
- Smallmouth Bassgame fish
- Walleyegame fish
Michigan shorelines close to Splake, in pictures
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
Photo: Jamesdisher, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ted Miller, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Hgjudd, CC BY-SA 3.0
Asked and answered: Michigan splake
What size limit applies to Michigan splake?
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.
How big is the Michigan state record splake?
17.5 lb from Lake Michigan – Big Bay De Noc, Delta County, in 2004 (hook and line).
Which Michigan lakes hold splake?
17 water pages on this site name it, starting with Avalon Lake, Golden Lake and Maceday Lake.
Has the MDNR planted any splake lately?
Yes; 519,883 fish in 72 events from January 2024 to October 2026, the most in Lake Huron.
Which waters does splake live in?
no scientific name listed; game fish in great lakes and inland.
In which months may splake be kept here?
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.
How much is a Michigan license to fish splake?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
Can I hire a Michigan guide for splake?
No guide listing mentions it.
Set up a trip for splake
Open a listed lake for launches and seasons.