It’s a fishing day

Bay de Noc (Escanaba) fishing conditions · Michigan

Now until 8 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 94.

Log a trip here
Right now: 94 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 944 pm
  2. 90
  3. 90
  4. 907 pm
  5. 76
  6. 76
  7. 7610 pm
  8. 80
  9. 80Sun
  10. 761 am
  11. 76
  12. 76
  13. 764 am
  14. 76
  15. 76
  16. 807 am
  17. 76
  18. 76
  19. 7610 am
  20. 80
  21. 80
  22. 801 pm
  23. 76
  24. 76
  25. 764 pm
  26. 80
  27. 76
  28. 767 pm
  29. 76
  30. 76
  31. 7610 pm
  32. 76
  33. 80Mon
  34. 801 am
  35. 76
  36. 76
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
10 mph

From the southwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:27 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
44°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Michigan regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

94GoNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Upper Peninsula Great Lakes: 15" minimum, 5 a day, possession season May 15–Mar 15. North of a line from Peninsula Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the Bark River, only 1 of the 5 may be 23" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Little Bay de Noc

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jul, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

82Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan: no size limit, 25 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Smallmouth bass is here May–Oct. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan Great Lakes: largemouth and smallmouth combined, 14" minimum, 5 a day. Possession season opens the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 29 in 2027) and runs to Dec 31; catch and immediate release is open the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here Jun–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan: "All others", carp included, have no size limit, no possession limit and are open all year. Live carp may not be used as bait. Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.99 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:27 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:38 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:50 pm–4:50 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:40 pm–12:40 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:50 am–7:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Michigan DNR publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The walleye-rich arms of northern Lake Michigan at Escanaba in Michigan's Upper Peninsula — Big and Little Bay de Noc are nationally known for walleye, with smallmouth bass on the reefs and jumbo yellow perch. Fished from boats and the shore, and hard through the ice.

Little Bay de Noc: walleye 15" minimum, 5 a day, kept May 15–Mar 15, and only 1 of the 5 may be 23" or longer.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Peninsula State Park (Nicolet Bay Beach)41 mi · WisconsinBest now until 7 pm
100Go
Sturgeon Bay (Door County)65 mi · WisconsinBest now until 7 pm
94Go
Green Bay (Bay Beach, Green Bay)95 mi · WisconsinBest now until 7 pm
94Go
Manistee River117 mi · MichiganBest now until 8 pm
100Go
Ludington State Park122 mi · MichiganBest now until 8 pm
90Go
Pere Marquette River131 mi · MichiganBest now until 8 pm
84Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Bay de Noc (Escanaba)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Bay de Noc (Escanaba) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Bay de Noc (Escanaba)?

Bay de Noc (Escanaba) is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Bay de Noc (Escanaba)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Bay de Noc (Escanaba) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Bay de Noc (Escanaba) have?

Bay de Noc (Escanaba) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Little Bay de Noc: walleye 15" minimum, 5 a day, kept May 15–Mar 15, and only 1 of the 5 may be 23" or longer.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Bay de Noc (Escanaba)?

state agency regulations apply at Bay de Noc (Escanaba). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Bay de Noc (Escanaba) tidal water?

No. Bay de Noc (Escanaba) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.