It’s a fishing day

Ludington State Park fishing conditions · Michigan

Now until 8 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 90.

Log a trip here
Right now: 90 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. 904 pm
  2. 90
  3. 86
  4. 867 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
7 mph

From the west-southwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:29 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
46°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

90GoNow until 8 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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. Lower Peninsula Great Lakes: 15" minimum, 5 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Dec, from NOAA satellite surface-temperature analysis of the lake, 2023–2025. More on walleye

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

78Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Steelhead bite in 40–55° water, best near 48°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan Great Lakes: 10" minimum, 5 trout and salmon a day in any combination, no more than 3 of any one species except up to 5 coho, chinook or pink salmon. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

78Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan Great Lakes: 10" minimum, 5 trout and salmon a day in any combination, no more than 3 of any one species except up to 5 coho, chinook or pink salmon. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Dec, from NOAA satellite surface-temperature analysis of the lake, 2023–2025. More on brown trout

Lake Trout

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

78Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 30–200 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake trout and splake: 15" minimum, 3 a day combined in units MM 6–8 (Arcadia to New Buffalo, Ludington included) and MH 3–6; 2 a day in MM 1–5. Michigan Great Lakes: 10" minimum, 5 trout and salmon a day in any combination, no more than 3 of any one species except up to 5 coho, chinook or pink salmon. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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: Jun–Nov, from NOAA satellite surface-temperature analysis of the lake, 2023–2025. More on smallmouth bass

Northern Pike

Northern pike

Esox lucius

78Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Northern pike bite in 50–70° water, best near 63°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

24" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lower Peninsula Great Lakes: 24" minimum, 2 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round. More on northern pike

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Chinook salmon is here Apr–Oct. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan Great Lakes: 10" minimum, 5 trout and salmon a day in any combination, no more than 3 of any one species except up to 5 coho, chinook or pink salmon. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.08 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:29 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:31 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:40 pm–12:40 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:40 am–7:40 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

Seven miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, with the Big Sable River running a mile through the park from Hamlin Lake. Surf fishing for chinook, brown trout and steelhead in spring and fall, plus lake trout runs along the shore; the Big Sable carries chinook in fall, steelhead in spring and fall, and smallmouth, walleye and northern pike in summer.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Pere Marquette River13 mi · MichiganBest now until 8 pm
84Worth the trip
Manistee River32 mi · MichiganBest now until 8 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Ludington State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Ludington State Park you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Ludington State Park?

Ludington State Park is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, and 3 more. 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 Ludington State Park?

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 Ludington State Park 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 Ludington State Park have?

Ludington State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Ludington State Park?

state agency regulations apply at Ludington State Park. 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 Ludington State Park tidal water?

No. Ludington State Park is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.