Fishing Report For Lake Leelanau, MI

By Rick Seaman

January 3, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Lake Leelanau Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Lake Leelanau, MI

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Lake Leelanau, MI

Smallmouth Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

Lake Leelanau is well-known as a good smallmouth fishery. Many locals report good success in the narrows between North Lake Leelanau and South Lake Leelanau. Ice fishing is good in winter around deeper, rocky structures. Once the ice melts in Spring, mid-range crankbaits, like the Rapala DT-6, are a good way to cover lots of water and the smallmouth here are prone to strike them aggressively.

Walleye

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good

Fishing reports by local fishing guides and walleye enthusiasts tend to confirm the belief that Lake Leelanau is the best walleye lake in the state. Focus on water depths from 15 feet to 40 feet. Jigs tipped with minnows or worms work well for casting or slow trolling. Deep-diving crankbaits, like the Bandit, are a great for faster trolling.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

Plenty of yellow perch can be found throughout both North Lake Leelanau and South Lake Leelanau. Locals report excellent fishing year round - ice fishing in Winter, shallow fishing in Spring and Fall, and deeper structure fishing in Summer. Spinners, jigs, spoons and live bait all catch these aggressive feeders.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass and yellow perch at Lake Leelanau in Michigan.

Less than a mile inland from Lake Michigan, Lake Leelanau is a 14,000-acre lake in the northwest corner of the lower MI peninsula, 10 miles northeast of Traverse City. The 41 miles of shoreline are the focus of attention, both on and off the water.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Click here for fishing boat rentals available at this lake.

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Michigan Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".