How to use our fishing calendar
Planning your next fishing trip in Traverse City, United States ? Today is a average day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...
- Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
- Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
- Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
- Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.
Traverse City, Michigan is a premier freshwater fishing destination, anchored by Grand Traverse Bay and surrounded by clear inland lakes and trout streams. Anglers come here for world-class smallmouth bass, lake trout, salmon, and steelhead, along with excellent opportunities for walleye, panfish, and river trout in a scenic Northern Michigan setting. read more...
Sun and Moon Times
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Nautical Twilight begins:Sunrise:
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Sunset:Nautical Twilight ends:
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Moonrise:
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Moonset:
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Moon over:
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Moon under:
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Visibility:27%
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Waxing Crescent
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Distance to earth:376,114 kmProximity:69.5 %
Moon Phases for Traverse City
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average Day
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major Time:
04:55 am -
06:55 am
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minor Time:10:15 am - 12:15 pm
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major Time:05:32 pm - 07:32 pm
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minor Time:11:36 pm - 01:36 am
Current Fishing Weather
Wind Speed and Direction
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Wind Direction and Speed are one of the most important aspects for choosing a fishing spot. An offshore wind can help land-based anglers with longer casting distances, while an onshore wind will make kayak fishing safer. Often fish will also move to certain feeding areas depending on the wind direction. Check out the long term wind forecast at the charts below.
Fishing Barometer
Atmospheric Pressure:
Change since midnight:
Trend for next 6 hours:
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure affects fish activity. The best fishing can be had on a rising barometer and also the time just before it is falling. A steady barometer in the higher ranges can also mean good fishing. A falling or low barometer reading without much change is usually not a very good time for fishing.
UV Effect on Fishing
As a rule of thumb, the higher the UV index, the deeper fish will move. Shallow water fishing is best done at times with a low UV index. When the UV is high, stick to early mornings, late evenings and shaded areas. The effect is less noticable in deeper water, but often a higher UV index can produce good results in the deep.
7 Day Fishing Weather
| Date | Major Bite Times | Minor Bite Times | Sun | Moon | Moonphase |
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 First Quarter Moon |
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First Quarter Moon |
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 Waxing Gibbous |
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Fishing Overview Traverse City
Traverse City fishing is defined by clear water, structure-rich shorelines, and quick access to both big-water and inland opportunities. Grand Traverse Bay offers deep, cold Lake Michigan habitat for trout and salmon, while nearby lakes and rivers provide consistent action for bass, pike, panfish, and trout. Understanding seasonal fish movement and key habitat types is the key to putting more fish in the boat here.
Spring fishing around Traverse City kicks off as soon as ice leaves the inland lakes and water warms into the 40s. Smallmouth bass stage on sand and gravel flats and along first breaks in East and West Grand Traverse Bay; tubes, Ned rigs, and small swimbaits in natural goby and perch patterns are staples. On inland lakes, work emerging weed edges with suspending jerkbaits and finesse jigs for both smallmouth and largemouth. Steelhead push into area rivers in early spring; spawn bags, beads, and medium-sized spinners or plugs fished in deeper runs and tailouts are productive when water has some stain.
Summer brings stable patterns. On the Bay, lake trout, cisco, and salmon set up along deep structure, breaks, and humps. Trolling with downriggers, divers, and lead-core paired with spoons and flasher-fly combos is the dominant technique; focus on temperature bands and bait clouds rather than a rigid depth number. Early and late in the day, smallmouth prowl shallow rock, isolated boulders, and points; topwaters, walking baits, and weightless soft plastics produce explosive bites in the clear water, but long casts with light line are critical. Inland, bass and pike relate to weedlines, docks, and laydowns; spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and Texas-rigged plastics shine around cover.
Fall is prime time across the Traverse City area. As water cools, big smallmouth slide back onto mid-depth rock flats and steep breaks; swing football jigs, blade baits, and compact crankbaits along bottom to intersect schools. Chinook and coho salmon stage near river mouths and cruise nearshore structure; casting crankbaits, spoons, and large spinners from shore or boat can be outstanding when the wind stacks bait. Inland lakes see a strong walleye and perch bite along sharper breaks and remaining green weeds—vertical jigging with minnows or plastics and slow-trolling crawler harnesses near the bottom are effective.
Winter offers solid ice-fishing when conditions allow on inland waters around Traverse City. Panfish stack in basins and along good weeds; use small tungsten jigs tipped with plastics or waxworms and keep presentations subtle in the clear water. Walleye and pike roam edges, saddles, and major points; set tip-ups with live bait just off bottom for walleye and slightly higher for pike. Mobility is important—drill clusters of holes over different depths and keep moving until you mark suspended fish or see consistent activity.
Across seasons, success in Traverse City hinges on matching presentations to the region’s ultra-clear water. Downsize leaders, use natural colors, and give fish space with long casts or extended trolling spreads. Pay constant attention to wind: it concentrates plankton, baitfish, and ultimately game fish on the windy side of points and shorelines. Combine that with electronics to stay on structure—isolated rock, hard-bottom transitions, and the edges of deep sand flats are high-percentage spots throughout the year.
Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Traverse City area
Beaches and Bays are ideal places for land-based fishing. If the beach is shallow and the water is clear then twilight times are usually the best times, especially when they coincide with a major or minor fishing time. Often the points on either side of a beach are the best spots. Or if the beach is large then look for irregularities in the breaking waves, indicating sandbanks and holes. We found 2 beaches and bays in this area.
East Bay Harbor Marina - 9.17100866294km , Wild Cherry Bay - 13.1149392605km
Harbours and Marinas can often times be productive fishing spots for land based fishing as their sheltered environment attracts a wide variety of bait fish. Similar to river mouths, harbour entrances are also great places to fish as lots of fish will move in and out with the rising and falling tides. There are 3 main harbours in this area.
Duncan L Clinch Yacht Harbor - 0.37244054905km, Cuttysark Harbor - 9.1619591918km, East Bay Harbor Marina - 9.17100866294km
We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Traverse City. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.
Duncan L Clinch Yacht Harbor - 0.37244054905km , Kids Creek - 0.57240110153km , Boardman River - 0.66350851152km , Mitchel Creek - 5.01907561507km , East Branch Mitchell Creek - 5.10841441726km , Sabin Dam - 6.11375809102km , Vandarli Creek - 6.55283108749km , Bakers Creek - 7.41052452393km , South Twin Lake - 7.46636575988km , Keystone Pond - 7.97575716608km , Huellmantel Lake - 8.26431250563km , Page Lake - 9.11351576572km , Cuttysark Harbor - 9.1619591918km , East Bay Harbor Marina - 9.17100866294km , Coffield Lake - 9.21554110449km , Acme Creek - 9.30035424462km , Fern Lake - 9.55821838295km , Stricker Lake - 9.73210867578km , West Arm Acme Creek - 10.51380838439km , East Arm Acme Creek - 10.51380838439km , Belnap Creek - 11.44288815796km , Chandler Lake - 11.44943766266km , South Island - 11.47210695459km , Tibbets Lake - 11.85572204105km , Brush Island - 11.91547066563km , Marion Island - 11.96249717496km , Mickey Lake - 12.01113472211km , Bassett Island - 12.78873306604km , Weisler Creek - 12.89523504345km , Vandervoight Lake - 12.9056427779km , Whelock Lake - 12.99299234651km , Jaxon Creek - 13.04977209083km , Lake Leelanau - 13.06869296125km , Wild Cherry Bay - 13.1149392605km , Saunders Lake - 13.40207957521km , Yonkers Lake - 13.40785506779km , Wethea Lake - 13.62818852636km , Yuba Creek - 13.96037510475km , Victoria Creek - 14.09392358523km , Solon Swamp - 14.25269749824km
Harbours and
Marinas
Beaches
Bays
Wharfs
Points,Reefs,etc
Latest Catches
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