FISH ON: Everything You Need to Know About Salmon Season 2024

It's that time of year when salmon fishers begin to salivate. Right at the end of summer, early fall, you feel that SLIGHT nip in the air at night, and start wearing hoodies and sweatshirts in the early morning hours... it's Salmon Season baby!

This year, Salmon anglers are going to get another hefty chance at catching these tasty fish, but you have to know where to be, and how to catch them if you want to be eatin' good this winter.

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The Salmon migration has officially begun in Michigan, which means fish that are normally chillin' dozens of feet below the surface in the lakes, are now in shallow waters, swimming up stream to their spawning grounds.

This means easy targets for anglers. But it's still not quite that simple.

How To Catch Migrating Salmon

First, make sure you have your fishing license. If you don't, Michigan DNR is gonna have some words for you.

Second, know what the fish want. Something interesting to note about salmon fishing during spawning season is the male fish don't really care about your bait. Some might, but once they're in the rivers, swimming upstream to fertilize the eggs of their mate, they've only got that ONE thing on their mind. Food is optional.

So fishing for Salmon in the rivers can be tricky. You just have to be quick, but there'll be plenty to choose from. Michigan DNR says they stocked more than 9 million salmon this year, in all species. Honestly, they'll be so dense in some rivers, you could just walk out into the water and grab them if you wanted.

Why Are the Salmon Migrating?

Similar to what you see in Alaska, when the bears are out catching salmon before they hibernate through the winter, the salmon in Michigan will migrate upstream to spawn, and die. It's genetically coded in their DNA to do so.

So when the water begins to cool a little, they come up, out of the lakes, and swim against the current, sometimes for hundreds of miles, just to spawn, and eventually die.

Fishermen want to catch them BEFORE they get to the spawning grounds, though, otherwise, they could be stuck with half-alive, zombie fish that have already accomplished their task.

Migration typically lasts from Labor Day to about the end of October, however, NOW is peak season for anglers who love to catch salmon, which by the way, you're only allowed five salmon, and they have to be at least 10 inches long.