Michigan Carp
Catch & Release Carp Fishing in Michigan
Michigan carp fishing — real sessions, simple tactics, and bait testing built for Great Lakes waters.
New here? Start with the three guides below.
Practical, fish-safe carp fishing for big Northern Michigan lakes—tactics, bait, rigs, and real sessions.
New to bait? Start here: Boilie School (the full step-by-step course).
Start Here (3 Quick Wins)
Find fish. Fish simple. Bait smart
Start Here (3 Quick Wins)
New here? Start with the Start Here page →
Watercraft & Conditions
Reading water: temperature, wind, clarity, oxygen, depth and structure, so you can pick the right zone
The Bait Shed
Boilies, particles, liquids, hookbait tweaks — what works in Michigan, with USA-available ingredients
Three Rigs
Three safe, strong rigs for big Michigan commons — simple to tie, snag-aware, and quick to reset
Real Sessions + What Worked
Sessions
Conditions, decisions, baiting amounts, what worked — and what I’d change next time.
Start Here
New to Michigan carp? Read this. A simple plan, fish-safe gear, and what to learn in what order.
Gear
Essentials first, upgrades later — a practical kit that helps you fish efficiently and handle carp properly.
Carp Fishing in Northern Michigan
You don’t need a garage full of kit to catch carp in Michigan. What you do need is a simple plan, safe gear, and the confidence to stick with it long enough to learn what your lake is telling you. Michigan Carp is built around big Northern Michigan waters—where winds, weed, depth changes, and baiting pressure can matter more than fancy tackle.
Start with the three quick wins above. First, learn how to spot patrol routes and feeding zones so you’re not guessing. Next, build a basic prebaiting routine that keeps fish visiting without blowing the swim out. Finally, use a few safe, reliable rigs you can tie quickly and reset after a take.
From there, everything on this site branches into the same three pillars: real sessions (what worked and what didn’t), bait that’s practical to source in the USA, and gear that protects carp properly. If you’re new, begin with “Start Here.” If you’ve already got a bit of time in, jump into tactics or the bait shed and start refining.
New to Michigan regs? Check the Michigan DNR fishing rules before you go