Great Lakes Shore and Pier Access

You don't need a boat to fish the Great Lakes. Every bordering state maintains public shore and pier access points, and most publish maps. Here's what's on the books state by state.

Wisconsin

650 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, with the state DNR inventorying over 2,000 public boat access sites and 100+ developed shore-fishing sites — accessible piers, flat shoreline fishing spots, and shoreline fishing trails with multiple stations. Notable Lake Michigan spots include the North Pier in Sheboygan's Deland Park (off Broughton Drive) and a floating wooden pier in the harbor at Pugh Lakefront Area.

Indiana

43 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. A public shoreline fishing site sits next to the Michigan City DNR building and is handicap accessible.

Michigan

Multiple dedicated Great Lakes fishing access sites, including the Marysville DNR/DTE Great Lakes Fishing Access Site on Busha Highway — parking lot and portable toilet in season, though note the pier access ramp is steep.

Minnesota

The DNR publishes fishing pier and platform maps by county, plus a dedicated statewide outstate fishing piers and platforms map — useful if you're working the Lake Superior shore or inland lakes with the same trip.

How to find a specific spot

Each state DNR above maintains its own access-site map or database — that's the fastest way to confirm what's actually at a given location (parking, accessibility, restroom, pier vs. bank) before you drive out. Site amenities change, so treat these summaries as a starting point, not a substitute for checking the current listing.

Sources:

Wisconsin DNR — Boat and Shore Fishing Access Wisconsin DNR — Accessible fishing on Lake Michigan and its tributaries Indiana DNR — Lake Michigan Fishing Blue Water Area — Marysville DNR/DTE Great Lakes Fishing Access Site Minnesota DNR — Public water access and fishing pier maps by county Minnesota DNR — Fishing piers and shore fishing sites