If you’re searching for campgrounds near me with fishing in Michigan, two of our parks put the water a short walk from your site. The Oaks Campground in Munith (near Jackson, Ann Arbor and Chelsea) has a stocked fishing lake with a dock, bait and tackle at the camp store, and 120 acres of trails around it. Walnut Hills Family Campground in Durand (between Flint and Lansing) sits on the Shiawassee River, with a boat launch, river-frontage sites and catch-and-release ponds inside the park. Kids do best on the dock at The Oaks; river anglers do best at Walnut Hills.
Here’s what the fishing is like at each park, what bites, the Michigan license rules for families, and the public fishing water next door.
Michigan campgrounds with fishing: our two parks at a glance
| The Oaks Campground (Munith) | Walnut Hills (Durand) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing water | Stocked fishing lake with a dock, plus bank fishing around the back side | Shiawassee River frontage and boat launch; campground lake and ponds (catch and release) |
| Best for | Kids, first-timers and anyone who wants a near-guaranteed bite from the dock | River anglers, kayak and canoe fishing, float trips |
| Keep or release? | Keeping fish is allowed; most guests release | Catch and release in the campground lake and ponds; river fishing follows state rules |
| Bait and gear | Sold at the camp store (no loaner rods) | Bait and fishing supplies at the camp store |
| Other water | Spring-fed swim lake with a sand beach and the Aquaglide floating water park | Spring-fed swimming lake, beach and the Wibit floating water park |
| Public fishing nearby | Waterloo Recreation Area (next door), Portage Lake boat launch 9 minutes away | The Shiawassee River itself, a designated water trail |
Both parks are open May 1 to October 20, and both sell firewood, ice and forgotten essentials at the store. Site rates vary by date and site; see The Oaks rates and Walnut Hills rates.
Fishing at The Oaks: the stocked lake and dock
The fishing lake at The Oaks (some guests still call it the pond) is stocked with bass, crappie, bluegill, carp and other warm-water species. It sits below the spring-fed swim lake, which spills over into it, and its outlet eventually feeds the Portage River watershed. Our team believes big fish move up that watershed to spawn and stay behind when spring high water drops, and with far fewer anglers than a public lake like Portage, they grow. The result shows up in guest photos. As one campground employee put it, “we’ve seen fish the size of children pulled out of the fishing pond,” including one picture of a dad holding a catch nearly as tall as the son who caught it.
Where to fish: the dock reaches toward the middle of the lake and is the most reliable spot. The back side of the lake is for bank fishing through the woods, which our team describes as more challenging and better for avid anglers who want to be alone. You can also paddle the fishing lake in your own kayak or canoe. A new dock has already been purchased and is planned for installation in 2027.
Rules: you may keep what you catch at The Oaks. Most people release, and our team encourages it “so that the large fish can be put back and caught by some other kid who has an amazing experience with catching it all over again.” Dogs may swim in the fishing lake (not the swim beach), since it’s downstream of the swimming area, and they can be off leash on the back trails and in the dog run; elsewhere in the park they stay leashed.
Bait and gear: the camp store sells worms, bait and tackle. There are no loaner or rental rods, so bring your own. For tips on what’s biting, ask the staff or one of the long-time seasonal campers; many have fished this lake for years.
A kid’s first fishing trip at The Oaks
Start at the dock, which our team calls “a pretty guaranteed way to catch fish.” A simple bobber rig works: a small hook, a split shot if needed, a float set a couple of feet above the hook, and a worm from the store. Keep sessions short (30 to 60 minutes for young kids), bring a towel and a pair of pliers for hook removal, and plan a swim or Kangaroo Jumper break afterward. On Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends, The Oaks runs a fishing contest from 1 to 2 pm with prizes for the most fish, the biggest fish and the smallest fish, so a first-timer has a real shot at a ribbon.
Swimming and fishing spots near me: swim-and-fish in one campground
The Oaks is set up for a family that wants both. The swim lake, fed by a natural artesian spring, got a rebuilt sand beach in 2026, with hundreds of tons of fresh sand running out into the water, campground-provided lounge chairs and the Aquaglide floating water park (paid wristbands from the store). The fishing lake is separate and a short walk away, so one parent can take the kids to the dock while the other holds down the beach. For a deeper look at the beach, see our guide to Michigan campgrounds with swimming.
Walnut Hills does the same thing with a river instead of a fishing lake: the spring-fed swimming lake and Wibit are near the front of the park, and the Shiawassee runs along the river sites. At Walnut Hills, fishing in the swimming lake is allowed only at the north end, away from the beach and the Wibit.
Fishing at Walnut Hills: the Shiawassee River
Walnut Hills sits on the Shiawassee River, a designated water trail that’s regularly cleared of strainers and downed trees. River-frontage sites 27 to 42 are right on the water; depending on the water level, you can slide a kayak in from your site. Sites 1 to 26 are river view, 10 to 25 feet above the water. Everyone else uses the campground’s boat launch next to the store, where you can launch your own canoe or kayak.
The Shiawassee is known for smallmouth bass and northern pike, along with panfish, carp and suckers. Spring water runs faster and suits canoes and kayaks; June through early August is the calm, warm stretch that’s easier to fish from a tube or a slow-moving boat. If you’d rather fish a float, Cheff’s Canoe Rental runs out of the Walnut Hills launch with two trip lengths and a shuttle back, or bring your own boat and use the public access points. Our riverfront camping guide covers the river sites in detail.
Inside the park, the campground lake and ponds are catch and release only. The store carries bait and fishing supplies, and leashed dogs are welcome throughout the park; they can swim in the river at the boat launch (not the swim lake or beach) and run off leash in the fenced dog park.
Do you need a fishing license at a Michigan campground?
Michigan requires a fishing license for anyone 17 or older fishing public waters, and an adult who is actively helping a child fish needs one too. Kids under 17 fish free but must follow the same rules. The annual license runs March 1 through March 31 of the following year, and short-term licenses are available. Buy one online from the Michigan DNR before you arrive.
The lakes and ponds at both parks are private and completely surrounded by our own land, so you don’t need a license to fish them. The Shiawassee River is public water, so adults fishing the river at Walnut Hills need a Michigan license, and so do anglers on Waterloo’s lakes and Portage Lake near The Oaks.
Places to go fishing without a license near me
Three options. First, the private lakes and ponds at Walnut Hills and The Oaks don’t require a license. Second, anyone under 17 can fish anywhere in Michigan without a license. Third, Michigan’s Free Fishing Weekends waive license fees for everyone for two days twice a year: the Saturday and Sunday of Presidents Day weekend in February, and the weekend after the first full week of June (June 13–14 in 2026). The June weekend lines up with camping season, and a Recreation Passport isn’t required at state parks and boating sites those days either.
Good fishing spots in Michigan near the campgrounds
Near The Oaks: Waterloo Recreation Area is next door, with more than 21,000 acres, eleven lakes and eight boat launches, including Big Portage, Crooked, Mill and Cedar lakes. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, catfish and northern pike are all in there. Portage Lake is an all-sports lake with a public boat launch 9 minutes from the campground, and quite a few of our seasonal campers keep boats for it (seasonals get free boat storage at The Oaks). Our Portage Lake fishing guide has the details, and Waterloo camping guide covers the state campgrounds.
Near Walnut Hills: the Shiawassee River runs for miles upstream and downstream of the park, through Byron, Durand, Vernon and Owosso. Floating a stretch is the easiest way to reach the bends and pools.
Campgrounds on the water in Michigan: which sites to book
- The Oaks lakefront sites face the swim lake and are a short walk to the beach. Sites 46 to 61 in the old-growth section are the biggest lots in the park, with no rear neighbors, and the quiet end of the campground is closer to the trails. Check The Oaks map.
- Walnut Hills river frontage is sites 27 to 42; lakefront sites 101 to 103 sit on the swimming lake. Waterfront and full-hookup sites carry a premium under dynamic pricing, and holiday weekends cost the most.
Fishing and hiking in the same trip
The Oaks has about 120 acres of trails in several loops through forest and grassland, open to hikers, mountain bikes and golf carts (no ATVs). One loop runs toward the wetlands bordering Haehnle Sanctuary, where sandhill cranes are common. A morning on the dock and an afternoon on the trails is a normal day there; see our guide to Michigan campgrounds with hiking trails. Walnut Hills has a nature trail along the Shiawassee inside the park, and a public nature area on Reed Road, a short golf-cart ride away, that runs through the woods to the river.
When is the best time to fish at a Michigan campground?
Early morning and the last hour before dark are the easiest times to get kids on fish, and panfish sit shallow from late spring into early summer. Weekdays are quieter at both parks, and May before Memorial Day and October are the slowest, cheapest windows. October at The Oaks is mostly seasonal campers, fall color and very little pressure on the lake.
Campground fishing FAQ
Are there fishing lodges or resorts in southern Michigan?
The Oaks and Walnut Hills are campgrounds, not lodges. The Oaks has RV sites (water and electric; 50 amp on short-term sites, 30 amp on seasonal) and tent sites, with no cabins. Walnut Hills has RV sites, tent sites and two camping cabins that sleep four.
Can I bring my own kayak or boat?
Yes. At The Oaks, launch your own kayak or canoe on the fishing lake, or trailer a boat to the Portage Lake launch. At Walnut Hills, use the campground boat launch on the Shiawassee.
Does the camp store sell bait?
Yes at both parks: worms, bait and basic tackle. Neither park loans or rents rods.
Is there a fishing contest?
The Oaks holds a fishing contest on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends, with prizes for most, biggest and smallest fish. Check The Oaks events page for this season’s schedule.
Can kids fish on their own?
The dock at The Oaks is where kids fish, and with the gate system, quiet hours that are kept and a family-focused guest base, parents tell us they’re comfortable letting kids run ahead to the lake. An adult nearby and life jackets for non-swimmers are still a good idea.
