Fishing Season: Entire Upper Manistee is now open with special gear restrictions.

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

58

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW OPEN. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. Warm midday temps and sunshine to start the week with some rain moving in for the later in the week. Hendricksons are all over the system now with black caddis popping most afternoons. Fish are now starting to feed regularly as water temps are rising into the upper-50's daily around noon to 2pm. Hendrickson spinners will come to the water later in the day around 5-6pm when air temps are warmest. Some Little Mahogonies #16 starting afternoons and early evenings. Early week or mornings, have a sink tip and your streamer box. Look for baitfish to gather over the silt beds and predatory fish to lay below them in the warmer water getting hungry. DON'T FORGET YOUR 2024 ALL SPECIES FISHING LICENSE IS NEEDED NOW. Go to: https://www.mdnr-elicense.com

Directions open in app

Map of Upper Manistee River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Hawkins Outfitters
Streamside Orvis

5-Day Outlook as of 5/13/24

Warm, dry start to the week. Some rain late-week. Water is now clear and lowering after weekend thunder showers. Hatches of Hendricksons should continue through the week and black caddis will come off all afternoon. Evening spinnerfalls of Hendricksons are now more predictable and fish are feeding regularly. Watch for egg-laying black caddis evenings. Streamer fishing early mornings will remain fair as well. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 5/13/24

Hendrickson hatches have been good and will continue. To start the day around noon, fish a dun Hendrickson with a Queen of the Waters or a loop winged Hendrickson emerger. Then ditch the dropper when you see feeding fish around midday. Have some black caddis and egg-laying black caddis patterns with a bright green egg sack on the back. Fish will start to look for egg laying caddis evenings. When streamer fishing early mornings, change streamer color every 20 minutes until you have a take, then stay with it for 30 minutes. If it slows down, start changing again.

Local Species Available Entire Upper Manistee is now open with special gear restrictions.

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    Brown and brook trout

Streamside Michigan's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Hare's Ear Nymph N/A #14
Orvis CJ Nymph copper #14
Red Quill N/A #14
Dark Hendrickson N/A #12-14
Lord's Extended Body Hendrickson N/A #12-14
Mahogony Dun Parachute N/A #16
Blue Winged Olive N/A #18
Adams N/A #12-14
Lord's Egg Laying Hendrickson N/A #12-14
Lord's Egg Laying Black Caddis blackl #16

Bead Head Hare's Ear Nymph

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Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Upper Manistee River

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW OPEN. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. 2023 MICHIGAN FISHING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE. ALL SPECIES LICENSE IS NEEDED TO FISH FOR TROUT. GO TO: https://https://www.mdnr-elicense.com/?utm_source=migovt&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=fishing21 The Upper Manistee is perhaps Michigan’s finest self-sustaining trout stream. More than 60 miles of wadeable water from its headwaters to the “flies-only” section downstream, make it truly Michigan’s most accessible fly angling water. The river is approximately thirty to sixty feet across in most stretches with an easy gradient and sand and gravel bottom. Extended season sections from M72 downstream to CCC Bridge provide tight-line techniques and streamer fishing all winter as access provides until Spring arrives. April and May offers good hatches of black caddis, Hendricksons and early black stoneflies. Self-sustaining populations of brook and brown trout feed on these early hatches once waters warm into the low 50’s. May brings good numbers of Hendricksons, caddis, and sulfur mayflies. June begins with sulfurs that hatch early evenings and ends with isonychia, brown drakes and the famous "Hex" hatch that comes off at dark. These hatches can move fish as large as 30 inches! July begins with the "Hex" (hexagenia limbata) and finishes with the start of terrestrial season. Hoppers, beetles, ants, dominate the trout’s diet for the next month and a half. In September, we turn our attention to streamer fishing and tiny blue wing olive mayflies. Guides are available daily for float trips. https://streamsideorvis.com/guided-trips/book-guided-trips/

Nearest Airport:

Cherry Capital (TVC)

Hatches:

Ephemerella subvaria #12-14 Hendrickson, Black Caddis #16, Baetis Blue Winged Olives #18, Midges #20, Paraleptophlebia #16 (Little Mahogonies) Visit the STREAMSIDEORVIS.COM website for tips, stream reports tips, photos... and more! Like us on Facebook too.

Best Time to Fish:

11am to 6pm

Best Stretch:

Anywhere from M72 to 3 Mile Access

Best Access:

Airport to Burnt Cabin