Fishing Season: The Boardman River is now fully open.

Boardman River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

58

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

THE ENTIRE BOARDMAN RIVER IS NOW OPEN. https://www.mdnr-elicense.com 2023 All Species Fishing License is required through March, 2025. Levels are lowering and fishing will be good this week. Midday attractor/terrestrial fishing is now in full swing. Water temps have lowered and are now excellent. Ants and beetle patterns have been highly successful in the upper Boardman valley. Mousing and some large bugs continue to provide good fishing at dark. Morning streamer fishing is good in low light. Trico fishing is starting as well from dawn to 10am when sun will hit the water.

Directions open in app

Map of Boardman River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Hawkins Outfitters,
Streamside Orvis

5-Day Outlook as of 9/2/24

Cool temps and sunshine to start the week. Overnight temps in the 40's and 50's with sun and 80's by mid-week will produce great water temps and trico hatches, and great terrestrial fishing. Late week cooling and rain for next weekend will likely produce good baetis fishing and good streamer fishing. Cooler temps have cooled water into the upper 50's. Lots of sun to start the week will provide good hopper/beetle/rubber-legged fishing. Midday attractor fishing is very good. Ants and beetles are best patterns. Watch for tricos and trico spinners early mornings in the quiet water along banks and in the shaded back-eddies. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/2/24

Streamer fish the early mornings to start the week. Midday attractor/rubber-legged patterns and terrestrial fishing for the noon to 5pm fishing. Watch for tricos after dawn and trico spinners gathering in the air over the shaded areas of the quiet water along banks from dawn to 10am. Then turn to hoppers and rubber-legged patterns as the sun rises high in the midday sky. Watch for baetis next weekend as rain and cool temps take over.

Local Species Available The Boardman River is now fully open.

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    Brook trout

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    brown trout

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    — brown & rainbow trout

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    king & coho salmon

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    smallmouth below Union St dam

Streamside Michigan's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Quick-Sight™ Beetle N/A #14
Blue Wing Olive Parachute N/A #18-20
Schroeder's Hi-Vis Hopper tan #12
Skilton Quick Sight Ant N/A #16
PMX yellow, peacock, or #10-12
Arrick's Ant N/A #16
Patriot Dry Fly copper #14
Dave's Oh-So-Iso N/A #12
Trico parachute N/A #20
Gartside Pheasant Hopper N/A #10

Quick-Sight™ Beetle

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Item #0410

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Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Boardman River

THE BOARDMAN RIVER IS NOW FULLY OPEN. The beautiful Boardman River, birthplace of the Adams fly, starts east and south of Traverse City and ends as it flows into the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan. Self-sustaining populations of rainbow, brown and brook trout inhabit all sections of the river, but have higher populations of brook trout in the uppermost sections. Favorite hatches include Hendricksons and black caddis in May, sulfurs, brown drakes and isonychia in June, with gray drakes and the famous hex hatch in late June and July. Late July and August terrestrial, trico, and baetis fishing rounds out the summer. Aggressive fall spawning browns chase large streamers and attracters in September as well. The upper Boardman River closes the end of September while the lower river below Sabin Dam remains open all year. In October, the lower river fills with Lake Michigan coho and Chinook salmon. The salmon run culminates in late October with a fall run of steelhead. Steelhead fishing continues all winter and peaks in March and April. These enormous 8 to 15 pound lake-run rainbow trout draw anglers from around the world. The easy gradient and sand and gravel bottom makes wading comfortable with numerous public access points. Both arms of Grand Traverse Bay have wadable flats that will host schools of spawning Great Lakes carp and smallmouth in months of May and June.

Nearest Airport:

Cherry Capital Traverse City (TVC)

Hatches:

Tan and olive caddis #14, baetis (#20) when overcast or rainy, grasshopper #12, beetles #14, ants #14-16, trichorythodes #20-22 Visit the STREAMSIDEORVIS.COM website for blogs, tips, photos... and more! Like us on Facebook too.

Best Time to Fish:

noon to 5pm

Best Stretch:

Forks, Brown Bridge

Best Access:

Brown Bridge Road