Fishing Season: Upper Manistee is fully open. Flies-Only M72-CCC

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

69

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW FULLY OPEN. M72 TO CCC BRIDGE IS OPEN FLIES-ONLY. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. FOR SPECIFIC KILL LIMITS AND GEAR RESTRICTIONS, GO TO: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations 2025 All species flishing license is now required. https://www.mdnr-elicense.com Seasonally hot temps with some rain and cooling later in the week. Streamer fishing early mornings has been good. Low light is still the key. Tricos are in the air mornings while shady areas are present before sun hits the water. Light Cahills are coming downstream late afternoons and evening. Streamer fish or fish attractors like a Patriot or Oh-So-Iso until early evening. Midday terrestrial fishing with hoppers, beetles, and attractors like rubber-legged patterns are now the strategy for the next month. Remember to change to a beetle when wading through shaded, cedar swamp areas. Then change back to hoppers when the sun returns to the grassy banks. Late night mousing after dark is also starting to show good results. Tip: With water temps rising into the upper 60's and even 70's, play fish quickly, and release carefully after allowing them to recover. Trout season is now open statewide. Check your Michigan DNR regs. DON'T FORGET YOUR 2025 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 8/11/25

Weekend rain has levels up and some staining. Air temps in the upper 80's to start the week with some rain and cooling temps later in the week. Terrestrial patterns and rubber-legged attractors are the ticket. Trico spinners and duns early morning when sun is low and shaded areas collect spinners. Look for feeders. Streamer fishing will continue to be good mornings. Some Light Cahill activity evenings and perhaps baetis when cooling evenings. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 8/11/25

Streamer fishing will be the choice to start the day, or tricos in the shaded bank sections. Fish attractors and terrestrials mid-afternoons. When streamer fishing, change color every 20 minutes. Late evenings is mouse time.

Local Species Available Upper Manistee is fully open. Flies-Only M72-CCC

  • Fish Icon

    Brown and brook trout

Streamside Michigan's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Dave's Oh-So-Iso N/A #12-14
Light Cahill N/A #12-14
Quick-Sight™ Beetle N/A #14
Schroeder's Parachute Hopper N/A #12
Gartside Hopper gray #10
Patriot N/A #12
Blue Wing Olive Parachute N/A #18
Indicator Parachute - Trico N/A #20-22
Betsie Special N/A #10
Ron's Yellow Skunk N/A #12

Dave's Oh-So-Iso

This Slate Drake fly is the ultimate Iso imitation.

3.49

Item #26X9

Buy Now

Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Upper Manistee River

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS FULLY OPEN FROM CO612 TO M72. CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY OCTOBER 1- LAST SATURDAY IN APRIL. FLIES ONLY M72 TO CCC BRIDGE. SIZE AND KILL LIMITS APPLY LAST SATURDAY IN APRIL TO SEPTEMBER 30. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS. Traditional statewide trout season reopens April 26, 2025. Check Michigan DNR regs for details. 2025 MICHIGAN FISHING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE. ALL SPECIES LICENSE IS NEEDED TO FISH FOR TROUT. FOR SPECIFIC REGULATIONS GO TO: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations 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:

Light Cahills (stenonema vicarium) #12-14, Tricorythodes (trico #20-22) Baetis #18 when overcast or rain Visit the STREAMSIDEORVIS.COM website for tips, stream reports tips, photos... and more! Like us on Facebook too.

Best Time to Fish:

noon to 5pm

Best Stretch:

Airport to CCC Bridge

Best Access:

3 Mile Access