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

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

63

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

UPPER MANISTEE IS NOW FULLY OPEN UNTIL OCTOBER 1, 2026. 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 ****2026 All species fishing license will be required April 1, 2026. https://www.mdnr-elicense.com Levels are now normal and water is clear, and warm. Cooler temps overnight will keep water temps in the low 60's this week. Look for good dry fly fishing as water temps have fish now looking up. Some fish have been rising to sulfurs in the water above CCC Bridge near the Airport, with spinnerfalls and emergences from 6-9pm. Brown drakes will start along with isonychia bicolor from 7pm to dark. Check your Michigan DNR regs. DON'T FORGET YOUR 2026 ALL SPECIES FISHING LICENSE IS NEEDED APRIL 1, 2026. GOOD UNTIL MARCH 31, 2027. 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 6/15/26

Levels are now normal and clear and warming. Sulfurs, little mahogonies, some stenonemas and isonychia bicolor starting from 8p, to dark. Best fishing will be 8-10pm. Some rain mixed in this week and cooler temps overnight will keep water cool, but perhaps delay the start of the drakes and iso's. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 6/15/26

Time to set up for dry fly fishing this week. Sulfurs #16-18 and sulfur spinners from 7-9pm will continue to move fish. Larger drakes and iso's may get going this week later until dark. Streamer fish early mornings until sun gets over the treetops. Attractors middays. Then change over to the hatches evenings. Evenings are now best.

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

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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):
Gray Fox N/A #12
Krystal Spinner rusty and tan #16-18
Sulphur Parachute N/A #16-18
Pale Morning Dun Thorax N/A #16
Gartside soft hackle streamer white, black, yellow #4-6
Galloup's Rusty Cripple N/A #16
Dave's Oh-So-Iso N/A #12
Adams N/A #14
Betsie Special N/A #10
Lord's Cripple Sulfur N/A #16

Gray Fox

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Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Upper Manistee River

UPPER MANISTEE FROM CO612 TO M72 IS NOW FULLY OPEN UNTIL OCTOBER 1, 2026. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. Check Michigan DNR regs for details. 2026 MICHIGAN FISHING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE. ****2026 All species fishing license will be required April 1, 2026. https://www.mdnr-elicense.com 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:

Sulfurs (ephemerella invaria #16 - rusty spinner #16-18), sulfurs (ephemeralla dorothea #18 - tan spinner #18) little mahogonies (paraleptophlebia #16), March Brown/Gray Fox (stenonemas #12), Brown drakes #10, White Gloved Howdy (isonychia bicolor #12) Visit the STREAMSIDEORVIS.COM website for tips, stream reports tips, photos... and more! Like us on Facebook too.

Best Time to Fish:

7pm to dark

Best Stretch:

Airport to CCC Bridge

Best Access:

3 Mile Access