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

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

68

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW OPEN. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. Streamer fish mornings now that levels have returned to near normal. Late night hatch anglers are changing to midday attractor/hopper/rubber-legged fishing. Mousing continues to be good after dark. Ants and beetles have been moving fish from Airport to CCC. DON'T FORGET YOUR 2024 ALL SPECIES FISHING LICENSE IS NEEDED NOW. Go to: https://www.mdnr-elicense.com

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Map of Upper Manistee River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Hawkins Outfitters
Streamside Orvis

5-Day Outlook as of 7/22/24

Seasonal low 80's and upper 70's for the upcoming week. Lots of sun will help the midday attractor/terrestrial fishing. A few pop up storms moving through mid-week. Water is now clear and wadable. Hoppers are small but plentiful along banks, and ants are all over the banks. Midday attractor fishing is taking over the anglers game plan. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 7/22/24

Streamer fish the early mornings. Midday attractor fishing is fair with rubber-legged and hopper patterns. Late night mousing is good.

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):
Skilton Quick Sight Ant N/A #16
Dave's Oh-So-Iso N/A #12
Blue Wing Olive Parachute N/A #18-20
Quick-Sight™ Beetle N/A #14
PMX yellow, peacock, or #12
Yellow Stimulator N/A #14
Schroeder's Hi-Vis Hopper tan #12
Adams N/A #12-14
Gartside Pheasant Hopper N/A #10
Mouse N/A #4

Skilton Quick Sight Ant

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Item #0128

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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:

Yellow stoneflies #14, Sulfurs Ephemerella dorothea, #18, grasshoppers #12, beetles #14, ants #16 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:

Burnt Cabin