Fishing Season: The Upper Manistee begins special fishing restrictions beginning October 1, 2024. Check regs.

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

38

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW OPEN FROM CO612 TO M72 CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY. M72 TO CCC BRIDGE IS OPEN FLIES-ONLY CATCH AND RELEASE BROOK TROUT AND BROWN TROUT UNTIL LAST SATURDAY IN APRIL, 2025. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. Special regulations will apply after September 30, 2024. Extended season rules will apply. Please check Michigan DNR fishing regs. A snowy start to the week with cold temps will slow things a bit. Temps in the 40's and 50's, later in the week, will reduce the snow pack and push water levels and water temps higher. Levels will remain OK though since levels have been at post-runoff for more than a week. Stained water will likely result and the combination of these factors will make streamer fishing the preferred method. Remember to fish below the large silt beds (frog water) where large predator brown trout will lay waiting for small baitfish who move onto and off of the warm water running off of the dark water warming in the sunshine. Traditional trout season ended September 30, 2024. Special extended season regulations will take effect October 1, 2024. Check your Michigan DNR regs. 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 3/24/25

Snow and ice to start the week has slowed things. A warmup is coming that will result in levels rising with melt and staining water. Air temps in the 40's and 50's will make streamer fishing a choice once again. Muddy roads will also make access difficult. Watch the weather. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site. Remember that special extended season regs began October 1, 2024. 2025 trout season will resume April 26. Check your Michigan regs.

Techniques & Tips as of 3/24/25

Streamer fishing will be the choice this week. Change color every 20 minutes. Look for deep water below silt beds that will be warming fast this week and sending warm water downstream where predators will be hanging out. Nymphing the riffles and Euro techniques in the deep holes will also be an effective method.

Local Species Available The Upper Manistee begins special fishing restrictions beginning October 1, 2024. Check regs.

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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):
Blue Wing Olive Parachute N/A #20-24
Bead Head Zug Bug N/A #12-14
Lightning Bug pearl, silver #14-16
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer white, olive, black #4-6
Zebra nymph black #18
Perdigon nymphs N/A #16
Lynch's Double D Streamer tan, olive #4
Flashback Hares Ear Nymph N/A #12-14
Gartside Soft-Hackled Streamer yellow, black, or white #4-6
Mini D and D tan, black, olive #4-6

Blue Wing Olive Parachute

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Item #0924

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Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Upper Manistee River

UPPER MANISTEE RIVER IS NOW OPEN CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY FROM CO612 TO M72 AND CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY AND FLIES ONLY M72 TO CCC BRIDGE. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS. Remember that traditional trout season ended September 30, 2024. Special extended season regulations begin October 1, 2024. Check Michigan DNR regs for details. 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:

Some tiny black stoneflies along banks when sunshine arrives this week with above freezing temps. 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