Fishing Season: Special regs apply beginning October 1, 2026. Flies-Only M72-CCC

Upper Manistee River - MI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

52

Streamside Michigan's Tip of the Week

FISHING REGULATIONS WILL CHANGE OCTOBER 1, 2026 WITH SPECIFIC REGULATIONS. CHECK MICHIGAN DNR REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC GEAR RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES. 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 have dropped and water is now clear. With hot temps last weekend and a warm start to the week, midday fishing with hopper, beetle, and ant patterns will be good. Clouds will bring baetis to the surface. Rubber-legged attractors and dropper rigs for prospecting during sunny afternoons. Cooler temps later in the week will help the streamer fishing. 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 10/12/26

A warm start to the week with sunny skies and some overnight thundershowers. Cooler water temps as the week progresses. Hoppers, and rubber-legged patterns are now the midday choice. When it clouds up, rain arrives, and cooler temps settle in, look for BWO's to emerge. The streamer fishing will improve as the cooler temps bring water temps down. Go to zip code 49684 for latest weather at your favorite weather site.

Techniques & Tips as of 10/12/26

Take your pick. If you're an early riser, throw a streamer. Watch for BWO's along the banks in the soft water when the rain arrives. Afternoons fish attractor, rubber-legged patterns or hoppers along the banks. Add a BH pheasant tail dropper below it on the rainy or cloudy days. Beetles in the shaded cedar swamps. Try a large stonefly pattern with a Zebra nymph dropper.

Local Species Available Special regs apply beginning October 1, 2026. 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):
Blue Wing Olive Parachute N/A #18
Krystal Spinner rusty #18-20
Schroeder’s Parachute Hopper N/A #12
Dave’s Oh-So-Iso N/A #12
Stimulator yellow #12-14
Ron's Yellow Skunk N/A #12
Gartside Hopper gray #10
Patriot N/A #14
BH Flashback Pheasant Tail N/A #16-18

Blue Wing Olive Parachute

Make sure these dry flies are always in your fly box.

2.49

Item #0924

Buy Now

Streamside Michigan's Recommended Gear

Description: About Upper Manistee River

FISHING REGULATIONS WILL CHANGE OCTOBER 1, 2026 WITH SPECIFIC REGULATIONS AND CLOSURES. 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 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:

Baetis #18-20, Grasshoppers, beetles, ants. Visit the STREAMSIDEORVIS.COM website for tips, stream reports tips, photos... and more! Like us on Facebook too.

Best Time to Fish:

afternoons until dark

Best Stretch:

Airport to CCC Bridge

Best Access:

Burnt Cabin