Manistee River Trout Report

The Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing report for the end of May has been a grind to say the least.  With more heavy rains early last week the water was up 6″ again.  Coming into the weekend the upper sections near 72 have been dropping and clearing up nicely while water temps have been mostly 52-58. Fishing was starting to pick up before the rains, but it was pretty tough again as we were heading into the weekend. With the lack of temperature to get the digestive juices moving again.  Trout have been lazy and not very active.

Tough Conditions

Fishing was showing some signs of improvement before the heavy rains early last week.  We had a couple of warm evenings and found a few on dries and had a couple of good streamer outings before the river came back up again.  It’s been tough fishing on the dropping flows this week as water temps remain cold. Anglers willing to stay patient and adjust throughout the day are finding opportunities, but it has not been easy. Water temperatures are slow to climb, and that has kept the hatch activity inconsistent from stretch to stretch.

The dry fly bite was pretty dismal this week, the Sulphur’s have  been going all week and very few fish have been showing interest. At times there have been enough bugs around, but very few fish were looking up. Mattress Thrasher stones, sporadic Caddis, Little Mahoganies, and Sulphurs have been the most prevalent insects this week. We’re also seeing the last of the Hendrickson spinners mixed into the menu. We are supposed to warm up this week so hopefully the fish start showing more interest. 

Presentation has been key. Light tippet, clean drifts, and accurate casts are making the difference when fish do commit. Blind fishing bigger dries and dry-dropper rigs can help cover water between rising fish. Conditions should continue to improve as warmer weather is on the way, we finally have a forecast in our favor.

Streamer Bite

Streamer fishing on the Upper Manistee has been productive for anglers willing to cover water and adjust to the conditions. The bite has not been wide open, but quality fish are willing to move when the presentation is right. Lamprey imitations have been some of the best producers, especially when worked low and slow through deeper runs, logjams, and undercut banks. On brighter, sunny days, sparkle minnows have been a strong choice, giving off enough flash to grab attention. Vary your retrieve, pause often, and focus on structure where larger trout can ambush an easy meal.

Didymo

Consider the ENTIRE RIVER TO BE CONTAMINATED and treat it as such. Clean, Drain, Dry your gear before entering another Body of Water.  Currently, there are no known effective methods to eradicate didymo once it is established in a river.  To prevent spreading Didymo and other aquatic invasive species, it is critical to thoroughly Clean, Drain and Dry waders, equipment, and boats upon leaving a waterway.

• Clean by removing mud and debris from all surfaces.
• Use a 10% Solution of Dishwashing Soap with hot water for 10 minutes (Example 1 gallon of water is 12.8 oz of Dawn Soap). Then it must dry for 48 hours (mandatory if your fishing different water systems)

Trout Guide Trips 

We have very limited openings available during the peak hatch season. Make sure to book your dates now for 2026!  If you’re looking to book a Trout Guide Trip you can reach us at 231-631-5701 (leave a message or text) or shoot us an email. 

Tight Lines,

Ed