Upper Manistee River trout fishing report

Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing

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Upper Manistee River trout fishing report

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

Upper Manistee River trout fishing report

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

Manistee River Steelhead Report

Manistee River Steelhead Report below Tippy Dam

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Manistee River

Manistee River Steelhead Report

Spring Steelhead Report Below Tippy Dam

Spring Steelhead Report below Tippy Dam water levels remain high but are slowly dropping. However, the Pine River upstream of Tippy Dam is dumping a heavy mud stain into the Manistee, creating very low visibility and poor clarity. As of today, flows are 4,360 cfs and the water temperature is 41.4°F.

All of our guide trips have been canceled or rescheduled since last week’s big rain events, but it’s looking like we’ll be able to get back out there very soon. High water is a common spring issue—especially after a heavy snow year—so we knew this was bound to happen at some point during the spring steelhead season.

The good news: conditions should improve shortly as flows continue to drop and the river clears. With water temps just getting into the 40s, we’re approaching the peak window and things should be firing again soon.

We will have a new update coming soon once we can get back on the Manistee River.

Booking a Trip

The Manistee River below Tippy Dam is one of the best west side rivers in the state of Michigan.  We specialize in Steelhead and Trout fishing on this section of the Manistee River Watershed.  Now is a great time to book your Spring Fishing adventure as well, with Steelhead, Trout, and Pre-Spawn Smallmouth on the agenda.

If catching a Great Lakes Steelhead in on your wish list give us a call to join in the fun at (231-631-5701), you can also shoot us an email.  We are currently booking Spring Steelhead, Pre-Spawn Smallmouth Bass, and a few remain peak Trout Dates for Michigan Dry Fly Fishing. 

Jon Ray

Pere Marquette Spring Fishing

Pere Marquette Fishing Report

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Pere Marquette Fishing Report

Pere Marquette Trout Fishing

What a crazy week of weather. It seems like Mother Nature needed to get it all out of her system—hopefully she did.

On the bright side, the cold temperatures and the snow/ice storm should slow the spawn down and extend our steelhead season. Water temps dropped from the mid-40s to the mid-30s last week. River levels rose with the rain ahead of the snow and ice, and then—did we ever get snow and ice. With frozen ground and colder temps, the river is now dropping slowly. As levels continue to fall and water temperatures gradually creep back up, the next couple of weeks should fish well. With a mix of winter holdover fish and a slow trickle of spring-run steelhead, this could shape up to be a great spring steelhead season.

Our go-to method for targeting steelhead this time of year is float fishing. With water temps still in the winter range, steelhead are holding in softer, slower water, and the float is the best way to cover those lanes effectively. Beads have been the top producer. With the water high and dirty, 10mm–14mm beads in bright colors have been working well. That will change as the river warms, but it’ll be a bit before we see a real shift. There’s not much insect activity yet—we’re still waiting on that first spring stonefly to signal that spring is truly here.

Brown Trout

Pere Marquette Brown Trout Fishing

Brown trout fishing has been hit-or-miss. Between the weather and the stained water, trout have been tucked into some hard-to-reach spots—especially log jams. If your timing is right and they’re willing to bite, you can do well. Most trout have been eating beads. Nymphs haven’t been very consistent, though we’ve had the occasional fish chase a streamer. Minnow patterns have also been getting a few looks.

The river is high and stained, so if you’re walking and wading, please be careful. Over the last few days we’ve also seen some new logs show up in the river, which could make wading more challenging than usual.

We still have a few open spring dates available—if you want to float the PM, let us know!

Captain Jeff

 

 

Pere Marquette Water Levels at Scottville, MI

USGS Water-data graph for site 06025500