Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing

Manistee River Trout Report

The Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing report for the last week of  August has us entering a cool down.  It is starting to feel like fall the past few days. Cooler mornings mean streamer opportunities transitioning into dry fly options during the warmer parts of the day.  The moon is approaching full so the night trips are on hold right now.  We just finished up a New Moon session and the fishing was pretty good over-all. Once the water temps stabilize the fishing should be pretty good moving forward.

Water levels are still above normal, which is crazy to think it’s almost September and we still have above average flow. Water levels are still 3-4″above normal, but the water remains pretty clear in the upper sections. A little stealth and good presentations are still required for the best success. goes a long way.  The usual summer programs are changing slightly with the cooler conditions, streamers, hopper fishing, and mousing will be our primary focus moving forward.

Heading into the weekend the upper sections near 72 have been clearing and dropping with temps peaking around 58-63 in the upper sections this past week. The forecast is calling for a couple more cool days and then it looks like a lot of mid 70s heading our way. With cooler nights and shorter days, the water temps should remain in check.  You should always check before you go fishing, but full sunshine and high nighttime temps are the primary drivers for higher water temperatures.

Hopper Fishing

Upper Manistee Trout Fishing with Hopper Patterns

Most of the hatches have run their course for the season.  There are still a few Isonychia, BWOs and Light Cahills around.  The Isonychia should fire back up as we typically see a small window of hatching around the first part of September.  The White Miller’s have been the most abundant insect I have seen lately in the evenings.  Terrestrials are still working, but the ants are about to hatch so make sure you’re prepared.

Usually this time of year the fish are still looking for a well presented Hopper/Terrestrial pattern.  Twitch it, drift it, move it, drag it, some movement can go a long way to getting a bite. On the warmer afternoon/evenings this time of year you may encounter an “ant” hatch.  If the ants hit the water the fish will get pretty selective so pay attention to what you are seeing and how the fish are rising.  Some of the Ants we encounter this time of year are as small as a size #20.

Fishing the seams early and then bouncing the cover later in the day can be a fun way to fish. Best colors have been black, tan, peach, and olive. There are a million terrestrial patterns available today, sometimes a little creativity and something different is all it takes. Beetles, Ants, and Damsel imitations can also fish well during the slower times. The rule of thumb is don’t be afraid to mix it up and change if you’re not getting any looks.

Presentation has still been key. Match the tippet to fit the flies you are fishing. The bigger tippets have been making it easier to land some of the larger fish, but you can also play them quicker to the net. The big flies are getting lots of attention, but sometimes you need to size down to get the bite, be observant and the fish will tell you what they want that day.

Night Fishing 

The night fishing was much improved over the August New Moon.  The fishing was more consistent this time around, but we still had to grind on many occasions.  It’s been interesting to see how the higher flows have been impacting the fishing this year. You have to be quick to adapt this year and understand that most of the fish really don’t want to go out and hunt.  Instead they have been laid up and taking advantage of easy meals falling in their laps so to speak.  

The past couple of weeks provided both volume and quality fishing on most nights.  The recent cool down made it more challenging in the end, but the stability was there for consistent fishing throughout most of the New Moon phase. The best flies this season have been McCoy’s Mouse and the Amphibious Assault.

The moon is too big for me right now. We will be back out in a few weeks with the approaching new moon.  The night fishing can be exciting! But, there’s something to be said about grinding out an entire night while staying on top of your opportunities.  It’s not easy and the hours suck, but the rewards can be massive!

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 

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