Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing

Manistee River Trout Report

The Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing report for the first week of June has shown some improvement.  The water levels are still up a bit, but closer to normal for this time of year. It’s been a long drying out period since the flood this spring, but the river has cleared and warmed up finally. Coming into the weekend the upper sections near 72 have been low and clear with low water temps around 54 and highs around 65.  There is still a lot of fluctuation in water temps, leaving us with some inconsistency in the bite and bug activity. Overall the heat heading into the weekend has compressed the bite window into late evening.

Improving Conditions

Fishing showed a lot of improvement this week as we jumped right into a summer weather pattern with some of the hottest weather of the season.  The bug activity has really sped up this week with increased water and evening temps .  The daytime bite has suffered the past few days as the high sun has made it uncomfortable for our current hatches. Bug densities in the evening this week have been decreasing as we progressed through the week. This is not what I expected, some species are phasing out and the next round of hatches are beginning.  

Despite the warmer weather this week, the spinner falls have been inconsistent at best. The Sulphurs have about run their course and the Mahoganies seem to be phasing out as well. The Drake season is upon us and hopefully this gets us out of the moody evening fishing from the past few nights. Water temperatures have been slow to climb this year, but with the warmer weather we are finally starting to see the temps hold where we need them.

Hatch Matching Opportunities 

The dry fly fishing improved and then got weird again as the week progressed.  The fishing really got pushed back closer to dark with the hotter weather.  Sulphurs and Mahoganies are phasing out, but still have their place in the roster.  Our Isonychia fired up earlier this week, there hasn’t been any epic hatches yet, but they are doing their thing.  Gray Drakes have probably been in the highest densities I have observed in a very long time.  They quickly became the main menu course for us this week.

This is also the time of the year you need to pay close attention to what fish are rising on.  The Bat Fly has made its presence know the past few days.  If you can’t figure out what a fish is eating right now I would bet it’s eating the Infamous Bat Fly. Yellow and Light Cahill’s are also in the mix, but numbers have remained low.  The Matters Thrasher Stones have been very active at times this week and have provided some opportunities during the dead times.

Brown Drakes have been spotted in a few sections coming out of the weekend.  They are still in the beginning phase, but the heat in this week’s forecast will accelerate this hatch.  We have definitely made a big jump forward in our hatch progression and we are currently trending early.  Things are going to go quick if we don’t get a big cool down phase. Looks like we have one coming at the end of the week. 

Make Your Cast Count

Presentation has still been key. Light tippet, clean drifts, and accurate casts are making the difference for success.  The lighter tippets have been making it harder to win the brawls with our bigger fish, but it’s been necessary to get the bites before dusk.  Blind fishing bigger dries and dry-dropper rigs can help cover water between rising fish. Conditions should continue to improve as stable weather is in the forecast, I’ll take stability in the weather any week while chasing the hatches. 

Streamer Bite

Streamer fishing on the Upper Manistee has been put on hold for us at the current moment.  The bite windows have been there on the overcast and stormy days, but with the warmer weather our hatches have been our main focus.  Early mornings will be best time to go before the water temps hit 60 in the afternoon. 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)

New Summer Swag

Just added two new hats to the shop section, will be adding a new Trout T-shirt here this week for some new Summer Swag.

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