FISHING REPORTS

Big Manistee River

Live the experience through our daily fishing experiences.
The section of the Manistee River from Tippy Dam in Wellston/Brethren, Michigan to Lake Michigan is referred to as the Big Manistee River. It is approximately 25 miles in length and flows through scenic rural Manistee County. Tippy Dam is a hydro dam that was built in 1918.

Considered the best trout fisheries east of the Rocky Mountains, anglers are always fighting to land the steelhead/rainbow trout that were introduced in the river in 1875 and the king salmon in the 1960s.
Guided trips are offered year round for steelhead, trout, and salmon. Dates for steelhead are October thru May and mid-August thru late October for salmon.
October 30, 2023
Fall Steelhead Making an Appearance in the Big Manistee River:

With the consistent rainfall and cooler temperatures over the last few days, we are starting to see better fish so November steelhead fishing will be good. Natural orange and yellow beads have been working, but float fishing around gravel has been the most productive.

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October 16, 2023
Fall Salmon Sticking Around Big Manistee River While Steelhead Slowly Trickle In:

Despite the recent rainfall, more rain is still needed to help the steelhead that are slowly trickling in to increase in volume and spread throughout the river system. Salmon are still around even though their numbers are starting to decline, but lots of their eggs continue to be found in various parts of the river.

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October 9, 2023
Fall Salmon to Steelhead Transition Begins on the Big Manistee River:

Rainfall over the last couple of days has helped improve the water levels but impacted fishing conditions. The majority of king salmon are spawning now, so steelhead are starting to appear more frequently. There are a few kings still in holes that are biting skein and beads, but that fish activity should be done soon.

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October 2, 2023
Big Manistee River Salmon Fishing Adventures Continue:

Just as there are more colorful leaves appearing on trees along the Big Manistee River shoreline, the next couple of weeks will be busy with people enjoying the adventures of salmon fishing in northwestern Michigan. The first big push has arrived and lots of salmon can be found on gravel. Since the big spawning has […]

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September 25, 2023
Salmon Adventures on the Big Manistee River:

As Fall salmon season progresses, the upper Big Manistee near gravel is growing busier with more people venturing out to fish from boats, wading in the river, and along the shoreline. Although the water is low and clear due to lack of rain recently, new fish are navigating through the whole system. The majority of […]

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September 18, 2023
Having Fun Chasing Salmon on the Big Manistee River:

Over the course of this past week, water conditions changed due to water levels dropping and clearing. There are definitely some sections of the river that could use some rain. Fishing pressure increased over the weekend from everyone coming out to enjoy time on the Big Manistee River but are still getting good fishing results. […]

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September 13, 2023
Fall Salmon Fishing in Full Swing as Cooler Temps Move into Northern Michigan:

Fall salmon fishing is in full swing as cooler temps settled into northern Michigan. Salmon can be found throughout the whole Big Manistee River system. We are seeing fresh pushes of fish daily. The skein bite has been good throughout the entire day. The crankbait bite, on the other hand, has been producing in the […]

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April 11, 2022
Steelhead Fishing Still Steady on Big Manistee Despite Recent Rain and Cooler Temperatures:

Steelhead fishing has still been steady on the Big Manistee despite recent rain and cooler temperatures. The water is still high, but it is starting to clear up and temperature is on the rise. There is a lot of fresh fish in the top few miles but plenty of people fishing too. We are starting […]

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March 10, 2022
Big Manistee River Spring Steelhead Fishing:

Day 1 - March 9th: Steve and Dave came with me for a couple of days of filming. We got off to a good start hooking up in our first spot but lost that fish right away. After a few little moves, we had our first fish of the day in the net. Following another […]

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March 6, 2022
Spring Steelhead Fishing Begins on the Big Manistee River:

In between trips to Minnesota to ice fish, Mitch and I went out fishing in hopes of finding some late winter steelhead. It did not take us long before Mitch had our first fish in the boat. A few drifts later and I was on the board too. We fished for about 3 more hours […]

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