BirdTrout
Open the map
Manistee River Woodpecker Creek, Michigan
Walk-in access on the Manistee River — The manistee river in this area is designated a type 4 trout stream. Please refer to the inland trout and salmon stream regulations in the current michigan fishing guide.
Open in BirdTrout44.36615, -85.82974 · Manistee County. Directions → Tap the map to open this water in the live app.
What is here
- Type
- Walk-in access
- Facilities
- The manistee river in this area is designated a type 4 trout stream. Please refer to the inland trout and salmon stream regulations in the current michigan fishing guide.
- Fee
- No fee
- Listed for
- Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
- Listed by
- Michigan DNR Trout Trail site
From M-115 just west of Mesick, turn southeast onto Hodenpyl Dam Road. Proceed 4.5 miles, then turn left (south) onto Hodenpyl Dam Road. Proceed 0.5 miles, then turn right (west) onto River Road. Proceed 0.5 miles to the Woodpecker Creek access site. To access the river at Hodenpyl Dam, go straight on Hodenpyl Dam Road instead of turning on River Road. Hodenpyl Dam Road will dead end at the dam.
The Manistee River reach from Hodenpyl Dam to Coates Hwy. is approximately 11 miles in length. It is very wild, as it flows primarily through the Manistee National Forest. There are only a couple of structures along this reach. The Manistee River Trail (administered by the US Forest Service) runs along the east bank of the river, and provides campsites for backpackers or canoeists. River Road parallels the river in close proximity for the first 1.5 miles below Hodenpyl Dam, providing hike-in access at several spots. Just upstream from the Woodpecker Creek access site is a footbridge that allows anglers to cross to the east side and access the Manistee River Trail. This river reach consists of gravel riffles punctuated by large, deep holes that sometimes exceed 15 feet in depth. The river can be waded and fished from the bank, although crossing it is out of the question. Float-fishing the reach in canoes, kayaks, or drift boat is a very popular way to fish this reach. Popular techniques include flyfishing, drift fishing with bait, or casting lures like spinners or plugs.
The water you can reach
- Manistee River 0.03 mi · Cold transitional large river (MDNR VSEC) · typed Cold-transitional
Walk-in access. Small enough water to wade and cross in most conditions.
What the river reads now
| Gauge | Distance | Water temp |
|---|---|---|
| Manistee River near Mesick | 0.5 mi | 62.4 °F |
| Manistee River near Sherman | 8.1 mi | 54.1 °F |
| Manistee River near Wellston | 9.2 mi | 62.8 °F |
Live from USGS. A gauge miles away is a gauge miles away — the distance column is there so you can discount it.
The river this is on
Fly shops nearby
- Andy's Tackle Box 9.9 mi · Brethren
- Schmidt Outfitters 12.3 mi · Wellston
- Hawkins Outfitters 29.1 mi · Traverse City
- The Northern Angler 29.2 mi · Traverse City · +1-231-933-4730