BirdTroutOpen the map Is the Little Manistee River good for brook trout?
Yes, with a caveat. Michigan stocks brook trout into the Little Manistee River, and the river's measured July mean of 66.1 °F runs above the 53–61 °F this fish prefers but below the 68 °F it stops feeding at — so the cold stretches carry it and the warm ones are marginal in high summer. Fish of 6–11 inches are what Michigan reports as typical. The river is designated Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4 trout water, which is what sets the size and creel limits.
What the state's records say
- Species
- Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
- In Michigan
- native
- Record here
- stocked — no survey record on this water
- Holds in
- 53–61 °F, stops feeding above 68 °F
- Typical
- 6–11 inches
- Spawns
- October and November, on gravel in groundwater-fed shallows, often at the mouths of seeps rather than in the main current.
Native throughout, and the fish of the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower's spring creeks. Lake Superior's coasters are the same species run to the lake.
Is the water cold enough
Measured, not modelled: 1 gauged stretch of this river average 66.1 °F in July , against the 53–61 °F this fish holds in and the 68 °F it stops feeding at.
| Gauge | Now | July mean |
|---|---|---|
| L Manistee R at Nine Mile Bridge Nr Freesoil | 56.1 °F | 66.1 °F |
What you may keep
| Reach type | Miles | Minimum | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 Designated | 22.9 | 7″ | Last Saturday in April–September 30th |
| Type 4 Designated | 31.4 | 7″ | January 1st–December 31st |
From Michigan's own regulation tables, per designated type, and the current digest is the authority rather than this page. Full regulations for this river →
What to fish for it
- Fish Eggs — October–January and April, #10–16
- Little Black Stonefly — January–April, #16–18
- Little Brown Stonefly — February–April, #12–16
- Blue-Winged Olive — March–May and September–November, #16–22
- Blackfly — April–June, #18–22
- Blue Quill — April–May, #16–18
- Cranefly — April–June and September–October, #6–10
- Grannom — April–May, #14–16
The insects recorded from this river's region, earliest first. The full calendar →
More about Little Manistee River
Little Manistee River — live water temperature, regulations and access