BirdTroutOpen the map Is the Little Manistee River good for rainbow trout?
Yes, with a caveat. Michigan's own survey records list rainbow trout in the Little Manistee River, and stocks it as well, and the river's measured July mean of 66.1 °F runs above the 55–65 °F this fish prefers but below the 75 °F it stops feeding at — so the cold stretches carry it and the warm ones are marginal in high summer. Fish of 8–16 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
- Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- In Michigan
- introduced
- Record here
- surveyed present, and stocked
- Holds in
- 55–65 °F, stops feeding above 75 °F
- Typical
- 8–16 inches
- Spawns
- Spring — March into May — on gravel, which is what separates it from the two autumn spawners above.
Introduced from Pacific-slope stock in the 1880s. The lake-run form — steelhead — is the same species, and the rivers that hold resident rainbows are largely the rivers steelhead run.
Is the water cold enough
Measured, not modelled: 1 gauged stretch of this river average 66.1 °F in July , against the 55–65 °F this fish holds in and the 75 °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 | 10″ | Last Saturday in April–September 30th |
| Type 4 Designated | 31.4 | 10″ | 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