BirdTroutOpen the map When to fish Sisson-Lilley Creek, Michigan
June, July and September — those are the months with the most insects recorded from the Upper Peninsula, 22 in June, 19 in July and 15 in September. The trout season on Sisson-Lilley Creek runs Last Saturday in April–September 30th. MDNR classes most of its typed water as cold-transitional, and no gauge on it reports temperature, so the calendar below is the hatch record rather than a thermometer.
What's likely in September
22 insects peak in September in the Upper Peninsula. By month, not week.
Start with these — the patterns that match most of what is out now:
Mayflies
Blue-Winged Olive #16–22, Isonychia / Slate Drake #10–14, Little Yellow May #16–18, Mahogany Dun #16–18
Tie onPheasant Tail Nymph nymph · Parachute Adams dry · RS2 emerger
Caddis
October Caddis #8–10, White Miller #14–18, Green Rock Worm / Green Weenie #10–14
Tie onElk Hair Caddis dry · Prince Nymph nymph · Stimulator dry
Terrestrials
Cinnamon Flying Ant #16–20, Black Ant #14–20, Grasshopper #8–12, Leafhopper #18–22, Caterpillar #8–14
Tie onFoam Beetle terrestrial · Black Foam Ant terrestrial · Parachute Ant terrestrial
Crayfish, scuds and baitfish
Crayfish #4–8, Minnows + Dace #2–10, Sculpin #2–8
Tie onZonker streamer · Woolly Bugger (Black) streamer · Woolly Bugger (Brown) streamer
Worms, leeches and the rest
Water Boatman #14–18, Cranefly #6–10, Aquatic Worm #10–16, Damselfly #10–14, Dragonfly #4–10, and 1 more
Tie onWoolly Bugger (Olive) streamer · Walt's Worm nymph · Woolly Bugger (Brown) streamer
The hatch calendar
Insects peaking each month. Midges, scuds and sculpins are left out: they peak every month, so counting them would flatten the bars.
Every insect recorded here, by month (42)
| Insect | Months | Hook | Active at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Eggs | October–January and April | #10–16 | 33–60 °F |
| Little Black Stonefly | January–April | #16–18 | 34–46 °F |
| Little Brown Stonefly | February–April | #12–16 | 38–50 °F |
| Blue-Winged Olive | March–May and September–November | #16–22 | 38–58 °F |
| Blackfly | April–June | #18–22 | 40–65 °F |
| Cranefly | April–June and September–October | #6–10 | 40–65 °F |
| Grannom | April–May | #14–16 | 48–58 °F |
| Green Rock Worm / Green Weenie | April–June and September–October | #10–14 | 45–68 °F |
| Hendrickson | April–May | #12–14 | 45–58 °F |
| Alderfly | May–June | #10–14 | 52–66 °F |
| Caterpillar | May–September | #8–14 | 55–75 °F |
| Crayfish | May–October | #4–8 | 55–78 °F |
| Giant Black Stonefly (Salmonfly) | May–June | #4–6 | 50–62 °F |
| Green Sedge | May–August | #12–16 | 48–64 °F |
| Light Cahill | May–July | #12–16 | 55–68 °F |
| Spotted / Tan Caddis | May–August | #14–18 | 55–70 °F |
| Sulphur | May–July | #14–18 | 52–68 °F |
| Black Ant | June–September | #14–20 | 55–80 °F |
| Brown Drake | June | #10–12 | 55–65 °F |
| Golden Stonefly | June–July | #6–10 | 55–68 °F |
| Hex | June–July | #6–8 | 60–72 °F |
| Isonychia / Slate Drake | June–September | #10–14 | 55–70 °F |
| June Bug / Beetle | June–July | #10–14 | 58–75 °F |
| Leafhopper | June–September | #18–22 | 58–75 °F |
| Little Sister Caddis | June–August | #16–20 | 60–74 °F |
| Little Yellow May | June–September | #16–18 | 58–70 °F |
| Little Yellow Sally | June–August | #14–16 | 55–68 °F |
| Pale Morning Dun | June–July | #14–18 | 50–65 °F |
| Annual Cicada | July–August | #6–10 | 60–78 °F |
| Grasshopper | July–September | #8–12 | 60–80 °F |
| White Miller | July–September | #14–18 | 60–74 °F |
| Cinnamon Flying Ant | August–September | #16–20 | 58–78 °F |
| Mahogany Dun | September–October | #16–18 | 45–58 °F |
| October Caddis | September–October | #8–10 | 45–58 °F |
| Water Boatman | September–November | #14–18 | 45–65 °F |
| Aquatic Worm | all year | #10–16 | 35–70 °F |
| Damselfly | all year | #10–14 | 55–78 °F |
| Dragonfly | all year | #4–10 | 55–78 °F |
| Leech | all year | #2–10 | 35–75 °F |
| Midge | all year | #18–24 | 33–75 °F |
| Minnows + Dace | all year | #2–10 | 35–78 °F |
| Sculpin | all year | #2–8 | 33–72 °F |
The season
- Last Saturday in April–September 30th
As published for the designated types this river carries. Regulations by reach →
Water temperature through the year
No gauge on this river reports water temperature. MDNR classes its typed water as Cold-transitional, which is a classification and not a measurement.
More about Sisson-Lilley Creek
Sisson-Lilley Creek — live water temperature, regulations and access
- How to get to Sisson-Lilley Creek, Michigan
- Sisson-Lilley Creek fishing report
- Sisson-Lilley Creek fishing regulations