BirdTroutOpen the map When to fish West Branch Cedar Creek, Michigan
June, July and August — those are the months with the most insects recorded from southern lower Michigan, 19 in June, 21 in July and 18 in August. The trout season on West Branch Cedar Creek runs Last Saturday in April–September 30th.
What's likely in September
24 insects peak in September in southern lower Michigan. By month, not week.
Start with these — the patterns that match most of what is out now:
Mayflies
Blue-Winged Olive #16–22, White Fly #12–14, Isonychia / Slate Drake #10–14, Trico #20–24
Tie onParachute Adams dry · Zebra Midge nymph · Hare's Ear Nymph nymph
Caddis
White Miller #14–18
Tie onElk Hair Caddis dry · LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa emerger · White Wulff dry
Terrestrials
Cinnamon Flying Ant #16–20, Cricket #10–14, Black Ant #14–20, Grasshopper #8–12, Leafhopper #18–22, and 1 more
Tie onFoam Beetle terrestrial · Black Foam Ant terrestrial · Parachute Ant terrestrial
Crayfish, scuds and baitfish
Crayfish #4–8, Minnows + Dace #2–10, Scud #12–18, Sculpin #2–8, Sowbug #14–18
Tie onZonker streamer · Hare's Ear Nymph nymph · Walt's Worm nymph
Worms, leeches and the rest
Water Boatman #14–18, Cranefly #6–10, Aquatic Worm #10–16, Damselfly #10–14, Dragonfly #4–10, and 2 more
Tie onWoolly Bugger (Olive) streamer · Walt's Worm nymph · Woolly Bugger (Black) 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 (47)
| 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 |
| Blue Quill | April–May | #16–18 | 44–56 °F |
| Cranefly | April–June and September–October | #6–10 | 40–65 °F |
| Grannom | April–May | #14–16 | 48–58 °F |
| Hendrickson | April–May | #12–14 | 45–58 °F |
| Little Black Caddis | April–May | #16–20 | 46–58 °F |
| Caterpillar | May–September | #8–14 | 55–75 °F |
| Crayfish | May–October | #4–8 | 55–78 °F |
| Light Cahill | May–July | #12–16 | 55–68 °F |
| Little Sulphur | May–July | #16–20 | 50–62 °F |
| March Brown | May–June | #10–12 | 50–62 °F |
| Periodical Cicada | May–June | #4–8 | 55–78 °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 |
| Gray Drake | June–July | #10–12 | 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 Sally | June–August | #14–16 | 55–68 °F |
| Yellow Drake | June–August | #10–12 | 58–70 °F |
| Annual Cicada | July–August | #6–10 | 60–78 °F |
| Cream Cahill | July–August | #14–16 | 62–74 °F |
| Grasshopper | July–September | #8–12 | 60–80 °F |
| Japanese Beetle | July–August | #12–16 | 60–80 °F |
| Trico | July–September | #20–24 | 58–72 °F |
| White Miller | July–September | #14–18 | 60–74 °F |
| Cinnamon Flying Ant | August–September | #16–20 | 58–78 °F |
| Cricket | August–October | #10–14 | 55–75 °F |
| White Fly | August–September | #12–14 | 62–74 °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 |
| Hellgrammite | all year | #2–8 | 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 |
| Scud | all year | #12–18 | 33–70 °F |
| Sculpin | all year | #2–8 | 33–72 °F |
| Sowbug | all year | #14–18 | 33–70 °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 unrecorded, which is a classification and not a measurement.
More about West Branch Cedar Creek
West Branch Cedar Creek — live water temperature, regulations and access
- How to get to West Branch Cedar Creek, Michigan
- West Branch Cedar Creek fishing report
- West Branch Cedar Creek fishing regulations