BirdTrout

Muskegon River Watershed, Michigan

3,388 miles of mapped stream across 2,727 square miles of drainage in Clare, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Osceola, Roscommon counties, in 175 named streams. Michigan designates 1,227 of those miles as trout water, on 133 streams. The 4 mainstem gauges with a July record read between 66.0 and 74.3°F in July.

Open in BirdTrout
Map key
Public land — where the bank is open to walk and fish
USGS gauge — live water temperature
Water temperature — the colour of every stream in the basin

50°F and colder is cold, through cold-transitional and cool, to warm above 70°F — the same four bands the app paints. On this map the colour is MDNR's classification of the valley segment, not a measurement, except at the gauge dots, which read live. Grey is water MDNR has not typed.

The watershed in numbers

HUC8 04060102 in the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset. Every figure below adds up the river pages in this basin — same records, one basin at a time.

3,388 mi
of mapped stream
8,678 NHD reaches
2,727 sq mi
drainage area
1,745,061 acres
66.0–74.3°F
July water temperature at the gauges
4 mainstem gauges, mean 71.0°F
408,236 ac
public land
23.4% of the basin · 403 units

Cold, cool and warm water

MDNR's Valley Segment Ecological Classification, which types the valley segment rather than measuring the water. It covers 19% of this basin's stream miles (628.8 of 3,388); the rest is untyped and is drawn grey on the map above.

228.3 of the 628.8 typed miles in this basin — 36% — are cold or cold-transitional water. The dominant class is cool.

There is no elevation model behind this page, so it carries no elevation range. MDNR's gradient class is the field that answers the same question, and over the typed miles it reads: medium 245.3 mi, high 182.0 mi, low 118.8 mi, very low 82.7 mi.

What makes this watershed distinctive

2,727 square miles of drainage and 3,387.5 mapped stream miles make this the second-largest network on this map, and 133 of its 175 named streams are designated trout water across 1,227.2 miles — more designated mileage than any other basin here. The Muskegon River runs 231 miles, the longest single stream on this map, typed cool with Type 4 water on it. Four streams hold Blue Ribbon designations: Bear Creek, the Clam River, the Maple River and the Middle Branch River. Of the 628.8 miles MDNR has typed — 19% of the network — 382.7 are cool, 160.7 cold, 67.6 cold-transitional and 17.8 warm. The Little Muskegon, 44 miles, is the longest cold-transitional water. Public ground is 408,236 acres, 23.4% of the basin, mostly state land. Four mainstem gauges read between 66 and 74.3°F in July, a spread that follows the river downstream rather than describing the basin.

Every named stream in the basin

All 175 of them, longest first. 64 have a page of their own and are linked; the rest are in the app. Thermal class is MDNR's, over the reaches it has typed. "Now" is the live USGS reading where a gauge stands in that stream.

Stream Miles Class Now Designation
Muskegon River 231.0 Cool 61.3°F Type 1, Type 2, Type 4
Clam River Blue Ribbon 51.1 Cool — Type 2, Type 3
Little Muskegon River 44.0 Cold-transitional 57.0°F Type 1, Type 2, Type 4
Tamarack Creek 39.8 Cool — Type 1, Type 2, Type 4
Middle Branch River Blue Ribbon 36.7 Cool — Type 2, Type 3
Cedar Creek 26.9 Cool — Type 1, Type 2, Type 4
Butterfield Creek 25.3 Cool — Type 2
Mosquito Creek 24.3 Cool — Type 2, Type 3
West Branch Muskegon River 23.8 Cool — Type 2
Green Creek 22.0 Cool — —
Brooks Creek 21.9 Cool — Type 2
Dead Stream 18.9 Cool — Type 2
The Cut 18.6 untyped — Type 2
Bear Creek Blue Ribbon 18.4 Cool — Type 2
East Branch Little Muskegon River 17.2 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Handy Creek 15.5 Cool — Type 2
Bigelow Creek 14.7 Cold — Type 2
Backus Creek 14.4 Warm — —
Ryan Creek 14.3 Cool — Type 1, Type 2
Haymarsh Creek 13.5 Cool — Type 2
Hersey River 13.4 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Doc and Tom Creek 13.2 Cool — —
West Branch Clam River 12.9 Cool — Type 2
Mitchell Creek 12.2 Cool — Type 2, Type 4
Town Line Creek 11.9 Cool — Type 2
East Branch Hersey Creek 10.9 Cold — Type 2
Big Creek 10.7 Cold — Type 2
Denton Creek 10.6 Cool — —
Wolf Creek 10.0 Cool — Type 2
Dishwash Creek 10.0 Cool — Type 2
Thorn Creek 10.0 Cool — —
Big Stone Creek 9.9 untyped — Type 1, Type 2
Sand Creek 9.7 Cold — Type 2
Paris Creek 9.3 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
Little Cedar Creek 9.2 Cold — Type 1, Type 2, Type 4
Twin Creek 9.1 Cold — Type 2
Macks Creek 9.1 Cold — Type 2
Sherlock Creek 9.0 Cool — —
Whetstone Creek 8.9 Cold — Type 2
Middle Branch Creek 8.8 untyped — —
Betts Creek 8.3 Cold — Type 2
Johnson Creek 8.2 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Buckhorn Creek 8.1 Cold — Type 2
Minnie Creek 8.1 Cool — Type 2, Type 4
Dalziel Creek 7.8 Cold-transitional — Type 2, Type 4
Fourmile Creek 7.8 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
North Branch Creek 7.5 Cool — —
Whisky Creek 7.4 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Weatherby Drain 7.3 Cool — Type 2, Type 4
Cold Creek 7.1 Cool — Type 2
Winters Creek 7.1 Cool — Type 1
North Channel Muskegon River 7.0 untyped — Type 1, Type 2
Lincoln Creek 7.0 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Rice Creek 6.9 untyped — Type 2
Norway Creek 6.9 Cool — —
Hersey Creek 6.7 Cold — Type 2
Gilbert Creek 6.7 Cool — Type 2
Pogy Creek 6.6 Cool — Type 2
Sylvester Creek 6.3 Cool — Type 2, Type 4
Brandy Creek 6.3 Cool — Type 2
Little Bear Creek 6.2 untyped — Type 2
Blodgett Creek 6.2 Cool — Type 2
Cole Creek 6.2 Cool — Type 2
Cat Creek 6.2 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
Cranberry Creek 6.1 Cool — Type 2
Marks Creek 6.1 Cool — Type 2, Type 3
Kinney Creek 6.1 Cold — Type 2
Floodwood Creek 6.1 Cool — —
North Branch Denton Creek 6.0 untyped — —
Bennett Creek 5.9 untyped — Type 2
Townline Creek 5.9 Cool — Type 2
Crocker Creek 5.9 untyped — Type 2
Quigley Creek 5.8 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
Olson Creek 5.7 untyped — Type 2
Cold Spring Creek 5.7 Cold — Type 2
Taylor Creek 5.5 Cold-transitional — Type 2, Type 3
Halford Creek 5.5 Cool — —
Franz Creek 5.4 Cold — Type 2
Ryerson Creek 5.3 Cool — —
Sandy Run 5.3 Cool — —
Penoyer Creek 5.2 untyped — Type 2
West Branch Middle Branch River 5.2 untyped — Type 2
Knappen Creek 5.2 Warm — —
Dye Creek 5.1 Cold-transitional — Type 2
South Mitchell Creek 5.0 Cold — Type 2
Shinglebolt Creek 5.0 Cold — Type 2
Wheeler Drain 4.8 untyped — Type 2
Graham Creek 4.7 untyped — Type 2
Prestle Creek 4.7 untyped — —
Ladner Creek 4.6 Cold — Type 2
Sanders Creek 4.6 Cold — Type 2
Maple River Blue Ribbon 4.4 Warm — Type 2
Addis Creek 4.4 Cool — Type 2
Laverne Creek 4.3 Cold — —
Indian Creek 4.3 untyped — —
Holmes Drain 4.0 untyped — Type 2
South Branch Town Line Creek 3.9 Cool — Type 2
Higginson Creek 3.9 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
Butler Creek 3.9 untyped — Type 2
Lynn Drain 3.9 untyped — Type 2
Jewitt Creek 3.9 Cold — Type 2
Byers Creek 3.7 untyped — Type 2, Type 4
Giss-I-Was Creek 3.7 Cold — Type 2
Bull Kill Creek 3.7 untyped — Type 2
Hemlock Creek 3.7 untyped — —
West Branch Little Muskegon River 3.6 Cool — Type 2
East Schrader Creek 3.6 Cool — Type 2
Martin Drain 3.6 Cold — Type 2
Spring Brook 3.6 Warm — —
Beebe Creek 3.5 untyped — Type 2
Chippewa Creek 3.4 Cold — Type 2
Thumser Creek 3.4 Cold — —
Shingle Creek 3.4 Cool — —
Little Norway Creek 3.3 untyped — —
Ribe Drain 3.3 untyped — —
Hewitt Creek 3.2 untyped — Type 2
Pickerel Lake Drain 3.2 untyped — Type 2
Hodgers Creek 3.2 untyped — —
Ruddiman Creek 3.2 Cool — —
Hoffmyer Drain 3.2 Cold — —
Deer Farm Creek 3.1 Warm — —
Greenwood Creek 3.0 untyped — Type 2, Type 4
Stick Creek 3.0 Cold-transitional — Type 2, Type 3
Markle Drain 3.0 Cool — Type 2
Brown Creek 3.0 untyped — —
Williams Creek 2.9 untyped — Type 2
Strang and Bournstead Drain 2.9 untyped — Type 2
Cow Creek 2.8 Cool — Type 2
Kissinger Creek 2.7 untyped — Type 2
Nellsville Ditch 2.7 untyped — —
Spring Creek 2.6 untyped — Type 2
Willow Run 2.6 untyped — Type 2
East Branch Wolf Creek 2.6 Cold-transitional — Type 2
Indian Creek Drain 2.6 untyped — Type 2
Rosy Run 2.5 Cold — Type 2
Burt Creek 2.5 untyped — Type 2
Sweeter Creek 2.4 Cold — Type 2
Ludke Drain 2.4 Cold — Type 2
Hicks Creek 2.3 untyped — Type 2
Dunning Drain 2.3 untyped — Type 2
Little Henna Creek 2.2 untyped — Type 2
Ford Creek 2.2 Cold — Type 1
Vanderwater Drain 2.2 untyped — Type 2
Furman Drain 2.2 untyped — —
Moses Drain 2.1 untyped — Type 2
Siems Drain 2.1 untyped — Type 2
Korlaar Drain 2.1 untyped — Type 2
Grey Creek 2.1 Cool — —
Knuth Creek 2.0 untyped — Type 2
Hoffmyer Creek 2.0 Cold — Type 2
Gunnerson Creek 2.0 untyped — —
Appleby Creek 1.9 Cold — Type 2, Type 3
Sandberg Creek 1.7 untyped — Type 2
Polick Creek 1.7 untyped — Type 1, Type 2
Hall Drain 1.6 untyped — Type 2
John Beem Drain 1.6 untyped — Type 2
Nelson Drain 1.6 Cool — Type 2
Brandstron Drain 1.6 untyped — —
Dry Run 1.5 untyped — Type 2
Grindstone Creek 1.5 Cold — Type 2
Linn Creek 1.4 untyped — —
Hoffman Drain 1.4 untyped — —
Folsom Drain 1.4 untyped — —
Christenson Drain 1.3 untyped — —
West Branch Cedar Creek 1.2 untyped — Type 2
Posted Creek 1.2 untyped — Type 2
Lawrence Creek 1.2 untyped — Type 2
Woolley Ditch 1.2 Cool — —
Palmer Creek 1.1 Cold — Type 2, Type 4
Thompson Creek 1.1 untyped — Type 2
Dobie Drain 1.1 untyped — —
Hansen Drain 1.0 untyped — —
Blanchard Drain 0.8 untyped — Type 2
Mud Creek 0.8 Cold — —
Pup Creek 0.6 untyped — Type 2

Public land in the watershed

408,236 acres in 403 units, which is 23.4% of the 1,745,061 acres the basin covers. Private inholdings carried in the same source file are excluded, here and on the map.

Managing agency Acres Share Units
Michigan DNR 325,507 80% 93
US Forest Service 41,349 10% 4
Michigan DNR - Wildlife Division 18,701 5% 3
Local Government land 5,240 1% 126
Consumers Energey Company 4,410 1% 24
City and township land 3,281 1% 54
Other State Land 2,340 1% 4
US Fish & Wildlife Service 1,571 0% 2

The biggest named blocks of it, each with its own page — the streams on that ground, what is open to hunt on it, and where the access sites are.

Species present

Recorded by MDNR at 1 survey station in this basin, or in its stocking record. The temperature ranges are our own species table and are the same numbers the app's picker uses.

Species Best water Tolerates Evidence
Brook trout
Salvelinus fontinalis
 50–60°F 42–65°F surveyed stocked
Brown trout
Salmo trutta
 55–63°F 45–70°F surveyed stocked
Rainbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
 55–64°F 44–70°F surveyed stocked
Chinook salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
 50–58°F 42–68°F surveyed stocked
Coho salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
 48–56°F 40–65°F stocked
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
 70–80°F 55–88°F stocked
Northern pike
Esox lucius
 60–70°F 40–78°F stocked
Smallmouth bass
Micropterus dolomieu
 67–75°F 55–85°F stocked
Walleye
Sander vitreus
 62–72°F 50–80°F stocked
Black crappie — — stocked
Lake trout — — stocked
Muskellunge — — stocked
Tiger muskellunge — — stocked
Yellow Perch — — stocked

Best time to fish

The hatch calendar for northern lower Michigan, which is the region this basin's centre falls in — the same regions the app's hatch panel uses. It is a regional record, not a survey of this watershed: nobody has counted insects basin by basin. Year-round records (midges, scuds, sculpins) are left out; they are true every month and they are not what a calendar is for.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

53 insects are recorded from northern lower Michigan. Each links to its own page, with the flies that imitate it.

Neighbouring watersheds

The subbasins that share a boundary with this one and carry coldwater streams.

Plan a weekend around it

The weekend this basin adds up to — the biggest water in it, what is hatching when, the public land in range and a three-day plan.