Big Sable River
Fishing and stocking
Stocked April to May in 2026, heaviest in May: brown trout, coho salmon, and chinook salmon, 7 plants in all. The most-stocked water on the Mason County record for 2026.
Mason County · Michigan · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Coho salmon
Chinook salmon
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6 | Coho salmon | adult | 15,951 | completed |
| Apr 7 | Coho salmon | adult | 14,918 | completed |
| Apr 30 | Chinook salmon | yearling | 99,452 | completed |
| May 13 | Brown trout x 2 sections | adult | 1,900 | completed |
| May 13 | Brown trout x 2 sections | adult | 2,800 | completed |
When to fish Big Sable River
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:24 am-12:24 pm and 10:47 pm-12:47 am | 4:41-5:41 am and 4:55-5:55 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:10 am-1:10 pm | 5:53-6:53 am and 5:16-6:16 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Last stocked May 13
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 4 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
For the salmon and steelhead (coho salmon stocked 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Trolling flies and dodgers | for landlocked salmon in the lakes, early and late in the day |
| Medium spinning rod | 8 to 9 ft with 8 to 12 lb line; big water, big runs |
| Spoons and spinners | 1/4 to 1/2 oz metal; cast across and swing through the run |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Pere Marquette River | 5.9 mi | Apr 28 |
| Hamlin Lake | 6.0 mi | Jun 2 |
| Hackert (Crystal) Lake | 9.6 mi | Jun 2 |
| Big S Br Pere Marquette River | 17 mi | Apr 29 |
| Little Manistee River | 17 mi | May 6 |
Follow Mason County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule