Escanaba River
Coho salmon and brown trout water; 3 stockings on the 2026 record.
Delta County · Michigan · see it on the national map
Water right now
1.29
ft
gage height
USGS gauge 04059034
(ESCANABA RIVER NEAR WELLS, MI) · 2026-08-28 16:30
3
stockings 2026
May 27
last stocked
769,810
fish reported
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Coho salmon
Brown trout
Walleye
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 6 | Coho salmon | adult | 18,225 | completed |
| May 14 | Brown trout | adult | 27,000 | completed |
| May 27 | Walleye | fry | 724,585 | completed |
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt Camp | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| Dam 3 Impoundment | boat ramp | no fee · accessible facilities |
Access points from the Michigan DNR boating access inventory. Ramps, fees, and hours change; check before towing a boat a long way.
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 salmon and steelhead (coho salmon stocked 1 time here in 2026, moving water)
| Beads and egg imitations | drifted under a float where bait rules allow |
| 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 |
For the trout (brown trout stocked 1 time here in 2026, moving water)
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
| 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ford River | 8.3 mi | May 11 |
| Days River | 8.9 mi | May 14 |
| Haymeadow Creek | 16 mi | May 19 |
| Sturgeon River | 19 mi | May 6 |
| East Branch Whitefish River | 21 mi | May 19 |
Records from Michigan DNR
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Michigan fishing
regulations.