Manistee River
Fishing and stocking
Brown trout, rainbow trout, and 2 other species water, stocked 22 times in 2026, monthly March through May, heaviest in May; 383,891 fish reported. The most-stocked water on the Manistee County record for 2026.
Manistee 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
Rainbow trout
Coho salmon
Lake trout
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | Brown trout | adult | 23,197 | completed |
| Mar 26 | Brown trout | adult | 23,200 | completed |
| Mar 26 | Brown trout | adult | 9,997 | completed |
| Apr 6 | Brown trout x 3 sections | adult | 14,100 | completed |
| Apr 7 | Coho salmon | adult | 62,600 | completed |
| Apr 7 | Brown trout | adult | 14,100 | completed |
| Apr 8 | Lake trout | adult | 34,988 | completed |
| Apr 28 | Rainbow trout | adult | 26,490 | completed |
| Apr 29 | Rainbow trout | adult | 34,838 | completed |
| May 1 | Rainbow trout | adult | 19,064 | completed |
| May 4 | Rainbow trout | adult | 13,333 | completed |
| May 4 | Rainbow trout | adult | 13,327 | completed |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | adult | 13,331 | completed |
| May 12 | Brown trout | adult | 10,128 | completed |
| May 12 | Brown trout | adult | 7,073 | completed |
| May 12 | Rainbow trout | adult | 2,630 | completed |
| May 12 | Brown trout | adult | 10,126 | completed |
| May 13 | Rainbow trout x 3 sections | adult | 7,723 | completed |
When to fish Manistee River
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:23 am-12:23 pm and 10:46 pm-12:46 am | 4:40-5:40 am and 4:54-5:54 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:09 am-1:09 pm | 5:52-6:52 am and 5:15-6:15 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
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge Street | boat ramp | |
| Tippy Dam State Recreation Area Lower | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required · accessible facilities |
| First Street | carry-in launch | Recreation Passport required · 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 trout (brown trout stocked 10 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
| Drifted bait | single salmon egg or half a crawler under light split shot, rolled along the bottom |
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Little Manistee River | 4.2 mi | May 6 |
| Portage Lake | 9.6 mi | Jun 2 |
| Hamlin Lake | 13 mi | Jun 2 |
| Bear Lake | 16 mi | Jun 30 |
| Big Sable River | 17 mi | May 13 |
Follow Manistee County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule