Manistique River
Rainbow trout and chinook salmon water; 7 stockings on the 2026 record.
Schoolcraft County · Michigan · see it on the national map
Water right now
2.65
ft
gage height
USGS gauge 04056500
(MANISTIQUE RIVER NEAR MANISTIQUE, MI) · 2026-08-28 16:45
7
stockings 2026
May 13
last stocked
188,463
fish reported
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Rainbow trout
Chinook salmon
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6 | Rainbow trout x 2 sections | adult | 10,000 | completed |
| Apr 16 | Rainbow trout | adult | 3,500 | completed |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | adult | 6,013 | completed |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | adult | 8,682 | completed |
| May 13 | Chinook salmon | yearling | 139,643 | completed |
| May 13 | Chinook salmon | yearling | 10,625 | completed |
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mead Creek State Forest Campground | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| Merwin Creek State Forest Campground | boat ramp | |
| Ten Curves | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required · accessible facilities |
| Manistique River | 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 (rainbow trout stocked 5 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 (chinook salmon stocked 2 times 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Lake | 5.0 mi | Jul 7 |
| Banana Lake | 14 mi | May 11 |
| Camp Seven Lake | 17 mi | Jun 22 |
| Gooseneck Lake | 17 mi | Jun 22 |
| Norway Lake | 18 mi | May 5 |
Records from Michigan DNR
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Michigan fishing
regulations.