Muskegon River
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Rainbow trout, brown trout, and coho salmon water; 15 stockings on the 2026 record, spread April to May, heaviest in May. The most-stocked water on the Newaygo County record for 2026. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live.
Newaygo 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
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Coho salmon
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6 | Coho salmon | adult | 42,497 | completed |
| Apr 14 | Rainbow trout | adult | 36,119 | completed |
| May 1 | Rainbow trout | adult | 21,986 | completed |
| May 4 | Brown trout x 2 sections | adult | 9,400 | completed |
| May 5 | Rainbow trout | adult | 10,300 | completed |
| May 5 | Brown trout | adult | 18,800 | completed |
| May 5 | Brown trout | adult | 9,400 | completed |
| May 5 | Rainbow trout | adult | 20,700 | completed |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | adult | 20,700 | completed |
| May 6 | Brown trout | adult | 9,400 | completed |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | adult | 20,695 | completed |
| May 7 | Rainbow trout | adult | 8,708 | completed |
| May 18 | Rainbow trout | adult | 6,489 | completed |
| May 19 | Brown trout | adult | 7,740 | completed |
When to fish Muskegon 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 | 5:51-6:51 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 19
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson Flats | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| Bridgeton River Launch Park | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| High Rollway Thornapple | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| Maple Island | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| New Bridge | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required |
| Pine Street | boat ramp | Recreation Passport required · accessible facilities |
| Henning Park | carry-in launch | Recreation Passport required |
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 8 times here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
For the salmon and steelhead (coho salmon stocked 1 time here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Beads and egg imitations | drifted under a float where bait rules allow |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mona Lake | 5.7 mi | Jun 9 |
| White Lake | 11 mi | Jun 9 |
| Grand River (Ottawa County) | 14 mi | Apr 22 |
| Grand River | 14 mi | Apr 29 |
| Grand River (Portland) | 14 mi | Apr 28 |
Follow Newaygo County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule