South Branch Paw Paw River
Brown trout water; 2 stockings on the 2026 record.
Van Buren County · Michigan · see it on the national map
Water right now
3.94
ft
gage height
USGS gauge 04102148
(SOUTH BRANCH PAW PAW RIVER NEAR PAW PAW, MI) · 2026-08-28 16:30
2
stockings 2026
Apr 27
last stocked
2,600
fish reported
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27 | Brown trout | adult | 1,400 | completed |
| Apr 27 | Brown trout | adult | 1,200 | completed |
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 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Drifted bait | single salmon egg or half a crawler under light split shot, rolled along the bottom |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| East Br Paw Paw River | 3.6 mi | Apr 27 |
| Brush Creek | 6.9 mi | Apr 27 |
| Sand Creek | 10 mi | May 20 |
| Shafer Lake | 10 mi | Apr 1 |
| Pine Creek | 14 mi | Apr 27 |
Records from Michigan DNR
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Michigan fishing
regulations.