Thunder Bay River
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, and coho salmon water; 6 stockings on the 2026 record, spread April to May, heaviest in May. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live.
Alpena 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
Atlantic salmon
Rainbow trout
Coho salmon
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked Oct 14.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23 | Coho salmon | adult | 31,464 | completed |
| May 12 | Rainbow trout | adult | 9,994 | completed |
| May 12 | Rainbow trout | adult | 10,000 | completed |
| May 12 | Atlantic salmon | adult | 13,330 | completed |
| May 12 | Atlantic salmon | adult | 13,333 | completed |
| May 13 | Atlantic salmon | adult | 10,480 | completed |
When to fish Thunder Bay River
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:12 am-12:12 pm and 10:34 pm-12:34 am | 4:28-5:28 am and 4:42-5:42 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:57 am-12:57 pm | 5:41-6:41 am and 5:02-6:02 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
- Flow 143% of the seasonal median
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Michigan fishing forecast
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Riverfront Park | boat ramp | 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 salmon and steelhead (atlantic salmon stocked 3 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 |
For the trout (rainbow trout stocked 2 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hubbard Lake | 19 mi | Sep 1 |
| Avalon Lake | 26 mi | Apr 22 |
| Long Lake | 27 mi | Jun 9 |
| Swan River | 27 mi | May 27 |
| Churchill Lake | 36 mi | May 8 |
Follow Michigan stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule