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Betsie River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Betsie in Benzie County: a Lake Michigan tributary with a wild-run Chinook fishery, managed by the DNR around the Homestead Dam lamprey barrier.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~55 F est.
Air / High
62 / 63 F
Wind
SW 6 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Tap a marker for today's tip
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Betsie River feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings clear skies, wind SW around 6 mph, steady pressure near 1026 hPa and a high of 63. Water sits around 55 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 10:19 AM-12:19 PM and 10:49 PM-12:49 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Brown troutExcellent

Close to Vermont's 53-66Β°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

Brook troutExcellent

The best band: Vermont's ideal is 55-60Β°F. Fish feed in daylight, since Michigan DNR notes they are more diurnal than other trout, and in ponds and lakes Maine IFW says spring and fall bring them near shore and the surface.

Chinook salmonSlow

Runs enter the rivers: drift roe or sand shrimp through travel lanes, plunk a wrapped plug, or float eggs in eddies and tidewater.

Tomorrow: Similar at 65 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Michigan requires a fishing licence from age 17, from $26.00 for residents. What a Michigan licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing brown trout here? Check the size and bag limits with DNR before you keep anything. The season dates for Michigan, read off the agency, are on the Michigan seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp62 F
High / Low63 / 40 F
WindSW 6-8 mph
Pressure1025.6 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain1% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset08:10 / 18:46
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~55 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Betsie River this week

The best day on Betsie River this week looks like Saturday Oct 24, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Saturday, Oct 24 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
10:19 AM-12:19 PM and 10:49 PM-12:49 AM
Minor period
4:42 AM-5:42 AM
Sun
08:10 to 18:46
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 6 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Betsie River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Spring along Great Lakes shorelines; low light and overcast days in rivers; fall spawning runs

A European trout first stocked in the US in 1883 and now fished in rivers and lakes nationwide; it tolerates warmer water than other trout, and mature stream fish feed mostly at night. Close to Vermont's 53-66Β°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

Chinook salmon illustration

Chinook salmon

Seasons follow the runs: spring, summer and fall runs on the West Coast, and late summer into fall in Great Lakes rivers

The largest Pacific salmon, caught by trolling and mooching at sea and by drifting and plunking in rivers as adults return to spawn; also stocked in the Great Lakes. Runs enter the rivers: drift roe or sand shrimp through travel lanes, plunk a wrapped plug, or float eggs in eddies and tidewater.

Brook trout illustration

Brook trout

Spring and fall in ponds and lakes, when fish come shallow; summer in the coldest headwater streams

The brook trout is a char native to eastern North America, a fish of cold, clean streams and ponds, and the state fish of Michigan. The best band: Vermont's ideal is 55-60Β°F. Fish feed in daylight, since Michigan DNR notes they are more diurnal than other trout, and in ponds and lakes Maine IFW says spring and fall bring them near shore and the surface.

When to come: the Betsie River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown trout
Chinook salmon
Brook trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 55 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Betsie River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 62 F, wind to 7 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 64 F, wind to 12 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 63 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Michigan requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Michigan fishing license for anglers 17 and older. 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027): Kurick Rd. to M-22 is Type 4, open all year, 5 trout and salmon with no more than 1 rainbow trout; closures within 100 ft (Nov 16–Jul 31) and 300 ft (Aug 1–Nov 15) of the Homestead Dam lamprey barrier; special artificial lure rules Aug 1–Nov 15 on all waters of the Betsie. Betsie Lake (M-22 to Lake Michigan) is Type F.

Access

Homestead Dam Betsie River Access Site, 2388 Dam Road, Benzonia (from US-31 take Love Road east about 1 mile, then Dam Road south): carry-down launch for car-top boats, kayaks and canoes, and the required portage around the dam. The DNR bars use or occupancy of the dam site, the US-31 parking lot and the Grace Road parking lot from 1 to 4 a.m.

About this water

The Betsie River in Benzie County, Michigan, a Lake Michigan tributary that enters Lake Michigan through Betsie Lake.

Fishing Betsie River: the full guide

Homestead Dam and the run below it

The Homestead Dam on the Betsie River in Benzonia Township was built for hydroelectric power and decommissioned in the late 1960s, according to the Michigan DNR. Its superstructure was removed and the spillway was rebuilt in 1979 to allow limited fish passage, and the site now holds a lamprey barrier and fish passage facility. In a September 2020 release the DNR described the Betsie's salmon fishing as immensely popular, drawing thousands of anglers a year, and said its rules protect the river's population of wild-run Chinook salmon.

Closures and lure rules at the dam

The 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations close the water within 100 feet of the lamprey barrier and fish passage facility from November 16 to July 31, and within 300 feet from August 1 to November 15. Special artificial lure regulations apply to all waters of the Betsie from August 1 to November 15. The DNR adopted the 300-foot fall closure in 2020 after hundreds of complaints at the site, including illegal snagging, over-limit catches and illegal fires.

Trout and salmon rules downstream

From Kurick Road downstream to M-22 the Betsie is a Type 4 stream with a year-round extension: it is open to fishing all year, the daily possession limit is 5 trout and salmon with no more than 3 fish of 15 inches or more, and no more than one may be a rainbow trout (steelhead). Brown trout, brook trout and Atlantic salmon may be kept only from the last Saturday in April to September 30. Below M-22 the river becomes Betsie Lake, a drowned river mouth (Type F) where 5 trout and salmon may be kept, no more than 3 of one species except up to 5 Coho or Chinook, all at least 10 inches, all year.

Common questions

Can I fish right below Homestead Dam?

Not within 100 feet of the lamprey barrier from November 16 to July 31, or within 300 feet from August 1 to November 15. Outside those zones the river is open under its Type 4 rules.

Is the lower Betsie open in winter?

Yes. From Kurick Road to M-22 the river is open all year, and rainbow trout and salmon may be kept all year, with no more than one rainbow trout a day. Brown and brook trout may be kept only from the last Saturday in April to September 30.

Can I launch a boat at Homestead Dam?

Only a car-top boat, kayak or canoe. The DNR site has a carry-down launch and no improved ramp.

Is fishing good at Betsie River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Platte River8 miBig Manistee River26 miGrand Traverse Bay38 miHamlin Lake39 miLittle Manistee River44 miPere Marquette River47 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 44.6233, -86.2253 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.