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Big Manistee River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Michigan’s salmon highway: the Big Manistee runs chinook, steelhead and browns below Tippy Dam.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
1,160 cfs
Air / High
76 / 76 F
Wind
SSE 4 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04124000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 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.

Big Manistee River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 1,160 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSE around 4 mph, steady pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 76. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutGood

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadSlow

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Similar at 76 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Manistee River near Sherman.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04124000.

9931,0591,1251,160 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp76 F
High / Low76 / 68 F
WindSSE 4-6 mph
Pressure1012.5 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 89%
Sunrise / Sunset07:11 / 20:15
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Storms, 76/68 F, wind 5 mph, rain 89%

Slow. High rain chance; fish the front edge before it arrives.

Species guide

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

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the Big Manistee 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
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 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 Big Manistee River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 75 F, wind to 8 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 80 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 87 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 license plus all-species validation. Gear and season rules vary by reach: check current DNR regulations for the Manistee.

Access

Tippy Dam, High Bridge, Bear Creek and other landings; Manistee harbor and piers at the mouth.

About this water

A 190-mile northern Michigan river to Lake Michigan, with the famous salmon and steelhead water below Tippy Dam.

Fishing Big Manistee River: the full guide

A tailwater and a salmon river

The Manistee River runs 190 miles through northern Michigan to Lake Michigan, and the reach below Tippy Dam is among the state’s most famous salmon and steelhead water. Cold releases keep it fishable year-round, and the runs are substantial: chinook salmon in fall, coho behind them, steelhead from fall through spring, plus resident brown trout of genuine size.

Salmon in fall

The chinook run peaks in September and October, filling the river from Tippy Dam down through the classic drifts. Fish spawn sacs, skein and plugs, or swing flies in the deeper runs. The crowds are real at the dam: walking downstream or floating puts space between you and them, and often puts you on fresher fish.

Steelhead and browns

Steelhead are the longer season: fresh fish enter with fall rains, hold through winter in the deeper runs, and spread onto gravel in spring. Beads, spawn and swung flies all produce. Brown trout hold year-round in the tailwater, with the biggest fish taking streamers at dawn and dusk. The upper river above the dam holds resident trout in classic water.

Manistee County logistics

Access at Tippy Dam, High Bridge, Bear Creek and numerous landings serves waders and drift boats, with commercial shuttles available. Manistee is at the mouth with pier fishing for staging fish. Flows are regulated but change with releases: check conditions. The river is popular, so weekday trips and floats reward those who plan them.

Common questions

When is the chinook run?

September and October, filling the river below Tippy Dam: expect crowds at the dam and walk or float for space.

Is winter steelheading viable?

Yes: cold releases keep the river fishable, and fish hold in the deeper runs all winter.

Are there resident browns?

Yes, of genuine size in the tailwater: streamers at dawn and dusk move the biggest ones.

Is fishing good at Big Manistee 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

Manistee River10 miHamlin Lake19 miLittle Manistee River20 miPere Marquette River26 miBetsie River27 miPlatte River31 mi
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