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Ontonagon River Fishing Report

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

The Porcupine Mountains river: the Ontonagon runs steelhead and salmon into Lake Superior’s wild shore.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
517 cfs
Air / High
76 / 77 F
Wind
NE 4 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04040000, 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Ontonagon River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 517 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind NE around 4 mph, falling pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 77. 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 bassExcellent

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

Brown troutExcellent

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

SteelheadFair

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

Tomorrow: Similar at 77 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 Ontonagon River near Rockland.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04040000.

490508526517 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp76 F
High / Low77 / 64 F
WindNE 4-5 mph
Pressure1012.2 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain87% cloud, 63%
Sunrise / Sunset07:21 / 20:31
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 · Rain, 77/64 F, wind 9 mph, rain 63%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon 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 82 F, wind to 10 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 79 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

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 88 F, wind to 14 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 for salmon and steelhead. Seasons vary by reach: check current DNR regulations.

Access

Ontonagon town access at the mouth; road crossings and forest roads on the branches.

About this water

A river system draining the western Upper Peninsula to Lake Superior at Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, Michigan.

Fishing Ontonagon River: the full guide

A river of branches

The Ontonagon River drains the western Upper Peninsula through four branches that join before reaching Lake Superior at Ontonagon, near the Porcupine Mountains. The lower river hosts runs of steelhead, chinook and coho salmon from Superior, while the branches hold resident brook and brown trout, smallmouth bass and northern pike in remote forest country.

Steelhead and salmon

Steelhead run in spring and fall, with the spring run drawing anglers to the lower river below the dam and through the town of Ontonagon. Salmon arrive in fall. The river runs high and colored with rain and snowmelt, so timing matters: the falling limb after a rise offers the best conditions, as on most Superior tributaries.

Trout in the branches

The east, middle, south and west branches all hold resident trout in cold forest water, with brook trout the prize in the smaller tributaries. Access is remote and often requires walking. Smallmouth and pike hold the warmer lower reaches. The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park nearby adds inland lakes and streams to explore.

Ontonagon County logistics

Access is via the town of Ontonagon at the mouth, road crossings on the branches, and forest roads through state and commercial land. Services are limited: Ontonagon and Silver City provide basics. This is genuinely remote country with long distances between towns and no cell coverage in much of the drainage.

Common questions

When is the steelhead run?

Spring is the stronger draw, with a fall run as well: fish the falling water after a rise for the best conditions.

Are the branches worth exploring?

Yes: resident brook and brown trout in remote forest water, though access often requires walking.

How remote is it?

Genuinely: long distances between towns, limited services and no cell coverage in much of the drainage.

Is fishing good at Ontonagon River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Gogebic22 miTurtle-Flambeau Flowage63 miBois Brule River108 miChippewa Flowage111 miNamekagon River114 miLac Courte Oreilles117 mi
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