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Platte River Fishing Report

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

The coho cradle: Michigan's first salmon river runs clear past the weir where the Great Lakes miracle began in 1966.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
168 cfs
Air / High
76 / 79 F
Wind
NW 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04126740, 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.

Platte River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 168 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind NW around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 79. 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 80 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 Platte River at Honor.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04126740.

174240305168 cfs08/0508/1308/2709/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp76 F
High / Low79 / 68 F
WindNW 5-6 mph
Pressure1012.6 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 66%
Sunrise / Sunset07:10 / 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 · Showers, 79/68 F, wind 5 mph, rain 66%

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 Platte 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 Platte 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 Platte 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 76 F, wind to 6 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 80 F, wind to 4 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 86 F, wind to 8 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. Weir zones and gear rules posted: check DNR Platte regulations.

Access

Goose Road, M-22, weir-area accesses; Platte Bay surf via the lakeshore.

About this water

The first coho river, Benzie County, MI. Where the Great Lakes salmon era began.

Fishing Platte River: the full guide

Where it started

The Platte carried Michigan's first coho plants in 1966: the experiment that transformed the Great Lakes: and its weir still runs the state's coho broodstock. The little river's fall run (September-October) remains a pilgrimage: history swimming upstream annually.

The fall program

Coho stack from the lake through Loon Lake to the weir: fresh fish in the lower river's bends (spinners, skein under bobbers), the upper fly-water's gravel drawing the spawn-watchers. Rules run tight (the weir's zones, gear restrictions): the crowds of the 70s mellowed into a managed classic.

Beyond the coho

Steelhead follow the salmon (October-spring: the Platte's clear water fishes technical), resident browns sip the summer hatches, and the river mouth's surf (Platte Bay) offers September's other game: casting spoons at staging salmon against the Sleeping Bear backdrop.

Benzie practicalities

M-22 and Goose Road accesses serve the short river: Honor's gauge reads the modest flows: and the Sleeping Bear Dunes crowds pass obliviously: the river threads the national lakeshore's quiet side. Canoe liveries own summer middays: fish the edges.

Common questions

Why is the Platte River historic?

The 1966 coho plants here launched the Great Lakes salmon era: the weir still runs the broodstock. Fall's run is living history.

When do coho run the Platte?

September-October to the weir: fresh fish in the lower bends early, spawners upstream late. The bay's surf casting starts even earlier: Labor Day spoons.

Can you fish inside the Sleeping Bear lakeshore?

The Platte's lower miles thread the national lakeshore: fishing is welcome under park-and-state rules. The river-mouth surf at Platte Bay casts spoons at staging salmon against the dunes: September's postcard.

Is fishing good at Platte 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

Betsie River9 miGrand Traverse Bay30 miBig Manistee River31 miManistee River33 miTorch Lake44 miHamlin Lake47 mi
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