Share your catch

Tahquamenon River Fishing Report

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

The river of the falls: the Tahquamenon runs tea-dark water past Michigan’s great waterfall to Whitefish Bay.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
327 cfs
Air / High
74 / 74 F
Wind
ENE 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04045500, 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.

Tahquamenon River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 327 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings cloud cover, wind ENE around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 74. 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

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Smallmouth bassExcellent

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

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perchGood

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Similar at 74 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 Tahquamenon River near Paradise.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04045500.

369496622327 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp74 F
High / Low74 / 57 F
WindENE 5-6 mph
Pressure1014.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain82% cloud, 19%
Sunrise / Sunset07:05 / 20:14
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, 74/57 F, wind 9 mph, rain 19%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

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.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Tahquamenon 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
Walleye
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
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 Tahquamenon 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. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 78 F, wind to 6 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 78 F, wind to 11 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 85 F, wind to 10 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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. Pike, walleye and musky limits per current DNR regulations.

Access

Tahquamenon Falls State Park access points and campgrounds; river access near Paradise and the mouth.

About this water

A 90-mile Upper Peninsula river to Whitefish Bay, Chippewa and Luce counties, Michigan, with the famous Tahquamenon Falls.

Fishing Tahquamenon River: the full guide

A famous river

The Tahquamenon River flows about 90 miles through Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula to Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior, best known for the Upper Falls, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Its water runs tea-colored from cedar swamp tannins. The fishery is northern: northern pike, walleye, muskellunge, smallmouth bass and yellow perch, with brook trout in the colder tributaries.

Pike and walleye

Northern pike are abundant in the slow, dark water, taking spoons, spinnerbaits and large plastics along the weed edges and log jams. Walleye hold the deeper holes and stretches below the falls, best at low light. Muskellunge inhabit the lower river, an underfished population for anglers willing to work big baits in tannic water.

Smallmouth and the mouth

Smallmouth work the harder-bottomed reaches and the lower river toward the bay. At the mouth, the river enters Whitefish Bay, where Lake Superior species take over seasonally. The falls themselves divide the river: fish cannot pass the Upper Falls, so the fisheries above and below differ substantially.

Chippewa County logistics

Tahquamenon Falls State Park provides access, camping and the famous falls viewing, with river access at several points and canoe routes through the lower river. Paradise is the local village. The park is a major tourist destination, but the fishing sees far less pressure than the trails. Bug protection is essential in early summer.

Common questions

Why is the water brown?

Tannins from cedar swamps stain it tea-colored: it is natural and does not indicate pollution.

Do the falls block fish?

Yes: the Upper Falls are impassable, so the fisheries above and below differ substantially.

Is it crowded?

The falls draw many tourists, but the fishing sees far less pressure than the trails and viewing platforms.

Is fishing good at Tahquamenon 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

Manistique River62 miLake Charlevoix89 miEscanaba River102 miLittle Bay de Noc103 miTorch Lake106 miFord River112 mi
Share your catch