In many waters, trout fishing is open year round dependent on location and in others, the season generally runs from the end of april to the end of september. The new regulation approved last fall added a suite of 36 streams, or portions of streams, where 10. Tiger trout, which are a cross between a brook trout and a brown trout, were stocked into the wisconsin waters of lake michigan from 1974 through 1977. Trout fishing in michigan is some of the best fly fishing between the rockies and the catskills, especially in the north. Trout season fish top 5 places opening day cadillac, mi. Information on brook, rainbow, brown, and steelhead trout and chinook, coho, pink and atlantic salmon. Spawning generally occurs in the months of october and november.
Anecdotal comments by early reporters clearly indicated robust populations. In 2000, the nrc, which sets rules enforced by the dnr, set a daily catch limit of five brook trout for all of michigan, including the u. Michigan trout season opener will see additional 10brooktrout daily limit streams in up. According to the michigan dnr browns were introduced in our rivers in 1883 and say what you will, browns are great sport, run bigger, and are very abundant. Select upper peninsula streams no longer have increased brook. Lorelei chavez, who lives in the arid southwest, caught this nice brook trout while on a trip to michigan. Here in our great state of michigan, the last saturday in april is the traditional opening day of trout season and the 2019 trout opener is just a few months away. Whether you choose to seek solitude and beautiful scenery or opt for a path more traveled with anglers on every other bend, northern michigan has what you are looking for. For many, the opening day of trout season is a woodsmens holiday only rivaled by the opening day of deer season. April 28 is opening day of inland trout season on type 1 streams, which have the higher bag limit.
Fox river brook trout in michigans upper peninsula. Found primarily in northern michigan, brook trout inhabit waters ranging from large rivers to little jumpacross creeks, though there is also a population, popularly referred. Read on for a look at some of the premier waters in southern michigan where you stand a good chance of hooking up with a big brown when the 2010 michigan inland trout season opens on april 24. For an interesting and successful take on brook trout angling, get off the beaten path and into northern michigans shallow valleys. The season for taking brook, brown, or rainbow trout by all legal methods shall open on jan. Michigan trout season opener will see additional 10brooktrout. There are two species of char native to michigan, brook trout and lake trout. It is also the only river in michigans lower peninsula to be managed exclusively for brook trout. The guide to wisconsin trout fishing regulations, 20192020 pdf contains the regulations for all wisconsin trout seasons, including the inland waters catch and release and the extended lake superior tributaries seasons. Coming on the heels of other recent changes to the states fishing regulations, a catch and immediate release cir season for. Trout and salmon fishing in the upper pensisula of.
As of april 12, 2019 the daily possession limit for lake trout in management unit mm 4 includes ports of elk rapids, traverse city and northport has changed from two fish to one fish. There are specific rules and regulations about how, when and where you can fish for each variety. This remains in effect until the season closes after sept. Very remote, very wild, but it offers outstanding fly fishing for brook trout of 1823 inches on dry flies and mouse patterns. The plan, which covers 202023, includes a 48% hike in chinook salmon, the favored species for. The upper black river has long been considered one of michigans finest brook trout fisheries. Check out michigans trout trails which are biologistverified great trout waters that are often lesser known. Any other northern michigan anglers experiencing more and larger than usual brook trout this season. Doing so would turn the boardman into another homogenized stream and would decimate a selfsustaining wild brook trout fishery that has seen a resurgence due to the removals of three dams and a cooling of the river.
Michigan ranks as one of the top bass fisheries in north america. The nrc again returned to catch limit to 10 in april last years trout season, a vote it reaffirmed in november. On the opening day of michigans 2017 trout season, an outdoor writer friend of mine caught a 20inch rainbow trout from a tributary of the manistee river. Lake michigan central lake michigan north lake michigan south lake huron north. Everybodys favorite, dry fly fishing, streamer fishing, nymphing, and swinging soft hackles all produce at times and on certain waters. The survey included outofstate anglers who fished for brook trout in the up, as well as upper and lower peninsula brook trout anglers. There is no closed season for taking trout from inland lakes. I struggled so far this season to hook up with upper peninsula michigans greatest resource. For a complete listing of streams with a 10trout bag limit, see the 2018 michigan fishing guide. It is native to eastern north america in the united states and canada, but has been introduced elsewhere in north america, as. An influx of groundwater can keep small creeks cool all summer. High, discolored water, swift, often torrential flows, cold water temperatures, floating debris andor occasional chunks of ice in some streams, freezing drizzle and teethchattering air temperatures are typical of the conditions earlyseason trout fishermen must endure when they visit their favorite trout. This was from their show, alone season 3 patagonia. We have been getting good numbers of hefty brookies in the 1012 range on a regular basis.
Brown trout spawning season is in the fall or early winter. With seven months between the regular trout season i catch up on reading. The last saturday of april, which falls on the 27th this year, will see anglers from across the state head to the river in search of the many trophy trout that live in our rivers. Earnest hemingway fished and wrote about the upper black. Trout is so beloved it became the state fish in 1965. That makes catching a nice brook trout all the more interesting. Although there are distinct spawning seasons for each trout species, hatcheries have been able to extend fishing opportunities in some areas. The brook trout salvelinus fontinalis is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus salvelinus of the salmon family salmonidae. The early inland trout season on selected waters pdf runs from 5 a. Early season trout fishing northern michigan fly fishing. Michigan dnr anglers heading out for the trout season opener at the end of the month will have portions of nearly 40 upper peninsula trout streams where an additional five brook trout may be kept as part of the daily bag limit, the michigan dnr said in a news release the new regulation approved last fall added a suite of. Great lakes regulations and season dates the regulations in this table apply to fishing on the great lakes for the following species. The 2020 season on type 1 trout streams will open april 25.
So too, is the brook trout, which actually isnt even a trout, but a type of char. But in 2012, some nrc members began calling for higher brook trout limits across u. A few highlights and lowlights of our 2017 summer trout season in northern michigan. See where the michigan dnr stocked the most fish in fall. Lake michigan trout and salmon regulations are on lake michigan regulations. Fishing creeks are how michigan anglers typically catch their trout. The dnr plans a major increase in chinook stocking for lake michigan. The kids were catching michigans state fish, brook trout. Michigan department of natural resources state record fish. Lake huron south lake superior east lake superior west. Check out michigan s trout trails which are biologistverified great trout waters that are often lesser known. Lake whitefish are native to lake michigan and the population has been increasing in recent years. Northern michigan has such a diversity of water to fish from season to season. With trout season approaching in michigan, regulators say there are portions of nearly 40 upper peninsula trout streams where an additional five brook trout.
This is the best fishery in the state for brook trout, which is also michigans state fish and the only native stream trout species. For most of the past two decades, michigan limited anglers to five brook trout on most lakes and streams. Female brook trout use their tails to create a spawning bed or redd. However, brook trout actually can be found in lakes and ponds throughout canada and parts of the usa. Wisconsin dnr will increase salmon, trout stocking in lake.
The section of river from which the trout came was no more than 30 feet across. The opening day of trout season on saturday no doubt will see michigans most famous trout steams, the au sable and manistee, flailed to a froth. Guides and charters and packages available in the area. Upper peninsula of michigan trout fishing in the streams and rivers and lakes of the up. Michigan legislators originally chose the trout as the state fish in 1965, but did not specify which of the four species of trout found in michigan was the official state fish the brook trout, the brown trout, the rainbow trout, or the lake trout. Small streams can offer big rewards michigan outof. Michigan trout season opener will see additional 10brook. In conjunction with the michigan fly fishing clubs trout opener saturday celebrations and activities, weekend accommodations will be available to mffc club members. I probably catch one brook trout for every 20 browns. How a typo revived a michigan fish feud over hungry. Brook trout bag limit increased by five in additional u.
I caught an 18inch brown from the narrow headwaters of a michigan river. Depending on your preferences, you can usually find some great fishing at any time of the year. When we are trout fishing in michigan we employ all of the fly fishing tactics. Lakes brook trout are generally associated with river or small stream fishing. Atlantic salmon, brook trout note 2, brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout note 4. Most said that increasing the brook trout limit would have no effect on their participation, but nearly a fourth said they would increase fishing at a river with a higher bag limit. For more information on michigans fishing regulations, check out the 2019 michigan. Through open water, the daily limit is 5 fish or 5 pounds whichever limit is first reached, except the daily limit is 1 fish from the samuel moore dam downstream to the route 18 bridge. Round whitefish, or menominees, are also native to lake michigan and their numbers are secure. Trout season traditionally runs from the last saturday in april through the end of september and the bulk of the states streams approximately 1,400 of them follow this regulation. Michigan introduces yearround catch and immediate release. Inland waters regulations and season dates state of michigan. The beautiful browns originally came from germany but they sure have thrived in the u. The fishing was as natural to michiganians as the trout were.
Bag limit for brook trout expanded on many michigan. With fabulous sunsets around a bonfire, you can watch brookies surface for bugs or listen to lonely loon calls. The reason is that if you are a big trout hunter early season provides one of the best opportunities of the year to score on a big ole wiley brown trout. Then 23 years later, lawmakers bestowed the title solely on brook trout, a native to the cold, clean streams of the upper peninsula and northern lower peninsula. Early spring trout fishing in the northeast is no walk in the park. All an angler has to do is observe a brook trout in its natural habitat and he will naturally believe that they are created in perfect harmony with michigan environs. The opening day of trout season for inland streams, other than lake michigan tributaries, is the last saturday in april. Brook trout are ready biters and they can be caught by using various baits and lures including worms, crickets, grasshoppers, wet and dry flies, spoons. The upper peninsula of michigans trout fishery is very diverse. Lakes regulated by type af are labeled in red text and the lake. Trout fishing in michigan northern michigan fly fishing. There are several reasons that i think early season trout fishing provides one of the very best opportunities to land a significant trout in michigan. Rules apply from april 1, 2019 through march 31, 2020. Mature brook trout seek a gravel riffle area in springfed streams, seepage areas of ponds, lake shores with swift currents or groundwater seepages.