Manistee County, MI • Steelhead • Brown Trout • Coho Salmon • Chinook Salmon

Bear Creek

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Current Conditions

Flows are around 2,110 cfs and rising, above normal for mid October — though that is the Manistee River near Wellston gauge, not Bear Creek. Water was 58°F at the gauge. The hatch calendar has BWO and Mahogany Dun on this water in October. One angler report in the last week.

Conditions as of Oct 16, 2026

Been out on the Bear Creek?

Bear Creek Fishing Report

Steelhead: ExcellentBrown Trout: GoodPressure: Very Low

Bear Creek is fishing exceptionally well. Steelhead are pushing up from the Manistee into the tributary in good numbers. The creek runs tight — roll casting skills are essential. Resident browns are active on caddis and BWO in the afternoons. Work the deeper pools along undercut banks for the best fish.

Live Flow Conditions

Borrowed gauge

There is no USGS gauge on Bear Creek. These figures come from the Big Manistee near Wellston — a useful regional wetness signal, but not this creek’s flow.

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1570

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Normal Today

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USGS Site: 04125550 • Manistee River near Wellston • View full data ↗

Hatch Calendar

SpeciesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BWOBaetis spp.

HendricksonEphemerella subvaria

CaddisHydropsychidae spp.

Brown DrakeEphemera simulans

Mahogany DunParaleptophlebia spp.

Gear Recommendations

Bear Creek is a small, spring-fed tributary of the Manistee. Excellent wild brown and brook trout population. Small stream technique is essential.

Gear	Dry Fly	NymphingRecommended	Euro Nymph	Streamer
Rod	7.5–8ft 3-weight or 4-weight	8ft 4-weight	10ft 2-weight or 3-weight	8ft 5-weight
Line	DT3F or WF4F	WF floating	Level mono rig	WF floating
Leader	9ft to 5X	7.5ft to 4X	Short mono rig	6ft to 1X
Tippet	5X–6X	5X–6X	6X–7X	1X–2X
Waders	Hip waders or wet wading	Hip waders	Hip waders	Hip waders
Boots	Wading sandals or light shoes	Wading sandals	Wading sandals	Wading sandals

Dry Fly Tips

Bear Creek fishes well with small dries on summer evenings. Approach from downstream and make short accurate casts to rising fish. The canopy is heavy — roll casts are essential.

Small dry flies size 14–18 (Caddis, PMD, BWO)Floatant

Nymphing Tips

High-stick nymphing through Bear Creek's undercut banks and root systems. Small, natural-looking patterns work best — this is not attractor-pattern water.

Small bead-head nymphs size 14–18Minimal split shotSmall indicators

Euro Nymph Tips

Euro nymphing works well on Bear Creek but the brushy canopy makes the long rod challenging. A 10-footer is more manageable than an 11-footer on this intimate water.

Very small bead nymphs size 16–20

Streamer Tips

Small streamers in spring produce bear creek's larger browns from deep pools and undercut banks. Keep the presentation tight to cover — fish hold right against structure.

Small streamers size 6–10 (Muddlers, small Sculpins)

Find Your Guide

Batcke's Manistee River Fly Shop — Guide Service

Fly Shop

📍 Wellston, MIWade and float

The local authority on Bear Creek and the Manistee River system — guides with daily first-hand knowledge of conditions.

Specialties

Bear Creek steelheadManistee corridor troutStreamer fishing

J&J River Guides

Independent

📍 Baldwin, MIFloat (drift boat)

One of the largest federal permit holders in Michigan — 6 guides covering the Bear Creek/Manistee/PM corridor.

Specialties

SteelheadBrown troutDrift boat float trips

Guide listings are researched and updated periodically. Contact guides directly to verify current availability and pricing.

Local Fly Shops

Batcke's Manistee River Fly Shop

Full-service fly shop with deep knowledge of Bear Creek and the Manistee corridor — gear, flies, and guided trips.

Visit website ↗

Gates Au Sable Lodge Fly Shop

Closest major full-service shop for the Bear Creek / Manistee region.

Visit website ↗

Public Access Points

True-traced creek course, 13 Mile Rd → Manistee confluence · access is limited ·accessroad crossing

113 Mile Road29 Mile Road3Spirit of the Woods4Bear Creek River Access

🎣 MDNR Regulations 💧 USGS Gauge 📋 Fishing License

Salmon & Steelhead on the Bear Creek

Run status is rebuilt twice a day from the live gauge and the DNR's own run windows. The windows are typical timing, not a forecast — what actually moves fish is water temperature and a rise, and the run tracker carries both for every river at once.

Kings Chinook Salmon

Tailing off

Typical: Aug 28 – Oct 28, peak Sep 18 – Oct 8

Coho Coho Salmon

Building

Typical: Sep 13 – Nov 15, peak Oct 1 – Oct 28

Steelhead Steelhead

Building

Typical: Sep 27 – Apr 17, peak Oct 27 – Dec 22

Whose fish

Wild No Michigan-strain plant of any species appears in the DNR stocking record for Bear Creek. A county-wide query returned plants only for the Little Manistee, the Manistee, Portage Lake and the Betsie.

Access

Coates Highway, Kerry Road, the mouth at the Manistee. Wade only.

Crowding

Light compared to the main river, which is most of the appeal.

Regulations

Gear restrictions apply — check the guide.

What to throw

Small and subtle. Clear water, spooky fish.

More: the salmon run tracker for where every river stands today, and steelhead rivers for whose fish these are and what you may keep.

River History & Character

Bear Creek is one of the most productive and undersung tributaries of the Big Manistee River, flowing through Manistee County before joining the Manistee near the town of Brethren. Though small in width, Bear Creek carries an outsized fishery — its cold, clear waters support strong runs of steelhead, coho, and Chinook salmon that follow the Manistee's seasonal migrations into the tributary. The surrounding hills are covered in northern hardwood and conifer forest, creating a cathedral-like setting that makes this one of the most beautiful small-stream fisheries in the Lower Peninsula. Because of the added nutrients from annual salmon runs, resident brown trout in the lower reaches grow to impressive sizes, with fish exceeding 20 inches not uncommon for those who know where to look.

Did you know

Bear Creek is a tributary of the Manistee River system, meaning it benefits from the same massive salmon and steelhead runs as the Big Manistee — but with a fraction of the angling pressure and far more intimate wading conditions.

Did you know

The lower sections of Bear Creek near the Manistee confluence are best accessed by canoe or small inflatable craft, revealing miles of productive water that receives almost no wading pressure throughout the season.