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

Manistee River (Lower)

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Current Conditions

Flows are around 1,580 cfs and rising, above normal for late August (Gauge near Wellston, upstream of Tippy Dam). Water was 68°F at the gauge. The hatch calendar has terrestrials on this water in August.

Conditions as of Aug 30, 2026

Manistee River (Lower) Fishing Report

Spring Steelhead: ExcellentDry Fly Evening: GoodWater: Crystal Clear

Prime conditions below Tippy Dam. Steelhead present in solid numbers in the lower river. Resident browns active on sulphur and caddis in evenings near the braided sections above the dam pool. Water clarity is excellent — long leaders required.

Live Flow Conditions

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1420

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

Gauge near Wellston, upstream of Tippy Dam

Hatch Calendar

SpeciesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

HendricksonEphemerella subvaria

Brown DrakeEphemera simulans

HexHexagenia limbata

CaddisBrachycentrus spp.

StoneflyPteronarcys dorsata

Hopper / TerrestrialMelanoplus spp.

Gear Recommendations

The Lower Manistee (Tippy Dam to Lake Michigan) is a big tailwater with legendary steelhead and Chinook runs. Wide, powerful, and best accessed by drift boat.

Gear	fly Dry Fly	rod Nymphing	rod Euro Nymph	fish StreamerRecommended
Rod	9ft 5-weight	9ft 6-weight	11ft 4-weight	9–10ft 8-weight
Line	WF5F floating	WF floating	Euro mono rig	WF floating, intermediate, or sink tip (Type 3)
Leader	9–12ft to 4X	9ft to 3X	Heavy mono rig	6ft to 0X
Tippet	4X–5X	4X fluorocarbon	4X fluorocarbon	0X–1X or 20lb mono
Waders	Chest waders with wading belt	Chest waders with wading belt	Chest waders with wading belt	Chest waders with wading belt
Boots	Felt with studs	Felt with studs	Felt with studs	Felt with studs

fly Dry Fly Tips

Hex hatch on the lower Manistee near Tippy Dam is outstanding in late June. Fish the slow braided sections upstream of the dam pool after 10pm.

Dry fly selection: Hex, Brown Drake, SulphurFloatantWading staff

rod Nymphing Tips

Nymphing for steelhead with egg patterns and stonefly nymphs in spring and fall. The Manistee's powerful current requires heavier weight than most Michigan rivers.

Large indicatorsHeavy shotEgg patterns, stonefly nymphsWading staff

rod Euro Nymph Tips

Euro nymphing works on the Manistee's tailouts and seams. Focus below Tippy Dam where steelhead stack in fall and spring. Heavy flies essential in the powerful tailwater current.

Heavy tungsten nymphs size 8–14

fish Streamer Tips

Steelhead on the swing is the signature Manistee experience. A sink-tip line and a large fly swung through the pools below High Bridge and Rainbow Bend produces in spring and fall. Chinook salmon stack below Tippy Dam in September — use heavy mono and egg-sucking leeches.

Large intruder-style streamers, Zoo Cougars, Woolly BuggersStripping basketDrift boat access recommended

Find Your Guide

Batcke's Manistee River Fly Shop — Guide Service

Fly Shop

📍 Wellston, MIFloat (drift boat) and wade

The Manistee River's local authority — daily river reports, expert knowledge from Tippy Dam to Rainbow Bend and beyond.

Specialties

Manistee River troutSteelheadSalmonDrift boat float trips

J&J River Guides

Independent

📍 Baldwin, MIFloat (drift boat)

6 professional guides with over 100 combined years of experience on the Manistee River system.

Specialties

Manistee steelheadBrown troutSalmon runs

Hawkins Outfitters

Orvis Endorsed

📍 Cedar, MIWade and float

Award-winning Orvis-endorsed guide service covering the Manistee River and surrounding waters.

Specialties

Manistee dry flySteelheadHex hatch

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

The lower Manistee's signature shop — full guide service, custom flies, and unmatched knowledge of every run from Tippy Dam to Lake Michigan.

Visit website ↗

Gates Au Sable Lodge Fly Shop

Grayling-based full-service shop with guides familiar with the lower Manistee corridor.

Visit website ↗

Public Access Points

True-traced river course, Tippy Dam → Rainbow Bend · steelhead & salmon tailwater ·accessdam / bridge

1Tippy Dammi 0.02High Bridgemi 5.43Bear Creekmi 14.54Rainbow Bendmi 17.5

🎣 MDNR Regulations 💧 USGS Gauge 📋 Fishing License

River History & Character

The Lower Manistee — from Tippy Dam to Lake Michigan — is one of Michigan's premier tailwater fisheries and a world-class destination for steelhead and salmon. Tippy Dam's cold, consistent releases create ideal holding conditions year-round, supporting massive fish populations in a wide, powerful river that demands skill and respect. The lower river was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1992. Its fall Chinook run is legendary, drawing thousands of anglers to the pools below Tippy Dam each October. Spring and fall steelhead runs are among the strongest in the Great Lakes. Below Tippy, the river is wide enough for drift boats and drift boat fishing is the standard approach.

Did you know

The Manistee's fall Chinook run is one of the most spectacular in the Great Lakes — fish averaging 12–18 pounds stack below Tippy Dam each September and October, sometimes visible from the bank.

Did you know

Fly fishing legend Bob Linsenman helped put the Lower Manistee on the national map for steelhead fishing through decades of guiding and writing on this river in the 1980s and 90s.