Rivers / Upper Peninsula

Presque Isle River

A western U.P. Lake Superior river holding brown, rainbow and lake trout with coho, pink and king salmon running after mid-August, and wild spring steelhead peaking April to early May with November fall fish. The USGS gauge near Connorville reports water temperature. No hatch chart was located.

Wakefield and the Porcupine Mountains, Gogebic Countyrunofflake superiorhatch offset +21 d

Find flies for May Full-year calendar

Fish by month

Brown trout
Per Bluffs Inn fishing page.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
unknown
Confidence
C
Rainbow trout (resident)
Per Bluffs Inn fishing page.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
unknown
Confidence
C
Brook trout
Inferred from the western U.P. brook/brown pattern.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
wild
Confidence
C
Steelhead
April to early May and November.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
wild
Confidence
B
Coho salmon
Lake-run fish after mid-August.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
unknown
Confidence
C
Chinook salmon
Lake-run fish after mid-August.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
unknown
Confidence
C
Pink salmon
Lake-run fish after mid-August; odd years strongest.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Origin
wild
Confidence
C

Species	Months	Origin	Confidence
Brown trout Per Bluffs Inn fishing page.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	unknown	C
Rainbow trout (resident) Per Bluffs Inn fishing page.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	unknown	C
Brook trout Inferred from the western U.P. brook/brown pattern.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	wild	C
Steelhead April to early May and November.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	wild	B
Coho salmon Lake-run fish after mid-August.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	unknown	C
Chinook salmon Lake-run fish after mid-August.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	unknown	C
Pink salmon Lake-run fish after mid-August; odd years strongest.	J F M A M J J A S O N D	wild	C

Hatching in May

Eggs in the drift

In May the drift carries white and longnose sucker, redhorse sucker and steelhead eggs, with white and longnose sucker and redhorse sucker at peak. Spawning follows water temperature rather than the hatch offset, so these months do not shift.

White and longnose sucker eggsTie on Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Peak
Colors to fish
Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach
Hooks
#12–16
Redhorse sucker eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Peak
Colors to fish
Pale Yellow, Light Gold, Cream
Hooks
#12–14
Steelhead eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Drifting
Colors to fish
Apricot, Peach, Pale Yellow, Oregon Cheese, Light Pink
Hooks
#10–14
Chinook salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Scrambled Eggs
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Steelhead Orange, Sockeye, Salmon Egg, Flame
Hooks
#6–10
Pink salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Pink Lady, Shrimp Pink, Salmon Egg, Steelhead Orange
Hooks
#10–14
Coho salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Scrambled Eggs
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Steelhead Orange, Sockeye, Salmon Egg, Egg
Hooks
#6–12
Brown trout eggs (resident and lake-run)Tie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Blood Dot Egg
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Steelhead Orange, Egg, Oregon Cheese
Hooks
#10–14
Brook trout eggsTie on Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg)
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Oregon Cheese, Apricot, Peach
Hooks
#12–16
Lake trout eggs
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Oregon Cheese, Pale Yellow, Apricot
Hooks
#10–12
Walleye eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Y2K Egg, Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg)
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
May
Not drifting
Colors to fish
Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold
Hooks
#12–16

Egg source	Months	May	Colors to fish	Hooks
White and longnose sucker eggsTie on Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Peak	Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach	#12–16
Redhorse sucker eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Peak	Pale Yellow, Light Gold, Cream	#12–14
Steelhead eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Drifting	Apricot, Peach, Pale Yellow, Oregon Cheese, Light Pink	#10–14
Chinook salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Scrambled Eggs	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Steelhead Orange, Sockeye, Salmon Egg, Flame	#6–10
Pink salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Pink Lady, Shrimp Pink, Salmon Egg, Steelhead Orange	#10–14
Coho salmon eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Scrambled Eggs	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Steelhead Orange, Sockeye, Salmon Egg, Egg	#6–12
Brown trout eggs (resident and lake-run)Tie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Blood Dot Egg	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Steelhead Orange, Egg, Oregon Cheese	#10–14
Brook trout eggsTie on Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg)	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Oregon Cheese, Apricot, Peach	#12–16
Lake trout eggs	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Oregon Cheese, Pale Yellow, Apricot	#10–12
Walleye eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Y2K Egg, Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg)	J F M A M J J A S O N D	Not drifting	Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold	#12–16

DNR stocking

Michigan DNR Fish Stocking Database records since 1979 for Presque Isle River. 30 plants on record. Snapshot 2026-09-28. DNR “rainbow trout” of Michigan or Skamania strain are steelhead smolts. Open the DNR database.

Nothing stocked in the last five years. The fish in this water are wild or drop down from stocked reaches upstream.

Earlier plants, not stocked in the last five years

Rainbow trout
Years
1984–2009
Fish planted
130,383
Last plant
May 5, 2009 · Presque Isle River
Brook trout
Years
1993
Fish planted
15,035
Last plant
May 17, 1993 · Presque Isle River

Species	Years	Fish planted	Last plant
Rainbow trout	1984–2009	130,383	May 5, 2009 · Presque Isle River
Brook trout	1993	15,035	May 17, 1993 · Presque Isle River

Gear rules

Transcribed from the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest. Confirm with the DNR before fishing.

Manabezho Falls to Lake Superior
Tackle
general
Season
All year
Notes
Type 3 (open all year; brook/brown 15 in, others 10 in).

Reach	Tackle	Season	Notes
Manabezho Falls to Lake Superior	general	All year	Type 3 (open all year; brook/brown 15 in, others 10 in).