Michigan Flies

Rivers / Upper Peninsula

Sturgeon River (Baraga and Houghton Counties)

A designated Blue Ribbon trout stream and one of the finest steelhead rivers in the U.P., flowing through the Sturgeon River Gorge to Portage Lake and the Keweenaw Waterway. The USGS gauge near Alston reports water temperature. No hatch chart was located.

Alston and Baraga, Baraga and Houghton Countiesrunofflake superiorhatch offset +21 d
Find flies for DecemberFull-year calendar

Fish by month

  1. Steelhead

    One of the finest steelhead rivers in the U.P.; Lake Superior timing (April-early May, 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
  2. Brook trout

    Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources.

    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
  3. Brown trout

    Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources.

    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

The DNR also plants fish here that this site does not model yet: lake sturgeon (1998–2016), walleye (1989–2013). See the stocking record below.

Hatching in December

Eggs in the drift

In December the drift carries brown trout and brook trout eggs. Spawning follows water temperature rather than the hatch offset, so these months do not shift. The spawners have left, but eggs are still washing out of the redds. They go pale as they age, so rows marked Washing out list the pale colors.

  1. 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
    December
    Drifting
    Colors to fish
    Steelhead Orange, Egg, Oregon Cheese
    Hooks
    #10–14
  2. 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
    December
    Washing out
    Colors to fish
    Cream/Dead Egg
    Hooks
    #12–16
  3. 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
    December
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Apricot, Peach, Pale Yellow, Oregon Cheese, Light Pink
    Hooks
    #10–14
  4. 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
    December
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold
    Hooks
    #12–16
  5. 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
    December
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach
    Hooks
    #12–16
  6. 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
    December
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Pale Yellow, Light Gold, Cream
    Hooks
    #12–14
  7. 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
    December
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Oregon Cheese, Pale Yellow, Apricot
    Hooks
    #10–12

DNR stocking

Michigan DNR Fish Stocking Database records since 1979 for Sturgeon River, West Branch Sturgeon River (Baraga, Houghton County). 117 plants on record. Snapshot 2026-09-28. DNR “rainbow trout” of Michigan or Skamania strain are steelhead smolts. Open the DNR database.

  1. Brook trout

    Jumbo River · since 2008

    2020
    3,500
    2021
    1,000
    2022
    3,500
    2023
    2,000
    2024
    2,000
    2025
    3,000
    Latest plant
    May 28, 2025M 38 · 5.7 in

Earlier plants, not stocked in the last five years

  1. Brown trout
    Years
    1979–2014
    Fish planted
    312,449
    Last plant
    Jun 9, 2014 · Sturgeon River-416166933
  2. Lake sturgeon
    Years
    1998–2016
    Fish planted
    31,153
    Last plant
    Jun 7, 2016 · Sturgeon River-416166933
  3. Walleye
    Years
    1989–2013
    Fish planted
    17,099
    Last plant
    Sep 5, 2013 · Us 41 Bridge
Recent plants, by date
  • May 28, 2025 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at M 385.7 inleft ventral clipTribal Plant
  • May 28, 2025 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Hazel Road5.7 inleft ventral clipTribal Plant
  • May 28, 2025 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Hoover Road5.7 inleft ventral clipTribal Plant
  • May 15, 2024 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Herman Nestoria Rd. Crossing5.6 inright ventral clipTribal Plant
  • May 13, 2024 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Hoover Road5.1 inright ventral clipTribal Plant
  • Jun 7, 2023 1,000 brook trout (Jumbo River) at M 386.2 inadipose, left ventral clipsTribal Plant
  • Jun 7, 2023 595 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Hoover Road6.2 inadipose, left ventral clipsTribal Plant
  • Jun 7, 2023 405 brook trout (Jumbo River) at Hoover Road6.3 inadipose, left ventral clipsTribal Plant

Gear rules

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

  1. US-41 to Prickett Dam
    Tackle
    general
    Season
    Trout season
    Notes
    Type 2 (last Sat. April - Sep. 30; brook 10 in, brown 12 in).
  2. Prickett Dam to Lake Superior
    Tackle
    general
    Season
    All year
    Notes
    Type 3 (open all year; brook/brown 15 in, others 10 in).