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.
Fish by month
- Steelhead
One of the finest steelhead rivers in the U.P.; Lake Superior timing (April-early May, November).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Origin
- wild
- Confidence
- B
- Brook trout
Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Origin
- wild
- Confidence
- C
- Brown trout
Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Origin
- unknown
- Confidence
- C
| Species | Months | Origin | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelhead One of the finest steelhead rivers in the U.P.; Lake Superior timing (April-early May, November). |
| wild | B |
| Brook trout Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources. |
| wild | C |
| Brown trout Blue Ribbon trout water; species mix not itemized in sources. |
| unknown | 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 August
- HatchingBlue-Winged OliveMay 6 – Nov 14 · peak May 22 – May 28
- HatchingGrannomMay 11 – Aug 21
- HatchingTan CaddisMay 22 – Oct 21
- HatchingLittle Sister SedgeMay 22 – Aug 21
- HatchingLittle SulphurJun 5 – Aug 5
- HatchingTiny Blue-Winged OliveJun 5 – Sep 20
- HatchingMarch BrownJun 5 – Aug 10
- HatchingGreat Speckled OliveJun 5 – Aug 5 · peak Jun 5 – Jun 21
- HatchingIsonychiaJun 5 – Oct 21 · peak Jun 22 – Jul 21
- HatchingGolden StoneflyJun 5 – Aug 28
- HatchingGray DrakeJun 10 – Aug 5 · peak Jun 22 – Jun 28
- HatchingQuill GordonJun 14 – Aug 2
- HatchingLight CahillJun 26 – Sep 4
- HatchingWhite MillerJul 22 – Oct 21
- HatchingTricoAug 10 – Nov 10
- HatchingOctober CaddisAug 22 – Nov 21 · peak Oct 11 – Nov 10
- HatchingGreen Rock WormAll year
- HatchingMidgeAll year
Eggs in the drift
In August no eggs are in the drift here. Next up: brown trout eggs (resident and lake-run). Spawning follows water temperature rather than the hatch offset, so these months do not shift.
- 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
- August
- 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)
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Oregon Cheese, Apricot, Peach
- Hooks
- #12–16
- Lake trout eggs
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Oregon Cheese, Pale Yellow, Apricot
- Hooks
- #10–12
- Steelhead eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Apricot, Peach, Pale Yellow, Oregon Cheese, Light Pink
- Hooks
- #10–14
- 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
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold
- Hooks
- #12–16
- White and longnose sucker eggsTie on Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach
- Hooks
- #12–16
- Redhorse sucker eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- August
- Not drifting
- Colors to fish
- Pale Yellow, Light Gold, Cream
- Hooks
- #12–14
| Egg source | Months | August | Colors to fish | Hooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Brown trout eggs (resident and lake-run)Tie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Blood Dot Egg |
| Not drifting | Steelhead Orange, Egg, Oregon Cheese | #10–14 |
Brook trout eggsTie on Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg) |
| Not drifting | Oregon Cheese, Apricot, Peach | #12–16 |
Lake trout eggs |
| Not drifting | Oregon Cheese, Pale Yellow, Apricot | #10–12 |
Steelhead eggsTie on Nuke Egg, Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn |
| Not drifting | Apricot, Peach, Pale Yellow, Oregon Cheese, Light Pink | #10–14 |
Walleye eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Y2K Egg, Micro Spawn (6 to 8 mm yarn egg) |
| Not drifting | Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold | #12–16 |
White and longnose sucker eggsTie on Glo Bug, Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs |
| Not drifting | Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach | #12–16 |
Redhorse sucker eggsTie on Sucker Spawn, Scrambled Eggs |
| Not drifting | Pale Yellow, Light Gold, Cream | #12–14 |
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.
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
| Species | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Latest plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brook trout Jumbo River · since 2008 | 3,500 | 1,000 | 3,500 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | May 28, 2025M 38 · 5.7 in |
Earlier plants, not stocked in the last five years
- Brown trout
- Years
- 1979–2014
- Fish planted
- 312,449
- Last plant
- Jun 9, 2014 · Sturgeon River-416166933
- Lake sturgeon
- Years
- 1998–2016
- Fish planted
- 31,153
- Last plant
- Jun 7, 2016 · Sturgeon River-416166933
- Walleye
- Years
- 1989–2013
- Fish planted
- 17,099
- Last plant
- Sep 5, 2013 · Us 41 Bridge
| Species | Years | Fish planted | Last plant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown trout | 1979–2014 | 312,449 | Jun 9, 2014 · Sturgeon River-416166933 |
| Lake sturgeon | 1998–2016 | 31,153 | Jun 7, 2016 · Sturgeon River-416166933 |
| Walleye | 1989–2013 | 17,099 | 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.
- US-41 to Prickett Dam
- Tackle
- general
- Season
- Trout season
- Notes
- Type 2 (last Sat. April - Sep. 30; brook 10 in, brown 12 in).
- Prickett Dam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-41 to Prickett Dam | general | Trout season | Type 2 (last Sat. April - Sep. 30; brook 10 in, brown 12 in). |
| Prickett Dam to Lake Superior | general | All year | Type 3 (open all year; brook/brown 15 in, others 10 in). |