Michigan Flies

Rivers / Upper Peninsula

Yellow Dog River

A north Marquette County brook trout stream flowing to Lake Independence and Lake Superior near Big Bay. The research found no hatch chart, run calendar or regulation Type for it; brook trout presence rests on MDNR's statement that any U.P. stream that runs clear and cold is likely to hold them.

Big Bay, Marquette Countyrunofflake superiorhatch offset +21 d
Find flies for this riverFull-year calendar

Fish by month

  1. Brook trout

    Brook trout destination per search summary; no river-specific source retrieved.

    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

Hatching now

Eggs in the drift

Right now the drift carries 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. 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
    October
    Washing out
    Colors to fish
    Cream/Dead Egg
    Hooks
    #12–16
  2. 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
    October
    Not drifting
    Colors to fish
    Pale Yellow, Cream, Light Gold, Peach
    Hooks
    #12–16

DNR stocking

Michigan DNR Fish Stocking Database records since 1979 for Yellow Dog River. 266 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

    Assinica/Maine, Owhi +3 · since 1988

    2021
    4,095
    2022
    4,400
    2023
    3,599
    2024
    4,400
    2025
    4,397
    2026
    3,800
    Latest plant
    May 15, 2026Yellow Dog River · 8.6 in

Earlier plants, not stocked in the last five years

  1. Rainbow trout
    Years
    1985–2019
    Fish planted
    157,999
    Last plant
    May 14, 2019 · Yellow Dog River-Bushy Creek Truck Trail
  2. Brown trout
    Years
    1989–2019
    Fish planted
    135,992
    Last plant
    May 14, 2019 · Yellow Dog River-Bushy Creek Truck Trail
Recent plants, by date
  • May 15, 2026 1,900 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River8.6 in
  • May 15, 2026 1,900 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River-(Washout Bridge Above 510)8.6 in
  • May 22, 2025 2,197 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River8.9 in
  • May 22, 2025 2,200 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River-(Washout Bridge Above 510)8.9 in
  • May 13, 2024 2,200 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River8.7 in
  • May 13, 2024 2,200 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River-(Washout Bridge Above 510)8.7 in
  • May 23, 2023 1,800 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River-(Washout Bridge Above 510)8.1 in
  • May 23, 2023 1,799 brook trout (Assinica) at Yellow Dog River8.6 in

Gear rules

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

  1. Yellow Dog River (Marquette County)
    Tackle
    general
    Season
    Trout season
    Notes
    Trout stream Type not captured from the 2026 digest; fill from the DNR ArcGIS regulation-type layer.verify