John's Question:

Do you have any info on stream trout fishing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula?

— John Juel

Mark's Answer:

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Dear John —

The U.P. has excellent streams but will require some extra effort. The following information can be found in much greater detail in The Trout Fishing Sourcebook. Good luck traipsing around the U.P.

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan will require three things for the angler: a topo map, a compass, and a willingness to fish in seldom-fished backcountry streams. Even though tourists and visiting anglers tend to stay cemented to the southern area of the Upper Peninsula (known to locals as the U.P.), the lightly-populated interior of the eastern and western U.P. can put an angler on waters which might not have been fished in ages.

The angler can find solitude in the forests of white pine of the U.P., notably in the Hiawatha, Ottawa and Lake Superior National Forests. Lodging and groceries can be found in the small towns which dot the peninsula, towns which are usually no more than a half-hour away. Many of the rivers and streams will have sea-run brook trout, salmon, steelhead and other big-water fish. It is for these anadromous species which most of the anglers will be fishing.

The most famous river on the U.P. is the Big Two Hearted River, made so by Ernest Hemingway's story of the same name. The West Branch of the Big Two Hearted River has the better flyfishing water of the branches with easy wading, lots of room to backcast and plenty of eager rainbows and brooks.

Not as famous as the Big Two Hearted River is the Fox River, a better trout stream and one of the better flyfishing waters for big brook trout. The East Branch of the Fox River is smaller, more remote but has some quality fishing for native brook trout.

The East Branch of the Tahquamenon River is a blue ribbon stream for 19 of its miles, difficult to reach in many locations and, because of the remoteness of the stream, does not receive much fishing pressure. This is a tough hike, or if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, a fun ride.

Another productive Upper Peninsula trout fishery is the Carp River, in the Hiawatha National Forest and Lake Superior State Forest lands near the aptly-named town of Trout Lake. The Chocolay River is another Lake Superior tributary with good fishing for brown trout.

The Black River won't show up on most Michigan state maps, but this short fishery (12 miles) is worth finding. Go east from the small town of Naubinway on Highway 2 and you will discover a charming but rugged stream up to 20 feet wide in places, difficult to walk to from the road.

Further to the west on Highway 2, anglers will find the Manistique, another good trout fishing river. The Manistique River is located in the beautiful Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Further west, three more rivers flow south into Lake Michigan. The Whitefish, the Sturgeon, and the Escanaba are wide rivers with better-than-average fishing for brook and rainbow trout deep in the national forests of the Hiawatha.

These rivers of the Upper Peninsula are lightly-fished streams where fishermen can get away from the crowds and fish the tea-colored waters for indiscriminate brook trout and picky, lunker brown trout. Expect good caddis hatches especially in the upper Escanaba. Baitfish and leech imitations are two local favorites, as well as an egg-sac Irresistible.

The Ontonagon River lies in the far western part of the Upper Peninsula. All three branches of the river, the East, Middle and West, have excellent fishing for brown, rainbow, and of course, brook trout.

Much of the Western Upper Peninsula is for the serious backcountry angler. Some of the better trout fisheries include: Fence River; Little Carp River; Cook's Run, an interesting brook trout stream similar to a spring creek, full of aquatic growth and smooth-surfaced; Firesteel River, a small river with rainbows and brooks; the South Branch of the Paint River, a blue ribbon trout stream holding wild brook and brown trout; the Little Union River; Jumbo River; Presque Isle River; Little Iron River; Mirror Lake; Lake of the Clouds; Brule River, which delineates the Wisconsin and Michigan border, and because of difficult access offers excellent fishing and good caddis and mayfly hatches. Many of these fisheries are in the Porcupine Mountains, some of the prettiest scenery in the Midwest.

The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is on the north side of the U.P. along the Lake Superior shoreline. Lake Superior holds a great many fish and a diversity of species, but because of the extremely cold temperatures and lack of stratification, the trout (and salmon) do not reach herculean proportions as they can in other Great Lakes waters.

For the adventurous angler, a quick trip to Isle Royale National Park in the northwest corner of Lake Superior is in order. The only way to the wilderness island is by boat or floatplane, and reservations are required. There are no roads on the island, but there are foot trails galore. The streams on the island hold rainbows and brooks, and even though they are not monster-sized, the quality of fishing near pristine waters more than makes up for it. Off the eastern shore of the Upper Peninsula is Drummond Island, a rocky island wilderness with over 40 inland lakes and three stocked trout streams.

Good luck,
Mark D. Williams