Freestone · Sand Gravel · Michigan, US

Pere Marquette River

Pere Marquette River in Autumn Manistee National Forest
Prime · Steelhead
Egg pattern · 12–16
Primelive now
About as good as it gets
River dropping into shape after a lift. The kind of afternoon you remember — a weighted nymph through the clearing seams, the dry as it settles.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.47 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp12.1°C
  • ClaritySlightly colouredClearing
Today's fly
Egg pattern
Egg pattern12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.47 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp12.1°C
ClaritySlightly coloured
Weather10°C
WindW 19 km/h
Pressure1032 hPa
Rain · recent12.9 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Early kings late Aug–Sep; steelhead Oct–Nov then Mar–Apr (the spring peak is the event)
Where
The Pere Marquette is the river everyone learns Great Lakes steelhead on — a flies-only blue-ribbon stretch with the first kings of the season in late August…
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Steelhead
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Michigan licence
  • The flies-only / gear-restricted water carries its own rules — verify with MI DNR
  • Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Little Manistee River
30 km
85
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Big Manistee River
43 km
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
White River
58 km
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Betsie River
74 km
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Muskegon River
76 km
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. Pere Marquette River in Autumn Manistee National Forest
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6812% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts