Freestone · Sand Gravel · Michigan, US

Betsie River

The Betsie River winding through a wooded wetland with fallen trees along its banks, Michigan.
Today · Slow going — pick your moments
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Forecast · Today
Slow going — pick your moments
Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
45% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Conditions on the water · Today
Proxy gauge
Level
Rising
Proxy
via Pere Marquette River
Water temp12.2°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather8°C
WindN 15 km/h
Pressure1030 hPa
Rain · recent16.8 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — conditions are inferred from Pere Marquette River. The trend transfers, the absolute level does not.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Salmon Sep–Oct; steelhead Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr
Where
A small, pretty north-country river famous for its fall salmon run crowding into a modest channel, then a good steelhead run behind them.
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 21h

12h(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 37%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost3 food groups active

Peak activity at 21h — Brown Dun (Brown Dun, Weather boost)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

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; verify MI DNR reach rules
  • Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Platte River
14 km
85
Coho salmon · Chinook salmon · Steelhead
Big Manistee River
40 km
79
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Little Manistee River
44 km
85
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Pere Marquette River
74 km
85
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
White River
131 km
72
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. The Betsie River winding through a wooded wetland with fallen trees along its banks, Michigan.
    Betsie
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time7013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6812% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts