fishing regulations for Upper Michigan

huzzsaba · January 14, 2015

I will be going to Michigan mid March for a couple of days and would like to fish for one day. I am going specifically in the area of Gaylord Michigan. There are a few lakes around there the biggest being Otsego lake, but I have heard that fishing there is not great.

Manistee river is close to where we are going, but I wonder if it will be flowing or will it be iced over at that time. Also that part of the river is at the end of the river, or that it was it seems like on google maps.

If there are other places I should try, please let me know or pm me. I would like to stay within 15-20 mins of Gaylord since the family will be at the cottage while me and a friend go fishing. I don't want to go far since cell phone service is not the greatest in that area.

Also what are the fishing regulations in regards to catch and release, or keeping fish for that time of the year and that zone? I read that there are spots that are only for fly fishing which we want to avoid since we will be doing regular fishing.

Thanks

Edited January 14, 2015 by huzzsaba

TDunn · January 14, 2015

The Manistee should be prime. I fished the Pere Marquette River about 5-6 weeks ago. Fished east of Ludington. Can't remember the name of the small town but it has an Orvis flysop. We stopped in bought a few flys and tbey gave us lots of info about the rivers. The Pere Marquette was a descent River(little small for me) with some nice fish but the Manistee will be where my next trip for steelies in Michigan is. I'm not sure what the seasons are for species inland but there should be a whack of rivers fairly close with steelhead.

Don't know if that helps.....maybe stop by or contact jays sporting goods.

TDunn