Winter Steelhead in Michigan: River Run Timing and Flows

Q: When do steelhead run in Michigan?

Michigan Department of Natural Resources describes fall run steelhead from Oct 25 to Dec 31; spring run steelhead from Mar 1 to May 10, heaviest April. Many Michigan steelhead enter the rivers in autumn and hold there all winter, and these fall run fish are usually the first to spawn, often in March.

Q: Which Michigan rivers have winter steelhead?

The rivers Michigan DNR names with steelhead in the river between December and April include the Little Manistee River, Manistee River, Pere Marquette River, Muskegon River, Grand River, St. Joseph River, Betsie River, Manistique River and 5 more. Each one is listed below with its agency timing and the source sentence.

Q: When is the peak of the steelhead run in Michigan?

Michigan DNR gives these peaks: spring run steelhead: April; Little Manistee River: Mid March to mid April (egg take). Rain and water temperature move the week from one year to the next, which is why the live gauge readings sit beside the table.

Q: Where is the Michigan steelhead fishing report?

Michigan DNR publishes the Little Manistee River Weir (daily), the Little Manistee River Weir historical counts (spring steelhead, fall steelhead, 1968 on) (annual), the DNR Weekly Fishing Report (weekly) and the Creel surveys. All are linked below.

Q: Which Michigan steelhead rivers are wild runs?

The Little Manistee River is recorded as a wild run with no hatchery stocking.

Q: How high is the Little Manistee River running today?

The rivers table reads the latest discharge and water temperature straight from USGS for 8 Michigan steelhead rivers with a USGS discharge gauge, the Little Manistee River among them, and sets each flow beside the gauge's median for today's date from its full record.

Q: Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in Michigan?

No. A run window is when the fish move, and it is biology. Seasons, licences and river closures are set by Michigan Department of Natural Resources and change inside a year; its current regulations are linked beside the rivers table.

Q: Are Michigan steelhead native?

Great Lakes steelhead are a stocked and naturalized fish. New York DEC writes that steelhead have been stocked in Lake Erie since the late 1800s and, though not native to the system, are now a naturalized part of its fish community. In Michigan, Michigan DNR describes fall run steelhead Oct 25 to Dec 31 and spring run steelhead Mar 1 to May 10.

Rivers and flows

Michigan steelhead rivers, run timing and flow today

Each river below is one Michigan Department of Natural Resources names for steelhead, with the timing it gives and the sentence it came from. Beside it, the latest discharge from the river’s USGS gauge and the median discharge for today’s date across that gauge’s years of record, so a reading of 150% means the river is carrying half again its usual flow for the day. 5 of the gauges also report water temperature.

Michigan steelhead rivers named by Michigan Department of Natural Resources, with the latest USGS discharge and water temperature and the median discharge for today’s date over each gauge’s record.
River	Run timing	Hatchery	Flow now	Median for today	Water temp
Little Manistee RiverLake Michigan The only steelhead egg-take river in Michigan; the run is mostly wild fish and strays, and its eggs become the Michigan winter-run strain stocked by Ohio and Indiana. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04126195	Weir in during the first two weeks of March until the egg quota, usually by mid April; fall steelhead counted Aug 15 to Nov 15Peak: Mid March to mid April (egg take)	Wild run	Loading	Loading	Loading
Manistee RiverLake Michigan Named by the DNR among the state's better-known steelhead rivers, with creel surveys run on it. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04125550	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Pere Marquette RiverLake Michigan One of the Lake Michigan rivers the DNR lists first when it names Michigan's best-known steelhead water. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04122500	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Muskegon RiverLake Michigan In mid October 2025 the DNR reported steelhead just beginning to run in the Muskegon in Newaygo County. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04121970	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Grand RiverLake Michigan Michigan's longest river, listed by the DNR among its better-known steelhead rivers. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04119400	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
St. Joseph RiverLake Michigan Spring reports from the DNR place steelhead through the lower river and up to the Berrien Springs dam. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04101500	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Betsie RiverLake Michigan Named by the DNR among its better-known Lake Michigan steelhead rivers. Michigan DNR source	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Run timing from Michigan DNR, with the note and source beside it.
Manistique RiverLake Michigan The Upper Peninsula Lake Michigan river on the DNR's list of better-known steelhead rivers. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04056500	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Au Sable RiverLake Huron The DNR's Lake Huron steelhead river, with fish reported from the mouth at Oscoda up to Foote Dam. Michigan DNR source USGS gauge 04137500	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Thunder Bay RiverLake Huron At Alpena the DNR reports steelhead in the short reach below the 9th Street dam. Michigan DNR source	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Run timing from Michigan DNR, with the note and source beside it.
Huron River (Lake Erie)Lake Erie The DNR's named steelhead river in the Lake Erie watershed. Michigan DNR source	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Run timing from Michigan DNR, with the note and source beside it.
Two Hearted RiverLake Superior One of the two Lake Superior rivers the DNR names for steelhead. Michigan DNR source	Late Oct to early May	See the note	Run timing from Michigan DNR, with the note and source beside it.
Carp and Chocolay rivers (Marquette)Lake Superior Near Marquette the DNR reported steelhead numbers climbing in both rivers by early April. Michigan DNR source	Spring, as reported early April	See the note	Run timing from Michigan DNR, with the note and source beside it.

Run calendar

When steelhead are in Michigan rivers

The months Michigan DNR gives for each river, laid on a July to June year so a winter run reads as one bar. Rain and water temperature move the weeks inside those months from one year to the next.

Little Manistee RiverLake MichiganWeir in during the first two weeks of March until the egg quota, usually by mid April; fall steelhead counted Aug 15 to Nov 15
Manistee RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Pere Marquette RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Muskegon RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Grand RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
St. Joseph RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Betsie RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Manistique RiverLake MichiganLate Oct to early May
Au Sable RiverLake HuronLate Oct to early May
Thunder Bay RiverLake HuronLate Oct to early May
Huron River (Lake Erie)Lake ErieLate Oct to early May
Two Hearted RiverLake SuperiorLate Oct to early May
Carp and Chocolay rivers (Marquette)Lake SuperiorSpring, as reported early April

Fall run steelhead
Spring run steelhead
Nov, the current month

Michigan steelhead months by river, from Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Fish in the river across Oct to May.

The runs, in Michigan DNR’s words

Fall run steelhead, Oct 25 to Dec 31. Many Michigan steelhead enter the rivers in autumn and hold there all winter, and these fall run fish are usually the first to spawn, often in March. Although many steelhead enter the rivers in the fall and overwinter there, spawning does not occur until spring. The fall-run fish are typically the first to spawn, often in March, followed by the spring run fish in April. Source
Spring run steelhead, Mar 1 to May 10, peak April. A second wave enters in spring and spawns in April, after the fish that came in during the fall. Lake steelhead enter their spawning streams from late October to early May. Source

Water temperature and the run

By mid-October the run has intensified as the water temperatures of the streams drop to the optimum range of 45-58 degrees F for migration.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

A person in waders and a knit cap crouching in brown river water, holding a bright silver steelhead with a pink cheek low at the surface — A steelhead from a Lake Erie tributary in late November, kept low in the water. Steelhead are not native to the Great Lakes; New York has stocked them in Lake Erie since the late 1800s, and they run up tributaries from the lakes in fall, winter and spring. “Great Lakes Steelhead” by ColtonOrbaker, CC BY-SA 3.0

Reports

Michigan steelhead reports and counts

Where Michigan DNR publishes the current picture: fishing reports, weir and hatchery counts, and creel surveys, each with how often it is updated.

Little Manistee River WeirMichigan DNR, weir count, dailyThe hotline is updated daily during times of heavy activity at the weir.
Little Manistee River Weir historical counts (spring steelhead, fall steelhead, 1968 on)Michigan DNR, weir count, annualHistorical Data Little Manistee River Weir Trout and Salmon Counted Spring and Fall
DNR Weekly Fishing ReportMichigan DNR, fishing report, weeklyThe updates come from a combination of creel clerks and other DNR staff around the state and reflect past fishing conditions over the last seven days.
Creel surveysMichigan DNR, creel

Mist lifting off a wide river on a cold grey morning, bare and yellowing trees on both banks and a bridge faint in the distance — Mist on the Salmon River in New York on an October morning. The Lake Ontario tributaries take their first steelhead in fall, and fish keep entering through the winter into spring. “Can you tell how cold it must be on the salmon river - panoramio” by Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0

Elsewhere

Steelhead run timing in other states

Questions about Michigan steelhead

When do steelhead run in Michigan?

Which Michigan rivers have winter steelhead?

When is the peak of the steelhead run in Michigan?

Where is the Michigan steelhead fishing report?

Which Michigan steelhead rivers are wild runs?

How high is the Little Manistee River running today?

Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in Michigan?

Are Michigan steelhead native?

River timing from Michigan Department of Natural Resources pages, each linked beside its river. Flow, water temperature and the daily median from the USGS Water Services. Compiled September 21, 2026.

Michigan salmon run timingThe chinook and coho runs on the same rivers, in the months before the steelhead.Michigan trout stockingThe same species as a freshwater fish, stocked on a schedule.Michigan river levelsEvery USGS gauge in the state against its own record for the date.