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Brown-trout water winding from Brown Bridge down into Traverse City. The river tops out around 6 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Boardman River maps at 261 acres behind 37.3 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 16.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. The basin spans about 10.4 mi end to end and 5 mi across at its widest. It sits in Grand Traverse County. Its nearest charted neighbour, High Lake, is 2 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 6 ft covers summer, 1 to 6 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Current seam (mile 2.1), a current seam in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 1 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 1 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 2.1): a current seam around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring chinook salmon on Boardman River hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Dam tailrace — dam tailrace, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 90 ft | midday | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Early season coho salmon use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. The chart's best answer is Dam tailrace — dam tailrace, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake sturgeon in 1 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for lake sturgeon in spring. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | night & dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Dam tailrace (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Dam tailrace (5 ft) |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 6 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 2.1). It's a current seam holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.1) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Boardman River carries 15 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Dam tailrace, about 5 ft down.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4 | Chinook salmon | 96,113 | ~9" |
| Apr 29 | Coho salmon | 57,380 | ~13.9" |
| Apr 29 | Coho salmon | 33,993 | ~13.9" |
| Apr 13 | Rainbow trout | 8,497 | ~20" |
| Apr 13 | Rainbow trout | 8,450 | ~20" |
| Oct 16, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | 10 | ~17.3" |
| Oct 12, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | 160 | ~15.8" |
| Sep 27, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | 137 | ~16.7" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Boardman River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Boardman River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brown trout, brook trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake sturgeon, rainbow trout on Boardman River.
Current seam (mile 2.1) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Boardman River was most recently stocked May 4 with 96,113 chinook salmon. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Boardman River is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
High Lake 2 mi · Arbutus Lake 3 mi · Indian Lake 4 mi · Boardman Lake 4 mi · Rennie Lake 5 mi · Silver Lake 6 mi · Dollar Lake 7 mi · Bass Lake 8 mi · Cedar Lake 9 mi · Coffield Lake 9 mi · Long Lake 10 mi · Ellis Lake 10 mi
See how Boardman River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan · best chinook salmon lakes in Michigan · best coho salmon lakes in Michigan · best brown trout lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Grand Traverse County fishing maps (23 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.