Pere Marquette River Fishing Map & Spots (MI)

Hatch outlook

White mayfly (Ephoron)Active window

Typical here: Jul 15 – Sep 30 · core weeks in August — shares its dusk with the White Miller caddis and gets confused with it

dundusk — the whole life cycle plays out in one evening — females mate, fly miles upstream and fall spent within a couple of hours; when the blizzard is too thick, your fly disappears in the crowd — fish the edges of the swarm
spinnerfull dark, same night

Smallmouth set up in feeding lanes like trout and will not move far — accuracy beats distance.

The best conventional surface window of late summer on smallmouth rivers: small white or bone surface plugs and propbaits in the last hour of light, white inline spinners run upstream through the feeding lanes, or a bubble with a White Wulff.

The event happens over sand- and silt-bottom runs with moderate current, feeding lanes below riffles

Blue-Winged OlivesActive window

Typical here: Mar 15 – Oct 24 · multiple broods — peaks early May and mid-June, again Sept–Oct at #20–24

dunmidday, roughly noon–3pm — the first dry-fly action of March and the last of October

Too small to match with hardware — use the schedule instead: midday, and the slow seams it pods fish into; smallest inline spinners and micro-jigs worked slow, or a bubble with an olive soft-hackle.

The event happens over seams, pool tails and flats

Isonychia (Slate Drake)Active window

Typical here: May 15 – Sep 30 · one of the Au Sable 'Big Five' — sporadic all summer rather than a dated blanket

nymphall day in fast water — often emerges by crawling out on shore or rocks — the fishable moment is the fast shoreward swim; fish the nymph with quick twitches toward the bank
dunevenings, sporadically — big fish stay watchful for the bug all summer, which makes it a searching-dry opportunity
spinnerdusk over the riffles — more concentrated action than the emergence itself

The best conventional crossover of the northern-Michigan summer: fish chase this fast-swimming nymph, so #1–2 inline spinners and small minnow plugs ripped through fast runs toward shoreline rocks duplicate it exactly, evenings May through September.

The event happens over fast riffles, boulder pockets and shoreline rocks

White Miller (caddis)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · core weeks late July to mid-August — NOT the same bug as the white mayfly that shares its evenings

pupalate evening into dark — larvae drift extensively before emerging and the surface emergence comes at last light — swing winged wets and actively stripped pupae through dusk
ovipositingdusk into dark — females dive and swim to the bottom in slow water to lay — a sunk white wet fished deliberately is truer than a dry

The prolific, predictable dusk food-form over sand and slow water in the dog days — primarily a night-fisher's event.

A late-summer dusk window on sand-bottom water: small white or pearl inline spinners fished slow near bottom in slow runs imitate the diving egg-layers surprisingly directly; white micro-jigs after dark.

The event happens over slow sand- and weed-bottom runs and pool edges

TricoActive window

Typical here: Jun 15 – Oct 20 · midsummer spinner falls come early; drifting toward mid-morning by fall

dunearly morning
spinnermornings, roughly 6–10am — the event is the fall, not the hatch

Honest answer: hardware can't match a #24 spinner. Fish the same pools with a bubble and a trico spinner on long fluorocarbon, or work micro-jigs through them after the fall ends.

The event happens over slow flats and pool tails

Terrestrials (hoppers, ants, beetles)Active window

Typical here: Jun 1 – Sep 30 · beetles from June, ants mid-June, hoppers mid-July to the end of September

adultwarm afternoons — wind is the delivery mechanism

The most spin-friendly 'hatch' of summer: 1.5–2" surface plugs and small poppers slapped along grassy, windy banks; a bubble-and-hopper rig out-casts any fly rod.

The event happens over grassy and undercut banks

Next on this water

Hendrickson · mayflyApr 15 – May 20 · in ~8 months

Spring black caddis (Grannom) · caddisApr 20 – Jun 30 · in ~8 months

Brown Drake · mayflyMay 15 – Jul 4 · in ~9 months

Sulphurs · mayflyMay 15 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Pere Marquette River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Pere Marquette River on the board.

Fishing Pere Marquette River: what the data says

Blue-ribbon flies-only water below Baldwin; wild browns, big fall salmon and steelhead. The river tops out around 8 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

Traced from the shoreline, Pere Marquette River runs 888 acres with 61.3 miles of edge. A development index of 14.7 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 20.1 mi long by 3.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Lake County. For a second option, Reed Lake lies 4 mi southeast.

Steelhead fishing at Pere Marquette River

When the water first warms, steelhead slide up into 1 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 3.7): a current seam around 4 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 3.7) (4 ft)	Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float
Summer	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 3.7) (4 ft)	Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards
Fall	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 3.7) (4 ft)	Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig

Chinook Salmon fishing at Pere Marquette River

In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Spring chinook salmon concentrate at Lowhead weir tailrace, a prime-rated dam tailrace around 7 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep

Brown Trout fishing at Pere Marquette River

Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 8 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 3.7). It's a current seam holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	2 to 8 ft	night & dawn	Current seam (mile 3.7) (4 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	1 to 8 ft	dusk & dawn	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	1 to 8 ft	dawn	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Crappie fishing at Pere Marquette River

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 6 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Pere Marquette River

In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 8 ft before dropping to 2 to 8 ft for winter. Winter bluegill concentrate at Tailout eddy (mile 11.9), a prime-rated eddy pocket around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	midday & dusk	open water	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 3.7) (4 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Tailout eddy (mile 11.9) (4 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Coho Salmon fishing at Pere Marquette River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: coho salmon in 1 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Lowhead weir tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse)
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft)	Small spoon, slow troll

Pere Marquette River also holds largemouth bass (2 to 8 ft in summer), rainbow trout (2 to 8 ft in summer), yellow perch (2 to 8 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

25 pieces of structure are mapped here — Lowhead weir tailrace, around 7 ft, is the deepest of them.

Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 7 ft
Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 7 ft
Eddy pocket (mile 10.1): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
Inside bend (mile 28.4): point, around 7 ft
Channel swing (mile 11.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 17.2): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.7): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 22.8): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 26.8): creek channel, around 6 ft
Channel swing (mile 21.1): creek channel, around 6 ft
Current seam (mile 18.3): current seam, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

M-37 Bridge — ramp, 15 trailer spots
Sulak - Upper Branch — ramp, 20 trailer spots
Walhalla Road Bridge — ramp, 15 trailer spots
The Forks — carry-in, 10 trailer spots
Landon Bridge

Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Pere Marquette River stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
May 19	Brown trout	1,935	~17.1"
Apr 28	Brown trout	3,300	~16.5"
Apr 28	Brown trout	2,400	~16.5"
Apr 28	Brown trout	5,200	~16.5"

Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.

Pere Marquette River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pere Marquette River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Pere Marquette River?

Pere Marquette River is about 8 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.

What fish are in Pere Marquette River?

Anglers target steelhead, chinook salmon, brown trout, crappie, bluegill, coho salmon, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Pere Marquette River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Pere Marquette River?

Current seam (mile 3.7) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for steelhead in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Pere Marquette River?

For steelhead, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

Is Pere Marquette River stocked with fish?

Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Pere Marquette River was most recently stocked May 19 with 1,935 brown trout. The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Pere Marquette River?

Fishing on Pere Marquette 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.

Nearby waters

Reed Lake 4 mi · Orchard Lake 4 mi · Rainbow Lake 4 mi · Emerson Lake 4 mi · Long Lake 5 mi · Cecilia Lake 5 mi · Gifford Lake 5 mi · Gooseneck Lake 6 mi · Nugent Lake 6 mi · Big Star Lake 6 mi · Tallman Lake 7 mi · Bartons Lake 8 mi

See how Pere Marquette River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan

More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (22 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or 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.