# Petoskey area streams and rivers



## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

I am going to be in the Petoskey area on the weekend of the 20th and don't know that area at all. I am looking for any information on trout streams or rivers to try for trout, salmon, or steelhead. 

I mostly fly fish but any info will be helpful as to what methods work and general areas to try.

Thanks

John


----------



## Guest (Jul 13, 2001)

JNP, I'm not a flyfisherman but I do know the area quite well. There's the Maple river about 15 miles north, you can get access off of U.S. 31, turn on the road with the sign pointing to Hidden River golfcourse just north of Brutus. If you get an Emmet county map, there's probably other access no doubt. There's Minihaha creek and Silver Creek, they cross Pickeral Lake rd about 4 miles east of town these might be a little tight to sling around a fly rod. Of course the Bear river runs right into the harbor and gets a run of steelhead and salmon, they can only get about 100 yard up stream before hitting a dam. Might be a little early for both. Might want to take a look at a map and follow the Bear above the damn.
I was up there over the 4th, but only smallmouth fished off of the breakwall in the harbor, and casted for walleyes at night wading Crooked lake, right were the Minihaha runs into the lake. If you need any other info let me know, if have property 2 miles east of town near Pickeral lake rd.

p.s. There's also the Jordan river about 20 miles south of town, but i'm really not sure about the access sites. Here's a link to a Maple river map.
http://www.fishweb.com/maps/emmet/mapleriver/index.html


----------



## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

I was in East Jordan yesterday for work. One of the locals said they were doing well on browns in the Jordan. This river gets a very early run of salmon also. They no longer plant it but, fish do run it. This river has quite a few access sites and the farther you go up the river, the more you run into public land. Just below the fish hatchery in Alba, the fishing is quite good and there are wide open areas that you can use a fly rod.

You have the Boyne that is closer to Petoskey also.

The bear may offer some good brown fishing also.

Let us know how you did, where ever you go!


----------



## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

A little drive from Petosky to the south is Elk Rapids, a short stretch of river (a Dam to the mouth). I have fished there in the spring and did well on Steelhead, might be worth finding out if there are any fish there now!>>>Don


----------



## Gator (Mar 8, 2001)

I was in Petoskey for the first time over the weekend and fished the Maple River on Saturday night. There was no hatch going on that I could see, however some smaller fish were rising to tiny bugs, probably size 22 or smaller. I managed to catch a 7" brown on a coachmen and about the same size brookie on a size 18 adams.

The link in an earlier post in this thread has information on access points for the Maple. I fished primarily south of the dam and at the Brutus Rd. access points.

There were some nice deeper holes that I should have run a streamer through, however I was too lazy to tie one on. There are a lot of logs in the water at some places and some smaller jams that looked liked good cover for trout.

I talked to one local on the river who said the fishing is better there in May and June. The Orvis shop in Petoskey claimed that the Hex hatch was still going on there, however I saw none.

If I were to go up again in the near future and wanted to stay within an hour of Petoskey, I would try the Boyne or Jordan. A local told me they recently dumped 30,000 browns in the Jordan just downstream from the Dam Rd. access point. I have not been there myself, however it is noted in one of the Michigan flyfishing books. Not sure which one because I don't have them with me here at work.

I hope that this info helps you out.


----------



## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

I just wanted to thank all of you for the help. It looks like I have plenty of places to try now. I hope I get the chance to break away from the family and hit some of these places. If not then it will still be a fun trip. Thanks again and I will let you know how I do if I get to go.

John


----------



## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Thanks SFK. I will do that right now. We are leaving after work today and I can't wait. 

Hey I still have to meet you sometime. Maybe we can hit the smallies or something on Shoemans boat. That is if he doesn't decide just to stay up north the rest of his life 

John


----------



## primo (Apr 1, 2000)

The jordan is not stocked,but there is plenty of fish.Follow the pinny bridge road along the stream.Fly fishing is a waste of time there,you wont believe the amount of logs in the stream.the key are the logs,the stream is to swift to drift bait efficently.hint: try near the red bridge,i always find some big browns there.if you want brookies check the feeder creeks and the beaver ponds at the west end of the jordan valley.Might see you there this weekend.


----------



## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Thanks to all who helped me with info.

I got out on the Maple at both the brutus rd access and the maple river rd access. Fished early in the morning during a light rain and then it started to get sunny and warm up. Saw tons of small spinners on the water in size 20 or so and I am almost sure they were tricos. Never saw this hatch before but it looks like the pictures I have seen. I also saw a few Blue Winged Olives. Didn't see many risers though. The water downstream from Brutus Rd looked like it had some good structure but I fished upstream with dries. I was then going to fish downstream from Brutus Road and run some streamers through the cover but there were already some people fishing there so I headed up to the Maple River Rd access. The river was mostly shallow with a lot of fallen branches and some deeper runs and holes that looked decent. I did manage a couple of small trout ( I mean small) but it was a nice day out. Caught one small brookie and one small rainbow.

Even though they were small I was happy as they are my first stream trout of the year. I haven't gotten out much at all on the streams since I have been float tubing mostly this year.

Thanks again. If I get a chance I might try the bear river above the lake street dam tomorrow morning. Not sure though. I stayed out too long today and got in a bit of trouble from the family since they were waiting for me to get back to go visit my wife's uncle. I don't know if I want to press my luck.

John


----------



## Guest (Jul 21, 2001)

Man, that's great, know exactly where you went. Wish I was up there.

Where you staying, you right in town?


----------

