# Motors on rivers



## TheSteelDeal (Mar 6, 2019)

What determines whether a boat with motor is aloud on a river or stream? Can I take a motorboat on any river/stream unless otherwise posted. If so where are these postings published? Thanks for the help.


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## mjh4 (Feb 2, 2018)

That is a very good question. Unless posted I'd say yeah you can as long as the waters deep enough to travel and you have access. But I would call the DNR fisheries division and ask them cause there might be some small designated trout streams that you can't travel using a motor. 


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## TheSteelDeal (Mar 6, 2019)

mjh4 said:


> That is a very good question. Unless posted I'd say yeah you can as long as the waters deep enough to travel and you have access. But I would call the DNR fisheries division and ask them cause there might be some small designated trout streams that you can't travel using a motor.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Thanks. I’ve been searching online for awhile now. I’ve found nothing other than a reg. For the P.M. river. If nobody else has an answer, Your right I’ll have to call. Hope I get somebody To answer in these COVID times we live in.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

You can run motors in the PM - at least in the lower sections. Some rivers have restrictions prohibiting motors, and on some it just isn't practical to try to run a motor.


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## Walleye5-0 (Feb 15, 2019)

TheSteelDeal said:


> What determines whether a boat with motor is aloud on a river or stream? Can I take a motorboat on any river/stream unless otherwise posted. If so where are these postings published? Thanks for the help.


Look up the local watercraft controls for the area you are trying to go.

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79772_79773_83491---,00.html


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## Cptncor84 (Dec 23, 2019)

I have heard that on the PM no motors above Custer, and on the Big Man no motors above M66. Not sure if there are any legalities but we were going to shoot up the Big Man as far as we can on jet skis just for fun this summer and also have been wondering this. I do fly fish and would surely honor those in the river but we wanted a full day exploring not doing doughnuts and messing around.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Maybe Plugger will see this and chime in on the upper limit of motors on the PM. I am sure he knows for sure. I think that it may be Indian Bridge that is the upper limit but I am not sure.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Yes, Indian Bridge unless it changed recently.


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## TheSteelDeal (Mar 6, 2019)

I thought it was the weir on the PM? Oh well. I was thinking smaller streams. For  example boardman, Jordan, Boyne, bear creek. 

Running jet skis up a river would probably be a blast!! Low clear water, Great way to learn the basics of a river in a hurry!! I’m in.... 

That reminds me. years ago I was fishing 6th street. There were 3 dudes up top above the damn on waverunners. They were getting right at the edge of the dam. So close that I could see the bottoms of their hulls and they were shooting their roosts on some of the guys fishing below!! I was in my 20s, dumb and fearless, and I still thought these guys were F N crazy!!


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## Cptncor84 (Dec 23, 2019)

I would imagine there is direct wording in some legal doc the DNR must have. 

Yes running down some of these streams is so much fun, have a couple buddies with old skis in the UP and we have run down the Big Taq all the way to the falls from Newberry. There are also some skinny offshoots you can jump beaver dams and mess around. There are also numerous streams you can run up a couple miles off Lake Superior.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

TheSteelDeal said:


> That reminds me. years ago I was fishing 6th street. There were 3 dudes up top above the damn on waverunners. They were getting right at the edge of the dam. So close that I could see the bottoms of their hulls and they were shooting their roosts on some of the guys fishing below!! I was in my 20s, dumb and fearless, and I still thought these guys were F N crazy!!


I watched a couple guys do that one day in March, many years ago - riding the old stand-up jet skis across the dam. They were riding the curve as the water slid over, and one guy mis-judged. It cost him his life. All I could think was, "it was so avoidable." But it was still sad.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Cptncor84 said:


> I have heard that on the PM no motors above Custer, and on the Big Man no motors above M66. Not sure if there are any legalities but we were going to shoot up the Big Man as far as we can on jet skis just for fun this summer and also have been wondering this. I do fly fish and would surely honor those in the river but we wanted a full day exploring not doing doughnuts and messing around.


I bet many river fronters and users will love that.


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