# Michigan Trout Weekly: June 21, 2026
Chris Izworski, reporting on the state of Michigan trout water for the week ending Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The third week of June brings the season into a deliberate rhythm. Water temperatures have climbed into the mid-sixties across much of the state, pushing fish into morning and evening windows. Flows remain stable following the spring recession, with most rivers running clear and wadeable. The brown drake emergence is beginning to wind down in the northern half of the state, while the Hexagenia hatch is positioning itself for the week ahead. Conditions favor those willing to fish the margins of daylight.
Northern Lower Peninsula
The Au Sable system continues to fish well, though the character of the day has shifted. Mornings offer sulphur spinners over the flats between Burton’s Landing and Wakeley Bridge, with trout working methodically in the film from first light until eight o’clock. The brown drake hatch, while still present, has thinned considerably. Sporadic drakes appear around dusk, but the heavy flights of early June have passed. The Manistee below Tippy Dam is running at 1,150 cubic feet per second, gauge height at 4.2 feet. The river fishes large and cold, with nymphing the most consistent approach through the long middle hours. Look for fish holding tight to structure. The Jordan, quieter and more intimate, offers small-water dry fly opportunities through the day. Pale morning duns appear sporadically in the slower stretches above the hatchery, and terrestrials are beginning to show relevance along grassy banks. Fish a size 14 Parachute Adams or a size 16 Beetle near undercut margins. For those seeking solitude and technical water, spend an afternoon on the upper Jordan.
Western Lower Peninsula
The Pere Marquette is entering its summer profile. Flows below the middle branch confluence are holding at 420 cubic feet per second, with water clarity excellent and temperatures pushing sixty-eight degrees by mid-afternoon. Sulphurs continue to emerge in the late afternoons, particularly in the broken water above Claybanks, though the hatch lacks the density of late May. Brown drakes are still in play at Green Cottage and downstream through the lower canyon, with fish rising sporadically between nine and ten-thirty in the evening. Bring a headlamp. The Betsie River, smaller and more forgiving, offers solid dry fly water through the morning hours. Isonychia nymphs are active, and a size 12 Pheasant Tail or Hare’s Ear fished deep through the runs below Kurick Road will move fish. The Little Manistee remains cold and clear, running at 180 cubic feet per second. Caddis emerge through the afternoon, and a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis will cover most situations. The evening rise is modest but consistent, with fish working the tailouts and slicks below Driftwood Valley. If you are looking for a single, reliable piece of water this week, fish the Little Manistee between two and six in the afternoon with a dry-dropper rig: Elk Hair Caddis trailing a size 16 Pheasant Tail.
Upper Peninsula
The Fox River below Seney is fishing exceptionally well. Flows are moderate at 210 cubic feet per second, gauge height at 2.8 feet, and the water remains cool enough to support all-day activity. Sulphurs are emerging in good numbers through the mid-afternoon, particularly in the slower water near the Highway 77 bridge. Browns are rising willingly to a size 14 Sulphur Comparadun. The evening session brings sporadic Isonychia and a scattering of brown drakes, though neither in heavy numbers. The Two Hearted, remote and still cold, is fishing slower but holds promise for those willing to walk. The upper stretches near the High Bridge remain in the low fifties, and fish are opportunistic rather than selective. Nymph the pockets with a size 12 Hare’s Ear or swing a soft hackle through the tailouts. The Michigamme, west of Marquette, is running clear and stable. Caddis are the primary event, with sporadic hatches through the afternoon and a reliable emergence near dusk. A size 14 Elk Hair Caddis or a size 16 Parachute Adams will handle most situations. For a rewarding day on foot, work the Fox between the Highway 77 bridge and the lower stretches toward Seney. The river is accessible, the hatches are predictable, and the fish are active.
Live conditions, flow data, and regional updates are available at michigantroutreport.com. The network remains the most reliable resource for current readings across the state.