Chris Izworski’s daily Michigan trout report turns to the Brule River this morning, where spring runoff still holds the water’s fate in its hands. The gauge sits at 3.91 feet with flows measured at 375 cubic feet per second, running at 89 percent of the historical median for this date. That’s the critical detail to start with: the river is near normal, which on a Upper Peninsula freestone in mid-May means you’re looking at conditions worth considering.

The Brule forms the Michigan-Wisconsin border near Florence, and it carries the character of its geography: a remote, freestone stream that sees far fewer anglers than it deserves. Both brookies and browns live here, and both are responsive now. May is one of the best months on Michigan’s trout rivers, full stop. The water is cold, the hatches are emerging in predictable sequences, and the fish have burned through their post-spawn lethargy. The question is whether the Brule’s snowmelt cycle is cooperating.

At 375 cfs, the river is running clean and wadeable. This is fishable water. The median for May 15 historically sits around 420 cfs, so you’re slightly below average, which actually works in your favor after the chaos of April. The Upper Peninsula’s deep snowpack takes time to release, and rivers here can swing wildly until early June. The fact that the Brule is tracking near normal means you’ve caught a window where the melt isn’t blowing things out.

What’s Hatching and When to Fish It

Hendricksons are here in serious numbers by mid-May on the Brule, with peak emergence running from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. If you make the drive today, the afternoon is your window. Fish the flatter water on the rises with a Hendrickson Dry in size 12, or work a Red Quill through the same zones. Before the hatch pops, spend the morning nymphing the riffles with a Hendrickson Nymph, size 12. The water is still cold enough that subsurface work will produce.

Sulphurs are building and will be heavy by next week. For today, they’re a secondary player, but this is worth noting: the evening hatch runs from 7 to 9 p.m., and the golden-hour window lasts until 9:18 p.m. If you’re still on the water at 7:48 p.m., when the light turns amber, you’ll have 90 minutes of prime dry-fly fishing. Fish a Sulphur Comparadun or Parachute in size 14, on 5X or 6X tippet. The presentation matters more than perfection.

Grannom caddis are active. Swing an Elk Hair Caddis, size 14, through the riffles on the rise. Early brown stoneflies are also present. The same caddis pattern works for skating adults on the surface, or drop to a Hare’s Ear Nymph in size 12 and fish the riffles methodically.

Blue-Winged Olives will show up on overcast stretches. Have Parachute BWOs in size 16 in your box. If the sky stays clear most of the day, they won’t be heavy, but you’ll see sporadic rises in the slower water. The water temperature gauge wasn’t available today, so watch the air: if clouds roll in and temperatures stay in the 50s, the bwo activity will pick up.

Access and Regulations

The Brule is accessible near US-2 and the Florence area on the Wisconsin side. This is a border river, which means you need to know which state’s water you’re fishing and carry the appropriate license. If you’re fishing the Michigan side, you need a Michigan license and must follow Michigan regulations. Wisconsin side requires a Wisconsin license. Both are available at standard outlets in the area. Check the current regs for both states before you go, as possession limits and season dates matter and can differ.

The river is remote enough that you won’t be elbow to elbow with other anglers, especially on a Friday morning before the weekend crowd arrives. This is one of the Brule’s greatest assets.

The Drive and the Forecast

The gauge is showing clean water today, and the seasonal timing is right. If you’re within three hours of the border, this is a day worth the drive. Fish the afternoon hatch, work the sulphur window at dusk, and expect responsive trout. May fishing on the Brule is what you came north for.

For live gauge data and real-time flow updates, check https://michigantroutreport.com.