Blue Ribbon Trout Streams

Michigan is blessed with an abundance of cold, quality trout waters offering 38,000 plus miles of rivers and streams, including over 20,000 miles of classified trout streams. About 850 miles are considered premier top-quality streams, which Michigan once classified as its Blue Ribbon Trout Streams.

While no longer officially designated by Michigan, the standards for a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream still hold true.. It must be one of Michigan’s best trout streams, be able to support excellent stocks of wild resident trout, have the physical characteristics to permit fly casting but be shallow enough to wade, produce diverse insect life and good fly hatches, have earned a reputation for providing an excellent (quality) trout fishing experience, and have excellent water quality.

Stream and County	Upstream Limit	Downstream Limit	Miles
14. AuGres, East Branch; Iosco Co.	Junction of Hale Creek and Smith Creek	Whittemore Road	12
15. AuSable, Main Branch; Crawford and Oscoda Co.	Upper Section: Co. 612 Lower Section: Mio Dam	Upper Section: Luzerne Co. Pk. Lower Section: Alcona Line	79 17
16. AuSable, North Branch; Crawford and Otsego Co.	Dam No. 2	Main Branch AuSable	24
17. AuSable, South Branch; Crawford and Roscommon Co.	Roscommon	Main Branch AuSable	19
18. AuSable, East Branch; Crawford Co.	Lewiston Grade Road	Main Branch AuSable	7
19. Baldwin Creek; Lake Co.	24th Street	Pere Marquette River	12
20. Bear Creek; Manistee Co. Wild and Scenic River	Junction with 3rd Creek	Nine Mile Road	15
21. Big Creek, West and East Branches; Crawford Co.	East Branch: County Line West Branch: Townline Road	N. Branch AuSable N. Branch AuSable	7 6
22. Big Creek, Middle, West and East Branches; Oscoda Co.	West Branch: Junction with Hunt Creek East Branch: T25N, R2E, Sec. 6	Main Branch AuSable Mail Branch AuSable	15 5
23. Black River; Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Montmorency and Otsego Co.	McKinnon’s Bend	Cheboygan/Presque Isle County Line	41
24. Black River, East Branch; Montmorency Co.	T31, R1E, Sec. 26	Junction with Black River, Main Branch	13
25. Boardman River; Grand Traverse Co.	Junction with N. & S. Branches	T26N, R11W, Sec. 3	18
26. Boardman River, N. Br.; Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Co.	Junction with Crafton Creek	T26N, R9W, Sec. 4	10
27. Boardman River, S. Br.;Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Co.	Boardman River Road	T26N, R9W, Sec. 4	8
28. Boyne River; Charlevoix Co.	North Branch: Hudson Rd. Main Branch: Metros Rd.	T32N, R5W, Sec. 8 T32N, R5W, Sec. 8	4
29. Canada Creek; Presque Isle and Montmorency Co.	Junction with Montague Creek	Cheboygan County Line	12
30. Cedar River; Antrim Co.	Stover Pond	Bellaire	4
31. Cedar River; Clare & Gladwin Co.	Junction with Mid. Br.	Bard Road (Gladwin Co.)	3.5
32. Clam River; Missaukee Co.	Wexford Co. Line	Turnerville Road	19
33. Gilchrist Creek; Montmorency Co.	Branch of Greasey Creek	Thunder Bay River	8
34. Hunt Creek; Montmorency Co.	Research Station	Thunder Bay River	10
35. Jordan River; Antrim Co.	Junction with Green River	Charlevoix Co. Line	9
36. Little Manistee River; Mason and Lake Co.	County Road 633	Manistee Co. Line	31
37. Manistee River; Kalkaska and Crawford Co.	Deward Area	Junction with North Branch Big Manistee	36
38. Manistee River, North Branch; Kalkaska Co.	Mecum Road	Junction with Big Manistee	4
39. Maple River; Emmet Co.	Maple River Dam	Cheboygan Co. Line	4
40. Middle Branch River; Osceola Co.	T20N, R7W, Sec. 19	Marion Pond	6
41. Pere Marquette River; Mason and Lake Co.	Broadway Road (USFS Road 5132)	Indian Bridge	39
42. Pere Marquette River, Little South Branch; Lake and Newaygo Co.	Curtis Bridge	Pere Marquette River	9.5
43. Pigeon River; Cheboygan and Otsego Co.	T32N, R2W, Sec. 25-26 Boundary	M-68	31
44. Pine River; Manistee, Lake and Osceola Co. Wild and Scenic River	Juncture of North and East Branch of Pine	Tippy Pond	57
45. Platte River; Benzie Co.	Maple City Road	Honor	6
46. Sable, Big; Mason and Lake Co.	USFS Road 51199	USFS Road 5205	12
47. Sturgeon River; Cheybogan and Otsego Co.	Sturgeon Valley Road	Burt Lake	21
48. Sturgeon River, West Branch; Cheboygan Co.	Wilderness Road	Sturgeon River	12
49. White River, Newaygo Co.	USFS Road 5276	Baseline Road at White Cloud	7.5

 

 

Stream and County	Upstream Limit	Downstream Limit	Miles
1. Brule River; Iron Co.	M-73	M-189	12.5
2. Cooks Run; Iron Co.	US-2	Paint River	6
3. Fence River; Iron Co.	Junction with E. Branch	T45N, R13W, Sec. 35	12
4. Ford River; Dickinson Co.	T43N, R30W, Sec 15	Henderson	16
5. Fox River; Schoolcraft Co.	Spring Pond	Seney	18
6. Fox River, East Branch; Schoolcraft Co.	M-77	Luce County Line	15
7. Iron River; Iron Co.	Raft Lake	Iron River	12.5
8. Ontonagon River, East Branch; Houghton Co.	Lower Dam Falls	Sparrow Rapids	13
9. Ontonagon River, Middle Branch; Gogebic and Ontonagon Co.	Uppper Section: R45N, R39W, Sec. 19 Lower Section: Bond Falls	Upper Section: Ontonagon Co. Line Lower Section: M-28	12 10.5
10. Paint River; Iron Co.	USFS Road 149	Gibbs City	18
11. Sturgeon River, West Branch; Houghton Co.	W. Br. Sturgeon Falls	M-38	5
12. Tahquamenon River, East Branch; Chippewa Co.	Strongs Corner	T46N, R7W, Sec. 9 (near Buckhorn Camp)	19
13. Two Hearted River; Luce Co.	T48N, R12W, Sec. 12	Junction with East Branch Two Hearted River	36