The wild steelhead broodstock river and DNR egg-take weir at Stronach.
Small, intimate, and technical, the Little Manistee is one of the most important steelhead rivers in the country. Its wild fish supply the eggs that stock Great Lakes steelhead fisheries far beyond Michigan.
Chinook and coho enter in the fall, but the Little Manistee's crown jewel is its wild steelhead. The DNR weir at Stronach collects wild steelhead eggs in spring.
Fall steelhead trickle in with the salmon; the wild spring run is the prize and draws careful, low-impact anglers.
This is a wade-and-cover-water river, not a big-boat float. Light presentations, beads, small spawn, and flies suit its intimate character. It is a sensitive, wild fishery, so tread lightly and know the regulations.
Access is more limited than the big rivers, with foot access at road crossings and DNR access sites. The river near the weir has specific regulations.
The DNR operates the Little Manistee River Weir near Stronach, where wild steelhead eggs are collected each spring to stock waters across the Great Lakes. These are naturally reproducing, wild fish.