Platte River Michigan Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Steelhead
Salmon
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Brook Trout
Size
Medium to Large, averaging up to 50
foot wide
Location
Northwest Michigan
Nearest Towns
Benzonia
Frankfort
Season
Varies with species
Special Regulations
Yes, be sure you check them prior to
fishing. Closed above Route 31 east
of Honor after Sept. 30th.
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Michigan
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season varies with the species and location.
Spring:
Springtime is the best time for trout because of the numerous hatches. Steelhead can be caught as late as
the end of April depending on the weather.
Summer:
Summertime continues to be a good time for trout.
Fall:
Salmon first enter the river and the steelhead follow. Steelhead begin entering the Platte River as early as middle of September. The fishing is good throughout the Fall. Trout fishing remains good during the Fall.
Winter:
All but the coldest days of Winter can be good for steelhead. The extremely cold water of January and February can make the fish sluggish but otherwise, fishing remains good throughout the Winter. .
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Platte River Michigan
The Platte River of Michigan is much, much smaller than the large Platte River that begins in Colorado. It’s a medium size tributary of Lake Michigan. The stream has a resident population of trout but also a good annual run of both steelhead and salmon.
Michigan’s Platte River is often challenging when it comes to catching steelhead. It’s waters are often very clear and shallow.
The stream’s headwaters start above Bronson Lake, flow into the lake, through Platte Lake and finally into Lake Michigan. It’s the water downstream of Bronson Lake that’s most popular and productive.
The bottom consist of cobble, gravel, rock and sand. Parts of it often have deadfalls. There’s undercut banks and plenty of places for trout to hide. Most of the cover is in the upper section of the river below Bronson Lake. The farther downstream you go, the wider the stream gets.
Steelhead and salmon fishing is best in the lower sections of the river. It probably averages between 25 to 40 feet in most places. It gets over sixty feet wide above Platte Lake and the deeper water provides better places for the steelhead. The water slows down some and there’s plenty of gravel runs for spawning steelhead and salmon.
There’s about ten miles of water between Bronson and Platte Lakes. The trout still exit in the larger part of the river and seem to be a product of the size of the river. They are much larger in the lower sections but naturally, not as easy to catch as the smaller trout in the upper reaches.
This river also has excellent hatches of aquatic insects. Stoneflies, caddisflies and mayflies are plentiful. Downstream of Platte Lake is usually not very productive, has little access and a boat is required to fish it. Migrating fish can be taken but all in all, it isn’t considered prime water.
Fly fishing the Platte River can be challenging at times. It can be technical at times. But all things considered it is one of Michigan’s best trout, steelhead and salmon streams.