DROP A LINE IN MANISTEE COUNTY

GET YOUR FISH ON IN MANISTEE COUNTY! 

Cast away your troubles and go fishing in a world-class destination right here in northwest Michigan.  Check out the variety of fishing opportunities from our inland lakes to our scenic rivers.  Manistee County has a variety of affordable lodging options and we’re a 4 season fishing community.  

River, Lake & Launch Maps

Access our downloadable river and boat launch resources

Access each page for an interactive map:

Fish from the shore:

License Information

Access a complete list of Michigan Department of Natural Resources License Items & Fee Schedule | Learn More

Purchase a MDNR fishing license now! | Get Started

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO BAIT… 

and Manistee County is stocked and ready for your next fishing adventure.  Here you’ll find all the resources you need to make it happen.

Purchase a Fishing License
Leave No Trace
DNR Fishing
Little Manistee River Weir
Michigan Fishing Guide
Sport Fishing Association

Your Fish Stories. #MyManistee

Search Fishing by selecting a point on the map to learn more or you may access a complete list below.

 

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ACCESS RIVER, LAKE AND BOAT LAUNCHES 

Access our downloadable river and boat launch resources

Download the Little/Big Manistee River and Pine River Map

Lake/Boat Launch Map

Access each page for an interactive map:

Big Manistee River

Little Manistee River

Pine River

Betsie River

Betsie River

Rivers and Paddling

Little Manistee River

Little Manistee River

River Country, Rivers and Paddling

Pine River

Pine River

River Country, Rivers and Paddling

Big Manistee River

Big Manistee River

River Country, Rivers and Paddling

Explore the Shores

Explore the Shores

Fishing and Hunting, Manistee Area, North Coast, River Country, Rivers and Paddling

 

Follow the travelers that love Manistee County, enjoy these stories about our incredible outdoor recreation, things-to-do, dining, shopping and unique experiences you will ONLY find here.

Browse our latest #MyManistee perspectives here, or scroll through these top stories in your category.

Dark Skies and Northern Lights

by | December 15, 2020 | Outdoors, Uncategorized, Winter, Winter 24-25 blog | 0 Comments

 Manistee National Forest/Big M: Just off M 55 between Wellston and Manistee the Big M Recreation Area offers you a beautiful opportunity to experience the clear skies like never before. Big M is a great spot since it is close to the communities, but in the heart of...
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ALERT

by | April 17, 2026 | Boating & Harbors, Fishing & Hunting, Media Relations, Outdoors, Rivers & Paddling, Spring | 0 Comments

2026 State of Emergency: Manistee County Flooding Manistee County is currently experiencing significant flooding due to rapid snowmelt and sustained rainfall. River levels have risen well beyond normal conditions, creating serious impacts across the region. Areas near...
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Let’s go for a ride!

by | January 29, 2019 | Trails, What To Do | 0 Comments

Grab your bike and let’s go riding... Sometimes, the best areas to ride, are not the formal trail systems in the region. Summer beach rides are a blissful way to go for a ride. Generally winds are lower in the summer so it is easy to cruise along the water...
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A weekend snowmobiling trip…

by | November 13, 2016 | Adventure Sports, Snowmobiling, Winter, Winter Trails & Slopes | 0 Comments

Take a weekend and take to the trails.  Manistee County is a pretty great place to drop in with the sleds for a weekend.  Two great snowmobiling clubs manage and maintain the trails in the area.  The Wellston Snowmobiling club maintains the southern trail...
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Hiking the Loop: Manistee River Trail & North Country Trail Loop

by | February 18, 2016 | Fall, Outdoors, Spring, Summer, Trails, Winter, Winter Trails & Slopes | 66 Comments

Nestled in the Manistee National Forest you will find hundreds of miles of marked trails for those who love to hike, bike, or in the winter, cross country ski and snowshoe. Which trail should you choose for your weekend adventure? We suggest the North Country Trail...
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Riding the Big Bear Butt Cruise

by | February 10, 2016 | Adventure Sports, Conversations, Outdoors | 0 Comments

Multi-kilometer bicycle cruises, northern Lower Michigan scenery, campfires and camaraderie. It seemed like a success story just waiting to be written for Manistee County native Bob Schuelke. He turned a love of cycling and the community he grew up in into...
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A Wedding Weekend in Manistee County

by | March 22, 2017 | Fall, Featured, Outdoors, Spring, Summer, Winter | 0 Comments

It’s a place you never thought of and the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. It’s the shoreline wedding with soft, sandy beaches and a deep blue water horizon that stretches as far as you can see, or the woodland wedding with rolling hills of green and an...
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Big M’s Outer Loop

by | February 24, 2021 | Adventure Sports, Featured, First Time Visitors, Outdoors, Trails, What To Do, Winter, Winter Trails & Slopes | 0 Comments

Where we gonna ride today, Dyl? Today we are riding the Outer Loop at Big M! The outer loop is about 15 miles and depending on the conditions of the day, can take anywhere from just under 2 hours, to up to three and a half or more if conditions are like below! The...
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Mortimer E. Cooley Bridge

by | February 15, 2016 | Fall, Local History, Self Guided Tours | 0 Comments

I can’t count how many times I’ve traveled across M-55 to get to Manistee County from the east side of the state.  What I recently learned is that right before the village of Wellston, you will cross one of Michigan's rarest truss bridges. The Cooley...
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Discover River Country

by | June 17, 2025 | First Time Visitors, Outdoors, Summer, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Home to 3 major rivers, it isn’t hard to figure out how this region earned its name. Our southern-most region is the ideal destination for those seeking a place to launch their watercraft, anglers looking for a place to cast a line, and hikers and bikers ready to take...
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