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For the smallmouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 $159.99
Lake Gogebic 19 mi
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 
Portage Lake near Dollar Bay, Houghton County, 9,324 acres 51 mi
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Michigan rivers
Pick for smallmouthPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 $129.99
Cranberry River Fishing
Ontonagon County.
Pick for smallmouthPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Lake Gogebic: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Michigan rivers
An overview of the Cranberry River
The Cranberry River is a Michigan river running through Ontonagon County. Roughly 20 miles are traced by the MDNR. Census points make Ontonagon closest, about 10 miles out.
20miles mapped
1counties
0USGS gauges
0launches
Access
Putting in on the Cranberry River
Road crossings and public ground are the way onto the Cranberry River.
MDNR boat access sites, MDNR fishing sites, USGS gauges.
Regulations
Season dates on the Cranberry River
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye (Upper Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Upper Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Muskellunge | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters) | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| White bass | 10 | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 5 in any combination | Open all year |
| Burbot | 5 | Open all year |
| Trout in unclassified lakes | 5, no more than 3 of which may be 15 inches or greater; minimum 8 inches | Open all year |
On the Cranberry River, the Upper Peninsula inland table applies, except where the digest names it.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). All Michigan limits.
For the smallmouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Nearby
Close by the Cranberry River
Neighboring lakes to the Cranberry River
- Clouds, Lake of the17 miles
- Mirror Lake, Ontonagon County17 miles
- Lake Gogebic19 miles
- Steusser Lake22 miles
Guided trips on the Cranberry River
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Overnight stops close to the Cranberry River
- White Pine8 miles
- Ontonagon10 miles
- Rockland11 miles
- Bergland13 miles
More Michigan rivers by the Cranberry River
- Deer Creek, Ontonagon County4 miles
- Ontonagon River7 miles
- Mineral River8 miles
- Cascade Creek8 miles
Where the Cranberry River sits by county
Piscifun
A Piscifun setup for a day on the Cranberry River
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Photographs
The shore near Cranberry River through a lens
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Answers
The Cranberry River, settled in a sentence each
Which Michigan counties does the Cranberry River cross?
MDNR flowlines put it in Ontonagon County.
What trout rules cover the Cranberry River?
The MDNR gives it no trout Type.
Is the Cranberry River high or low today?
No active USGS gauge on our list matches it.
Can I paddle and fish the Cranberry River?
No launch on file.
Are there gear restrictions on the Cranberry River?
Michigan statewide limits, unless the county list names it.
What does Michigan charge to fish the Cranberry River?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from the Cranberry River?
Bring bait; every listed shop is over 25 miles away.
What swims in the Cranberry River?
No MDNR fish list is published for it.
How far is the Cranberry River from a Michigan town?
Ontonagon lies about 10 miles from the MDNR point.
Drive north to the Cranberry River
Trout seasons change by Type; read them first.