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Brook Trout
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0 
Lake Sturgeon
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain 
Flathead Catfish
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain 
White Bass
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Michigan rivers
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Ontonagon River Fishing
Ontonagon County, MDNR trout water.
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Michigan rivers
The Ontonagon River in brief
MDNR flowlines carry the Ontonagon River, a river, across Ontonagon County. MDNR flowline segments add up to about 24.3 miles. About 7 miles separates the mapped point from Ontonagon.
Trout water on file: about 24.3 miles, Type 3. It is measured by 1 active gauge. MDNR access data map 2 public launches.
24.3miles mapped
24.3trout miles
1USGS gauges
2launches
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Trout regulation sections of the Ontonagon River
24.3trout miles
0designated miles
| Type | Miles | Fishing season | Daily possession | Tackle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 3 | 24.3 | January 1st to December 31st | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15" or greater. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. | Artificial lures and all types of natural bait may be used. |
The Ontonagon River trout Types decide when it is open and what size you may keep.
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
MDNR Trout and Salmon Inland Stream Regulation Types and gear-restricted layers; 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). Michigan trout streams.
Fish
The fish list for the Ontonagon River
MDNR sources name these fish on the Ontonagon River; other species are likely present.
MDNR trout stream layer, fishing sites, stocking table and state records.
Flow
River flow for the Ontonagon River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon River Near Rockland, Mi | 579 cfs, 5.49 ft gage height | Nov 12 2:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 2:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Access
Access points on the Ontonagon River
- Ontonagon Municipal Boat Access6 lanes, 65 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport, Ontonagon County
- Ewen Boat Accessboat ramp, 8 trailer spaces, toilet, Recreation Passport, Ontonagon County
MDNR boat access sites, MDNR fishing sites, USGS gauges.
Regulations
The regulations that cover the Ontonagon 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 and salmon (stream Type 3) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 15", brown 15", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Open all year; possession: Open all year |
The Ontonagon River sits on the Upper Peninsula, so those walleye and pike rows apply, with the trout row for stream Type 3.
Digest exceptions naming the Ontonagon River
- Ontonagon CountyOntonagon R. from its confluence with the Victoria Hydro station tailrace (T50N, R39W, SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of S29) upstream to Victoria Dam, including the trailrace canal closed to fishing April 1 – Jun. 10.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). All Michigan limits.
Stocking
Fish planted in the Ontonagon River
The MDNR table logs 9 plants in the Ontonagon River from 2024 to 2026, 91,684 fish in all.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 9, 2026 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 18.4 in | 226 |
| September 9, 2026 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 18.4 in | 225 |
| July 2, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 5.5 in | 4,586 |
| November 4, 2025 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 25.4 in | 878 |
| July 3, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 5.7 in | 13,802 |
| October 29, 2024 | Brown trout | Wild Rose | 12.3 in | 36,985 |
| October 29, 2024 | Brown trout | Wild Rose | 12.9 in | 33,950 |
| September 16, 2024 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 15.8 in | 891 |
| September 23, 2024 | Lake sturgeon | Sturgeon-Baraga | 15.8 in | 141 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026.
Nearby
In the Ontonagon River area
More Michigan lakes by the Ontonagon River
- Courtney Lake16 miles
- Clear Lake, Houghton County20 miles
- Sandy Lake20 miles
- Pike Lake, Houghton County21 miles
Captains who run the Ontonagon River
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Where to sleep for a trip to the Ontonagon River
- Rockland5 miles
- Ontonagon7 miles
- Greenland9 miles
- Mass City9 miles
Streams in the same corner as the Ontonagon River
- Deer Creek, Ontonagon County4 miles
- Flintsteel River6 miles
- Cranberry River7 miles
- Firesteel River10 miles
the Ontonagon River county guides
Piscifun
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for the Ontonagon River
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Fish ID
Species to expect at Ontonagon River
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Things to settle before fishing the Ontonagon River
Where does the Ontonagon River run in Michigan?
Mapped, it runs through Ontonagon County.
Is the Ontonagon River a Michigan trout stream?
It has about 24.3 miles of trout water (Type 3).
What are the latest readings on the Ontonagon River?
See the 1 USGS gauge above.
How many MDNR launches line the Ontonagon River?
2 public launches are mapped, Ewen Boat Access among them.
What are the keeper rules for the Ontonagon River?
Type 3: 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15" or greater. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. Season: January 1st to December 31st.
Does fishing the Ontonagon River call for a Michigan license?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
Who sells bait nearest the Ontonagon River?
None of our shops is within 25 miles.
Which fish are in the Ontonagon River?
Records point to trout, lake sturgeon, walleye and brown trout.
Which Michigan town neighbors the Ontonagon River?
Census data make Ontonagon closest, around 7 miles away.
Wade or float the Ontonagon River
Look at flow and limits, then drive.