Prairie Creek, Ionia County Fishing
Ionia County and Montcalm County, MDNR trout water.
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The Prairie Creek, Ionia County: length, counties and fish
Through Ionia County and Montcalm County the Prairie Creek, Ionia County follows its bed as a stream. The flowline sum is about 23.3 miles. The nearest town is Muir, roughly 4 miles away.
The MDNR regulates about 23.3 miles as trout water (Type 4 – RBT1).
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| Type | Miles | Fishing season | Daily possession | Tackle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 4 – RBT1 | 23.3 | January 1st to December 31st | 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15" or greater and no more than one (1) Rainbow Trout. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. | Artificial lures and all types of natural bait may be used. |
On the Prairie Creek, Ionia County, the MDNR Type sets the season and the minimum size; Type 1 is the standard brook trout stream, Types 3 and 4 run year round.
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.
What swims in the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
The list joins the MDNR trout stream layer, fishing site lists, stocking events and records for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County; it is not a full survey.
MDNR trout stream layer, fishing sites, stocking table and state records.
Boat and canoe access to the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
The access data hold no launch on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County.
MDNR boat access sites, MDNR fishing sites, USGS gauges.
Size and bag limits on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
| 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 (Lower Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Lower Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | Last Sat. in April – 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 4) | 5 fish, but no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater; minimum brook 7", brown 10", salmon/lake trout/rainbow (steelhead)/splake 10" | Fishing: Open all year; possession: Last Sat. in April – Sep. 30 for brook trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon; open all year f |
Statewide inland rows for the Lower Peninsula apply on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County, with the trout row for stream Type 4; check the county exceptions too.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). All Michigan limits.
Plant history of the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
MDNR crews stocked the Prairie Creek, Ionia County 25 times (2024 to 2026), 28,868 fish.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 2,100 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 2,100 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 990 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 990 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 990 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 990 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 490 |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 12.8 in | 490 |
| May 8, 2025 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 14.9 in | 2,200 |
| May 8, 2025 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 14.9 in | 2,200 |
| May 8, 2025 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 14.9 in | 2,200 |
| May 8, 2025 | Brown trout | Sturgeon River | 14.9 in | 1,000 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026.
Near the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
Nearby inland lakes for a the Prairie Creek, Ionia County trip
- Grand River5 miles
- Woodard Lake5 miles
- Long Lake, Ionia County9 miles
- Clear Lake, Montcalm County9 miles
Tackle stores within a drive of the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
- Mead's Marine Repairmarina, Carson City, 9 miles
- Mystic Rodsbait and tackle shop, Portland, 13 miles
- Papas Tackle Box – CLOSEDbait and tackle shop, Crystal, 15 miles
- Magnum Sportsbait and tackle shop, Greenville, 18 miles
- Wet Willie's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Vestaburg, 18 miles
Hiring a guide for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
- Fishin 4 Trophies Charterscharter, Wyoming, (616) 318-0102
- reel down outfitterscharter, hastings, (616) 914-7416
Places to stay around the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
- Palo4 miles
- Muir4 miles
- Lyons5 miles
- Hubbardston6 miles
Nearby rivers for a Prairie Creek, Ionia County trip
- Butternut Creek9 miles
- Bellamy Creek10 miles
- Fish Creek12 miles
- Grand River14 miles
County fishing pages for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
- Ionia County
- Montcalm County
Piscifun reels worth packing for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
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Fish an angler meets at Prairie Creek, Ionia County
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Asked and answered: fishing the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
In which Michigan county is the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
Its course crosses Ionia County and Montcalm County.
Are trout legal to keep on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
About 23.3 miles carry an MDNR trout Type (Type 4 – RBT1).
Does a stream gauge sit on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
Nothing gauged here; neighboring river pages show USGS flows.
Can I put a canoe into the Prairie Creek, Ionia County at a launch?
The access data hold no launch for it.
What MDNR limits apply on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
Type 4 – RBT1: 5 fish, with no more than 3 trout 15" or greater and no more than one (1) Rainbow Trout. Zero (0) Arctic Grayling. Season: January 1st to December 31st.
Which Michigan license do I need on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
Which store on our Michigan list is closest to the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
Try Mead's Marine Repair (9 miles).
Which fish does the MDNR list for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
MDNR records name trout and brown trout.
Which town makes a handy base for the Prairie Creek, Ionia County?
By air, Muir is about 4 miles from the stream.
Set aside a river day on the Prairie Creek, Ionia County
Check the gauge and the Type rules before you go.