Fishes Boardman River
River · Grand Traverse County in northwest Lower Michigan, running north from the Mayfield and Brown Bridge country into Traverse City and Grand Traverse Bay · Michigan
Boardman River Fishing Guides
A cold, sand-and-gravel northern Michigan trout river running into Traverse City, transformed by one of the largest dam removal projects in the Midwest.
Gauge location. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides on the Boardman River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Boardman River
The Boardman is the river that made Traverse City a fishing town. It runs about thirty miles north through Grand Traverse County, spring-fed and cold, over the sand and gravel typical of northwest Lower Michigan, and empties into the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay in the middle of the city. Above town it is classic northern Michigan trout water: cedar-lined, tannin-tinted, with sweeping bends, deep outside corners and long shallow gravel runs. The reach above Brown Bridge Road where this gauge sits is among the most attractive water on the river.
What sets the last fifteen years apart is restoration. A sequence of dam removals through the 2010s, among the largest such projects in the region, reopened long stretches of the river to natural flow and to fish movement, and the sediment and temperature regime has been settling ever since. Resident brown trout are the primary fishery and hold through the upper and middle river. Brook trout persist in the colder feeder water. In the lower river below town, steelhead and salmon run up from the bay, giving the system a second and completely different seasonal fishery. Note that the river was officially renamed the Ottaway River in 2023 in recognition of Anishinaabe history, though the USGS station and most local usage still say Boardman.
Guides fish it by wading and by small drift boat depending on the reach, and access along the upper river is good through state and county land. It is a river worth reading carefully rather than covering fast. The gauge here reports discharge and stage but not water temperature, which matters in a system this dependent on cold water, so anglers working the marginal summer stretches should carry a thermometer and fish the shaded upper water when the days get hot.
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Access
Brown Bridge Quiet Area near Mayfield - trail and bank access on the upper river at the former impoundment.
Forks Campground at the confluence of the branches - developed access at the top of the mainstem.
Scheck's Place State Forest Campground - riverside camping and wading access on the upper river.
Shumsky access site off Supply Road - established launch and parking on the middle river.
Beitner Park in Traverse City - lower river access with parking and a canoe launch.
Sabin and Boardman dam sites - restoration-area access below the former impoundments.
Union Street dam area in Traverse City - lower river access for steelhead and salmon runs.
Seasons
Spring: high water and the steelhead run in the lower river, with the upper river settling into good trout fishing by May.
Summer: prime wading months on the upper river, with strong evening hatches and best fishing in the shaded cedar reaches.
Fall: brown trout turn aggressive before the spawn and salmon push up from the bay into the lower river.
Winter: cold and quiet, with limited trout fishing and steelhead holding in the lower river between thaws.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Boardman River?
As of Sep 17, 5:15 am, the USGS gauge BOARDMAN R ABOVE BROWN BRIDGE ROAD NR MAYFIELD, MI reads 151 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Boardman River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead on the Boardman River in Michigan.
Are there fishing guides on the Boardman River?
GuidedFloats lists 2 guides and outfitters on the Boardman River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Boardman River?
Brown Bridge Quiet Area near Mayfield - trail and bank access on the upper river at the former impoundment. Forks Campground at the confluence of the branches - developed access at the top of the mainstem. Scheck's Place State Forest Campground - riverside camping and wading access on the upper river. Shumsky access site off Supply Road - established launch and parking on the middle river. Beitner Park in Traverse City - lower river access with parking and a canoe launch. Sabin and Boardman dam sites - restoration-area access below the former impoundments. Union Street dam area in Traverse Cit...
When is the best time to fish the Boardman River?
Spring: high water and the steelhead run in the lower river, with the upper river settling into good trout fishing by May. Summer: prime wading months on the upper river, with strong evening hatches and best fishing in the shaded cedar reaches. Fall: brown trout turn aggressive before the spawn and salmon push up from the bay into the lower river. Winter: cold and quiet, with limited trout fishing and steelhead holding in the lower river between thaws.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Boardman River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Michigan agency site: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/fishing/fishing-regulations