← Iron County

East Branch Ontonagon River River

πŸ“ Iron County, Michigan

East Branch Ontonagon River is a fishing water in Iron County, Michigan (Lake Superior management unit).

πŸ“‹ Last stocked 51 days ago
84
Fish species
0
Boat launches
βœ“
Public access
Conditions today C+ 63/100 Average conditions Last stocked Sep 9, 2026 Lake Sturgeon, 51 days ago Keeper size (estimated) Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout Stocked fish likely at keeper size by now Access 0 boat launches Public access

πŸ“Š Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable East Branch Ontonagon River looks for the day you pick (today by default), from 0 to 100. It adds up five things: how recently the lake was stocked, the moon phase, the season, how many game and panfish species live here (such as black crappie, brook trout and brown trout), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

C+
63/100
Friday, October 30, 2026
Conditions score

Average conditions, fish are catchable but may be selective.

🎣 Stocking
Stocked 51 days ago: fair
Last: Sep 9, 2026
πŸŒ– Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous
Feeding bonus
πŸ‚ Season
Fall feeding frenzy
October
🐟 Species
11 game/panfish species: outstanding variety
Game & panfish
πŸ“ Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for East Branch Ontonagon River Today

Fall fish at East Branch Ontonagon River are feeding heavily before winter. Match the forage: shad, crawfish, and perch patterns work well.

πŸ“Š Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy East Branch Ontonagon River is likely to be today. It looks at the day of the week, the time of year, and whether the lake has been stocked recently, because fresh stockings tend to draw anglers. Lower pressure usually means more room to work the water for black crappie, brook trout and brown trout.

Moderate estimated pressure today
Friday Peak season Popular stocking lake

Moderate activity expected. Midweek mornings are typically quieter.

Estimate based on day of week, season, and recent stocking. Not a live crowd count.

🐟 Fish Species in East Branch Ontonagon River

Black Crappie Good
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Brook Trout Good
Salvelinus fontinalis
Brown Trout Good
Salmo trutta
Chinook Salmon Good
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Lake Sturgeon Good
Acipenser fulvescens
Lake Trout Good
Salvelinus namaycush
Rainbow Trout Good
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Walleye Good
Sander vitreus
Yellow Perch Good
Perca flavescens
Creek Chub Good
Semotilus atromaculatus
Stonecat Good
Noturus flavus
American Brook Lamprey Good
Lampetra appendix
Barred Fantail Darter Good
Etheostoma flabellare var
Bigmouth Shiner Good
Notropis dorsalis
Black Redhorse Good
Moxostoma duquesnei
Blacknose Shiner Good
Notropis heterolepis
Blackside Darter Good
Percina maculata
Bluntnose Minnow Good
Pimephales notatus
Brassy Minnow Good
Hybognathus hankinsoni
Brindled Madtom Good
Noturus miurus
Brook Stickleback Good
Culaea inconstans
Central Mudminnow Good
Umbra limi
Central Stoneroller Good
Campostoma anomalum
Channel Darter Good
Percina copelandi
Chestnut Lamprey Good
Ichthyomyzon castaneus
Common Shiner Good
Luxilus cornutus
Eastern Sand Darter Good
Ammocrypta clara
Emerald Shiner Good
Notropis atherinoides
Fantail Darter Good
Etheostoma flabellare
Fathead Minnow Good
Pimephales promelas
Finescale Dace Good
Phoxinus neogaeus
Ghost Shiner Good
Notropis buchanani
Golden Redhorse Good
Moxostoma erythrurum
Greater Redhorse Good
Moxostoma valenciennesi
Greenside Darter Good
Etheostoma blennioides
Hornyhead Chub Good
Nocomis biguttatus
Iowa Darter Good
Etheostoma exile
Johnny Darter Good
Etheostoma nigrum
Kiyi Good
Coregonus kiyi
Lake Chub Good
Couesius plumbeus
Longnose Dace Good
Rhinichthys cataractae
Longnose Sucker Good
Catostomus catostomus
Margined Madtom Good
Noturus insignis
Mimic Shiner Good
Notropis volucellus
Mottled Sculpin Good
Cottus bairdii
Ninespine Stickleback Good
Pungitius pungitius
Northern Brook Lamprey Good
Ichthyomyzon fossor
Northern Hog Sucker Good
Hypentelium nigricans
Northern Logperch Good
Percina caprodes
Northern Pearl Dace Good
Margariscus nachtriebi
Northern Redbelly Dace Good
Phoxinus eos
Orangethroat Darter Good
Etheostoma spectabile
Pugnose Minnow Good
Opsopoeodus emiliae
Pygmy Whitefish Good
Prosopium coulteri
Quillback Good
Carpiodes cyprinus
Rainbow Darter Good
Etheostoma caeruleum
Redfin Shiner Good
Lythrurus umbratilis
Redside Dace Good
Clinostomus elongatus
River Chub Good
Nocomis micropogon
River Darter Good
Percina shumardi
River Redhorse Good
Moxostoma carinatum
Rosyface Shiner Good
Notropis rubellus
Ruffe Good
Gymnocephalus cernua
Sand Shiner Good
Notropis stramineus
Shield Darter Good
Percina peltata
Shorthead Redhorse Good
Moxostoma macrolepidotum
Shortjaw Cisco Good
Coregonus zenithicus
Silver Chub Good
Macrhybopsis storeriana
Silver Lamprey Good
Ichthyomyzon unicuspis
Silver Redhorse Good
Moxostoma anisurum
Silver Shiner Good
Notropis photogenis
Silverjaw Minnow Good
Notropis buccatus
Slimy Sculpin Good
Cottus cognatus
Spotfin Shiner Good
Cyprinella spiloptera
Spottail Shiner Good
Notropis hudsonius
Striped Fantail Darter Good
Etheostoma flabellare ssp
Striped Shiner Good
Luxilus chrysocephalus
Suckermouth Minnow Good
Phenacobius mirabilis
Tadpole Madtom Good
Noturus gyrinus
Threespine Stickleback Good
Gasterosteus aculeatus
Trout-Perch Good
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Western Blacknose Dace Good
Rhinichthys atratulus
Western Sand Darter Good
Ammocrypta pellucida
White Sucker Good
Catostomus commersonii
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πŸ“… Best Time to Fish East Branch Ontonagon River

Combined bite activity across all 84 species in this lake.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

πŸ“ Fishing Regulations

Statewide general rules for the species found here. Individual waters can have exceptions (special size limits, closed seasons, trout lake types), so check this lake's listing in the official DNR Fishing Guide before heading out.
SpeciesMin sizeDaily limit
Black CrappieNone25 sunfish combined
Brook Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Brown Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Rainbow Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Walleye15"5
Yellow PerchNone25
πŸ“… Stocking Timeline 5-year history
43 Stocking events
1,273,413 Fish stocked
5 Species
52d Since last stock
578d Longest gap
Rainbow Trout 186,389
Walleye 957,053
Lake Sturgeon 13,901
Brown Trout 81,196
Brook Trout 34,874
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Today
Qty / event
May '17
Sep '17
May '18
Aug '18
Sep '18
May '19
Jun '19
Sep '19
Oct '19
May '21
Jun '21
Sep '21
May '22
Jun '22
Sep '22
Oct '22
May '23
Jun '23
Sep '23
May '24
Jun '24
Sep '24
Oct '24
May '25
Jun '25
Jul '25
Nov '25
May '26
Sep '26

πŸ“‹ East Branch Ontonagon River Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Sep 9, 2026 Lake Sturgeon 225 7.2"
Sep 9, 2026 Lake Sturgeon 226 7.2"
May 28, 2026 Rainbow Trout 20,955 7.7"
Nov 4, 2025 Lake Sturgeon 878 10.0"
Jul 3, 2025 Walleye 13,802 2.3"
Jul 2, 2025 Lake Sturgeon 4,586 2.2"
Jun 5, 2025 Brook Trout 4,000 5.3"
May 5, 2025 Rainbow Trout 12,745 6.9"
Oct 29, 2024 Brown Trout 36,985 4.8"
Oct 29, 2024 Brown Trout 33,950 5.1"
Sep 23, 2024 Lake Sturgeon 141 6.2"
Sep 16, 2024 Lake Sturgeon 891 6.2"
Jun 5, 2024 Brook Trout 9,038 1.6"
May 2, 2024 Rainbow Trout 25,400 7.4"
Sep 28, 2023 Lake Sturgeon 372 6.7"
Sep 5, 2023 Lake Sturgeon 375 6.7"
Jun 27, 2023 Walleye 21,173 1.6"
Jun 8, 2023 Brook Trout 2,000 6.1"
May 10, 2023 Rainbow Trout 25,106 6.8"
May 9, 2023 Brook Trout 2,200 8.2"
Oct 4, 2022 Lake Sturgeon 491 7.1"
Sep 27, 2022 Lake Sturgeon 522 7.3"
Sep 14, 2022 Brook Trout 7,814 2.9"
Sep 14, 2022 Brook Trout 7,822 2.8"
Jun 2, 2022 Brook Trout 2,000 6.2"
Showing 25 of 180 stocking records, newest first

* Records shown are from our database. For the most current data, visit the Michigan DNR directly.

πŸ“… Stocking Forecast

Based on 180 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: May.
Peak Stocking Months
May Jun Sep
Most Stocked Species
Rainbow Trout Lake Sturgeon Walleye

* Forecast is based on historical DNR data and is not a guarantee of future stocking.

βš“ East Branch Ontonagon River Boat Launches

No launch data on record for this lake. Browse all Michigan boat launches.

πŸ’‘ Angler Tips for East Branch Ontonagon River

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🌀 Current East Branch Ontonagon River Weather Conditions

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