← Branch County

Prairie River River

📍 Branch County, Michigan

Prairie River is a fishing water in Branch County, Michigan (Southern Lake Michigan management unit).

77
Fish species
0
Boat launches
✓
Public access
Conditions today D 47/100 Below-average Last stocked Apr 21, 1992 Brown Trout, 34.5 years ago Keeper size (estimated) No estimate Not enough size data Access 0 boat launches Public access

📊 Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable Prairie 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 flathead catfish, brown trout and creek chub), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

D
47/100
Friday, October 30, 2026
Conditions score

Below-average, consider a different lake or time of day.

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Apr 21, 1992
Last: Apr 21, 1992
🌖 Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous
Feeding bonus
🍂 Season
Fall feeding frenzy
October
🐟 Species
4 species recorded
Game & panfish
📐 Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for Prairie River Today

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

📊 Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy Prairie 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 flathead catfish, brown trout and creek chub.

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 Prairie River

Flathead Catfish Good
Pylodictis olivaris
Brown Trout Good
Salmo trutta
Creek Chub Good
Semotilus atromaculatus
Stonecat Good
Noturus flavus
American Brook Lamprey Good
Lampetra appendix
American Eel Good
Anguilla rostrata
Barred Fantail Darter Good
Etheostoma flabellare var
Bigmouth Buffalo Good
Ictiobus cyprinellus
Bigmouth Shiner Good
Notropis dorsalis
Black Buffalo Good
Ictiobus niger
Black Redhorse Good
Moxostoma duquesnei
Blacknose Shiner Good
Notropis heterolepis
Blackside Darter Good
Percina maculata
Blackstripe Topminnow Good
Fundulus notatus
Bluntnose Minnow Good
Pimephales notatus
Brassy Minnow Good
Hybognathus hankinsoni
Brindled Madtom Good
Noturus miurus
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
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
Lake Chub Good
Couesius plumbeus
Lake Chubsucker Good
Erimyzon sucetta
Longnose Dace Good
Rhinichthys cataractae
Margined Madtom Good
Noturus insignis
Mimic Shiner Good
Notropis volucellus
Mottled Sculpin Good
Cottus bairdii
Northern Brook Lamprey Good
Ichthyomyzon fossor
Northern Hog Sucker Good
Hypentelium nigricans
Northern Logperch Good
Percina caprodes
Northern Longear Sunfish Good
Lepomis megalotis
Orangethroat Darter Good
Etheostoma spectabile
Pugnose Minnow Good
Opsopoeodus emiliae
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
Sand Shiner Good
Notropis stramineus
Shield Darter Good
Percina peltata
Shorthead Redhorse Good
Moxostoma macrolepidotum
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
Skipjack Herring Good
Alosa chrysochloris
Slimy Sculpin Good
Cottus cognatus
Southern Redbelly Dace Good
Phoxinus erythrogaster
Spotfin Shiner Good
Cyprinella spiloptera
Spottail Shiner Good
Notropis hudsonius
Spotted Sucker Good
Minytrema melanops
Starhead Topminnow Good
Fundulus dispar
Striped Fantail Darter Good
Etheostoma flabellare ssp
Striped Shiner Good
Luxilus chrysocephalus
Suckermouth Minnow Good
Phenacobius mirabilis
Tadpole Madtom Good
Noturus gyrinus
Trout-Perch Good
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Western Blacknose Dace Good
Rhinichthys atratulus
Western Creek Chubsucker Good
Erimyzon oblongus
Western Sand Darter Good
Ammocrypta pellucida
White Sucker Good
Catostomus commersonii
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📅 Best Time to Fish Prairie River

Combined bite activity across all 77 species in this lake.

Jan
Feb
Mar
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May
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Jul
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Dec

📏 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
Flathead Catfish15"5
Brown Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"

📋 Prairie River Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Apr 21, 1992 Brown Trout 1,189 6.0"
Apr 21, 1992 Brown Trout 1,190 6.0"
Apr 21, 1992 Brown Trout 989 6.0"
Apr 7, 1992 Brown Trout 1,960 6.0"
Apr 7, 1992 Brown Trout 1,460 6.0"
May 14, 1991 Brown Trout 2,076 5.8"
May 14, 1991 Brown Trout 1,554 5.8"
May 14, 1991 Brown Trout 2,075 5.8"
Apr 4, 1991 Brown Trout 783 5.8"
Apr 4, 1991 Brown Trout 981 5.8"
Apr 4, 1991 Brown Trout 1,179 5.8"
Apr 4, 1991 Brown Trout 990 5.8"
Apr 4, 1991 Brown Trout 1,190 5.8"
Apr 18, 1990 Brown Trout 800 5.0"
Apr 18, 1990 Brown Trout 1,200 5.0"
Mar 29, 1990 Brown Trout 2,000 5.2"
Mar 29, 1990 Brown Trout 1,500 5.2"
Mar 29, 1990 Brown Trout 1,000 5.2"
Mar 29, 1990 Brown Trout 1,200 5.2"
May 18, 1989 Brown Trout 2,000 6.3"
May 18, 1989 Brown Trout 1,500 6.3"
Apr 18, 1989 Brown Trout 1,000 5.8"
Apr 18, 1989 Brown Trout 1,200 5.8"
Apr 18, 1989 Brown Trout 800 5.8"
Apr 5, 1988 Brown Trout 1,000 5.5"
Showing 25 of 69 stocking records, newest first

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

📅 Stocking Forecast

Based on 69 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: Mar.
Peak Stocking Months
Apr May Mar
Most Stocked Species
Brown Trout

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

⚓ Prairie River Boat Launches

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

💡 Angler Tips for Prairie River

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🌤 Current Prairie River Weather Conditions

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🔗 Resources

📋 DNR Stocking Database 📖 Michigan Fishing Guide (PDF) 🗺 View on Map 📍 Google Maps 🎣 Log a catch here