Escanaba River
Escanaba River Overview
The Escanaba River is best known for its trout fishing and, in fact, many anglers are not aware of the fine smallmouth bass fishery in the lower river. While the area just below Boney Falls Dam is heavily stocked with brown trout fingerlings, there are good numbers of smallmouth present, and as you go downstream the bass take over as the principal game fish.
Crayfish are favored prey of smallmouth bass and, unlike in many soft-bottomed UP rivers, they abound in the lower Escanaba River. Thus, using crayfish-imitating flies, plugs, and jigs is a good plan in this stained river water.
You can wade much of the Escanaba for several miles below the Boney Falls Dam, but a shallow bottom boat, canoe, or kayak will help you as you near the impoundments on the lower river. The bottom is mostly bedrock and quite slippery, so felt soles and a wading staff are recommended to keep you dry. There is good access at Boney Falls, but road crossings are scarce, so floating from bridge to bridge is a good plan.
Besides the Escanaba River, the Bay de Noc Area holds a lot of smallmouth bass and they are typically very under fished because most anglers in the area target walleyes, but that’s a good thing for the few anglers targeting the high-flying, acrobatic, tackle-testing bronzebacks. When fishing season starts, many bass are still spawning in area rivers, along rocky shorelines, and warmer bays. Some of the best areas on Little Bay to start fishing would be the West shoreline from Gladstone to the Terrace Bay Inn. Here you will find shallow gravelly areas, weed pockets, reed beds, pretty much a smallmouth bass heaven.
Escanaba River Character
The upper reaches of the river meander through marshes but the lower reach, which is covered on this page, the river widens and is slowed by the dams which create small impoundments along its course.
Escanaba river Landscape
The mouth of the river has an industrial flavor to it with the dams and paper mill as it empties into Bay de Noc. Upstream the river is more rural and tree lined with hardwoods along both shores and occasional dwellings.
Escanaba river Fish and Wildlife
While the Escanaba River is a legendary trout stream its lower waters also have a large quantity of smallmouth bass and northern pike.
Escanaba river History
The Escanaba River was home to the Chippewa Indians and the legendary Hiawatha. Indian villages existed along the banks of the river and Indians were living here when the first white men came to this region in the 1600's. The Indians named the river for the flat rocks over which it runs. In The Song of Hiawatha, Longfellow described how Hiawatha crossed the rushing Escanaba in pursuit of Mudjekeewis, whom he slew to avenge the death of his mother. The last Indian lands in the upper Peninsula were ceded to the United States in 1842. This closed an era that began about 10,000 years ago.
A short distance upriver from the bay, Alden Chandler built the first sawmill about 1835. Another mill was built in the early 1840's where the existing power dam now stands. Government surveyors were surprised to discover these mills and a small settlement here in 1844. These original mills were all water powered. The region was at first famous for its vast white pine forests. Lumber sawed here helped build Chicago and helped rebuild that city after the great fire of 1871. Hardwood flooring in large quantities was also produced here. At the turn of the century the I. Stephenson Co., with mills at the river mouth, was the largest producer of lumber in the world.
Escanaba river Map
No decent maps of the Escanaba River were located.
Escanaba River Gauge
USGS 04059000 ESCANABA RIVER AT CORNELL, MI
Escanaba river Shuttle and Rental Services
93 North Pine Street, Gwinn, MI 49841
906-458-2737
Escanaba
Kayak Rentals
Ludington Park, Bath House Road,
Escanaba, MI 49829
515.999.MISH
Up the Creek Adventures
Gladstone, MI
906-241-0145
Escanaba River trips
No decent topographic maps could be located to determine river gradients for these trips.
An angler could put in at the boat landing at the mouth of the river as it enters Bay de Noc and fish the bay area shoreline or paddle upstream to the first impoundment dam for some great smallmouth fishing.
If you wish to do a river float it is suggested that you put in at the canoe access site located on County Road 426 and float 9 miles down to the 21st Road Bridge Landing. This has a bicycle shuttle of 7.6 miles taking 37 minutes.
Another river float can be accomplished by putting in at the Robin G Road Bridge (Just below the Boney Falls Dam) and float the 6.8 miles to the canoe access site located on County Road 426. This is a 8.6 mile long bicycle shuttle taking 41 minutes.
No trips are detailed above Boney Falls Dam at this time.