Pine River, MI - Briar Patch to Low Bridge

One of the four brown trout we caught this trip.  Fishing was tricky.  The Pine is a swift flowing river and it was very difficult to fish from the boat.  We couldn't stop too much because we had to make it to Low Bridge on the third day to pick up our car.

This was our first canoe camping trip away from home.  One of the canoe liveries on the Pine River was willing to transport us and our gear up river to Briar Patch and drop us off.  They also stationed our car at Low Bridge three days later when we were scheduled to arrive there.  The Pine is a beautiful, clear, swift flowing river.  Much of it flows through the Huron Manistee national forest and is lined at times by eastern hemlock and white cedar.  The river has very few fish other than trout.  We caught four browns on this trip but the river also holds smaller populations of Brookies and Rainbows.  The hi-light of this trip was a bald eagle that flew up river right over our canoe as we rounded a bend in the middle of Huron-Manistee National Forest.  A permit from recreation.gov is required to canoe or kayak the Pine through the national forest.  The entire river corridor through the National Forest is protected and dispersed camping is only allowed if you are at least a quarter mile off the river.

Our starting point at 9:00am at Briar Patch.   Canoes and Kayaks aren't allowed on the river before 9:00am.  Prior to 9:00am and after 6:00pm is fly fishing from shore only.

Our campsite the first night.

The campsite the second night was on a bluff overlooking the river in Huron Manistee National Forest.  Dispersed camping is allowed in the national forest so long as you camp a minimum of a quarter mile off the river.  The river corridor is protected and patrolled.

There are small sandy beaches all along the pine.  These served as pull off spots where we could fish without having to steer the canoe.  This spot was just downriver from Peterson Bridge.

Refilling our water supply.  We boiled water on the first night but were able to find enough potable water along the way for the rest of the time.

Put-in.........: Briar Patch

Take-out.......: Low Bridge

Miles..........: 40.4
Miles to Date..: 199.3
Map Used.......: 
Fish...........: Brown Trout.