The Manitowoc River is a picturesque waterway that flows approximately 36 miles through eastern Wisconsin before emptying into Lake Michigan at the city of Manitowoc. The river has two distinct sections: the upper portion above Clarks Mills, which is wide, sluggish, and marshy with a soft bottom and a gentle gradient of about one foot per mile, and the lower portion below Clarks Mills, which features a steeper gradient of about 12 feet per mile with a bottom composed primarily of rock ranging from gravel to boulder. The lower stretch includes deep natural pools and dredged areas in its final 4.8 miles as it approaches Lake Michigan. With its diverse habitats and connection to Lake Michigan, the Manitowoc River offers anglers excellent opportunities to target a variety of freshwater species throughout the year.