He specializes is both fly fishing and light spin tackle trips for cold and warm water species along the grand river, manistee river, muskegon river, pere marquette river, and white river. Kevins fishing report includes a photo of a client holding a nice steelhead, big trout, or a great bass and a brief comment on fishing conditions on the muskegon river. Its the muskegon river lodge on western michigans muskegon river. With the best spawning habitat of the whole river, the flies. Its popular for its large runs of steelhead and salmon as well as its trout fishing opportunities. Muskegon river fly fishing great lakes steelhead guides for. Feenstra guide service is a fly fishing guide service in west michigan. Since i didnt know how to cast a spey rod and didnt know if i. Steelhead fly tying guide great lakes fly fishing company.
Michigan winter steelhead the muskegon river offers the best steelhead fishing in michigan. Jeff boks on the betsie river in northern michigan using an eggsucking leech michael klint borozan, sr. This world famous river is best known for its annual, migratory salmon and steelhead runs, as well as having a flies only section of the river dedicated to catch and release fishing. Get the latest up to date fly fishing report for trout, steelhead, pacific salmon fishing in muskegon river with the top producing flies and recommended equipment to get you into fish. Fall and early winter muskegon river steelhead fly fishing is a particularly memorable experience because the steelhead, hard and chrome, fight even more spectacularly than the spring fish, which are challenging enough in their own right. So, i called kevin and discussed my interest in swinging flies for steelhead.
This is a large river, but you can fish it fairly well on foot in february before the spring runoff swells its flow. Join mad river outfitters with host steve kuieck in beautiful michigan at the muskegon river lodge for an exclusive steelhead fly fishing experience. Muskegon river fall steelhead fishing reports steelhead fishing has been very good during the past week or so. Should you decide to tip your guide, do so based on effort and level of service, much like a restaurant. Fly fishing the muskegon river michigan the muskegon river is a tailwater that flows from muskegon lake through croton dam into lake michigan. During this time, spring steelhead feed heavily on king salmon fry, gobies, sculpin, scuds, green caddis, and after waking up from winters slumber, steelhead absolutely love the late winter stonefly. Their motivation is available food and the urge to spawn. Double digit hook ups have been the norm for this time of year. We offer year around guide and charter services for steelhead, salmon, and trout. Best way to fish long distances, with the least amount of effort. Muskegon river steelheadmuskegon river steelhead muskegon. Swinging flies for steelhead on the muskegon river youtube.
Offering worldclass fly fishing year round, the muskegon river with its runs of anadramous steelhead and salmon, resident bron and rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass is a substantial western style river with prolific caddisfly and mayfly hatches and tremendous numbers of. Spring steelhead are the crown jewel of the great lakes. Betts guide service michigan steelhead, salmon, and. Muskegon river fly fishing great lakes steelhead guides. Steelhead fishing charter muskegon river, mi fly fire river. The muskegon river lodge offers superb fly fishing literally a cast away from the deck overlooking the river. This website is a resource for any angler looking for information about the muskegon river and west michigan fishing conditions. Michigans ultimate year round steelhead, trout and salmon fly fishing experience.
Muskegon river outfitters is devoted to making guided fishing trips on michigans muskegon river an unforgettable adventure. On behalf of the muskegon river steelhead fishing, the steelhead bite has been fantastic for those of us that can find and target these winter steelhead. Steelhead flies michigan steelhead flies for the muskegon river, pere marquette river and manistee mojo flies great lakes steelhead flies for west michigan and lake erie tribs. On average, steelhead come back for 810 years from lake michigan, and as such, steelhead return in larger quantities each year to the muskegon river. Because the muskegon river is a mid draw dam, the muskegon river never freezes, allowing anglers an opportunity for good steelhead fishing throughout the winter months. Fall steelhead fly fishing for fall steelhead manistee. With great weather, this is a favorite time for muskegon river steelhead fishing.
There is much emphasis here on spey fishing techniques including casting both spey and switch rods. This river starts just east of baldwin and empties into pere marquette lake in ludington. The muskegon river is a premier steelhead river, with opportunities to catch. Fall and winter steelhead fishing muskegon river is a wonderful time with an abundance of steelhead and trout fishing with floats and spawn, the perferred technic. Fly fire guide service has taken countless anglers on fishing excursions that prove to be successful, exciting and memorable. This book serves as a followup and updating of an earlier book which the author cowrote with his brother. Muskegon river, steelhead guide service, for muskegon. It includes specific information, techniques and stepbystep instructions for flies in each of the catagories.
Muskegon river fishing report michigan fly fire river. American river steelheading can be divided into two categories. Swinging spey flies has grown increasingly popular with our clients, whether in the spring or fall. Good numbers of steelhead in the upper muskegon river near the croton dam.
Starting to more bright spring steelhead entering the lower river. You throw everything in your fly box at the steelhead, but the fish dont give your flies so much as a sniff. Spring also brings lake michigan browns close to shore. Muskegon river fishing guide service fishing for steelhead. Float fishing with beads or spawn has been very productive. Fly fishing with black stone flies are also producing. Back to the west side, the muskegon river receives a strong run of steelhead and remains icefree between the croton dam and the town of newaygo. Good old small mouth you can count on the small mouth.
Muskegon river steelhead first class guided fly fishing charters on michigans muskegon river, pere marquette river, and manistee river for great lakes steelhead and chinook salmon. Swinging flies on the muskegon river with a spey rod. We guide anglers for trophy steelhead, salmon, and trout on the muskegon river below the croton dam. Book your muskegon river fly fishing charter fly fire river. Steelhead fly tying guide is a pattern book but it is much more. To move stale winter fish, try a fresh twist on fabled patterns. See more ideas about fly fishing, michigan and fish.
Whether dry fly fishing, swinging spey flies, nymphing, or pulling streamers let jon share with you the opportunity for a fishing experience of a lifetime. Muskegon river only second to the grand river, the muskegon river is the second longest river in michigan stretching from the houghton lake area to muskegon lake before flowing on to lake michigan. Since i didnt know how to cast a spey rod and didnt. Spring steelhead fishing in michigan is a different animal from fall steelhead fishing. Its located in the western portion of the lower peninsula of michigan.
Top 5 steelhead flies for michigan current works guide service. Experienced american river steelhead fishermen have learned to walk the bluffs that rise over known steelhead holding water and look for fish down below. Jeff boks on the betsie river in northern michigan using an eggsucking leech. You will find classic riffles and pools in this large river between newaygo and croton dam in newaygo county, along with a lot of prime spawning gravel. Best times fish muskegon river muskegon river steelhead. All of the rivers on the west coast of michigan get a fall steelhead run. The 56yearold owner of the gray drake and trout and eagle lodges on the banks of the muskegon river draws it all together in an eyecatching. Check out the pictures below from this past week on the muskegon river and grand river. Mar 24, 2020 muskegon river fall steelhead fishing reports steelhead fishing has been very good during the past week or so. Betts guide service michigan steelhead, salmon, and trout.
Due to the nature of such fishing with flies being cast in the air, protective eyewear highly recommended. Steelhead are the only freshwater game fish that will strike a fly savagely in 35 degree water, leap relentlessly, make blistering lightning quick runs, and test every fly fishing skill you possess. Michigan muskegon river steelhead fishing report fall. Find out where the action is, what the water conditions are and everything you need for a successful day on the water. Late winter and spring is muskegon river steelhead time. Now booking for fall salmon and steelhead on the pere marquette and muskegon rivers. Spring steelhead indicator fishing rigging and techniques. Finpatroll charters muskegon river steelhead guide saginaw. Apr 30, 2018 muskegon river steelhead first class guided fly fishing charters on michigans muskegon river, pere marquette river, and manistee river for great lakes steelhead and chinook salmon. Looking forward my crystal ball says good steelhead fishing the remainder of the winter and excellent steelhead fishing mid fed through march. Streamers, hexes, stone flies, nymphs, and egg patterns for steelhead. The steelhead migration lasts much longer on these two river because they are dam controlled that feed cold water into these two rivers. There is also a rather extensive section of full page color photos of steelhead flies along with recipes for tying them.
We offer fully guided all inclusive guided fly fishing trips on the muskegon river, pere marquette, big manistee, and grand rivers, located in western michigan. Timing can vary year to year but generally they start showing in decent numbers towards the end of the salmon run. The muskegon river usually receives a good latefall run, so there will already be steelhead present when you read this. Small mouth bass fishing was hot last spring and was good all summer. Jan 07, 2016 swinging flies for steelhead on the muskegon river, michigan. Rivers we fish jeff bacon muskegon river steelhead. Swinging flies for steelhead on the muskegon river, michigan.
Muskegon river, steelhead guide service, for muskegon steelhead. Book a trip for steelhead fishing on the muskegon river with jeff bacon, a federation of fly fishers certified fishing instructor. Jons no nonsense approach and hands on experience fishing the muskegon river gives him the ability and expertise needed to offer you the best fishing experience on the river. Steelhead fishing charter muskegon river, mi fly fire. Steelhead fly fishing on the muskegon river in michigan is world renowned. Michigan steelhead fishing guide muskegon river guide service. The muskegon river is the second longest river in michigan and main stream runs over 215 miles from the headwaters to lake michigan and drains an area of 2,350 square miles in central michigan. Steelhead fishing on the muskegon river few things are more thrilling than fishing for steelhead on the beautiful waters of the muskegon river. If you find spawning salmon, you will find steelhead hot on their tail. Michigan fly fishing guides guided fly fishing trips tours. Fall steelhead muskegon river mad river outfitters. We are now booking trips for the rest of the fall into winter steelhead fishing. Michigan steelhead fishing muskegon river steelhead guides.
Current fly fishing reports and conditions for muskegon river in michigan. This website is a resource for any angler looking for information about the muskegon river. Winter muskegon river steelhead fishing december 1february. The fall steelhead fishing gets to be very strong by the third week of october. The steelhead at this time are very aggressive and feed heavily on the loose eggs from the spawning salmon are spawing.
Most effective way to fish deep on big water such as the muskegon river for salmon and steelhead. Steelhead often develop a white fungus on their heads after being in fresh water for awhile, so if one spots what looks like a white rock moving upstream it is a very good chance that it is a. Apr 27, 20 pautzke tv travels to western michigan to fish the famed muskegon river with pautzke prostaffer kyle buck of great lakes guide service. Michigan steelhead flies for the muskegon river, pere marquette river and manistee.
Pautzke tv travels to western michigan to fish the famed muskegon river with pautzke prostaffer kyle buck of great lakes guide service. The most common and effective techniques for fishing spring steelhead on the muskegon river include those just noted. Muskegon river fishing report steelhead trout salmon. Michigan fly fishing guide established in 1978 muskegon river guides has provided quality muskegon river steelhead fishing, trout guide and salmon fishing adventures, we are.
The difference is due to several factors, water temperature, the urge to spawn, and available food supplies. Michigan steelhead fishing guides for the muskegon, pere marquette, manistee, and. Charles chandler on the muskegon river in michigan. One of the best times to fish the muskegon river is during late february, march, and april. Steelhead fishing on the muskegon river fly fire guide s. Rivers we fish jeff bacon muskegon river steelhead fishing. We are offering steelhead trips on the big manistee river this year upon request. Rivers such as the muskegon, manistee, pere marquette, and grand offer some outstanding steelhead fishing in west michigan. Water levels are finally back to normal with very good steelhead fishing conditions on the muskegon, grand, and big manistee rivers.
Jul 28, 20 fly fishing the pere marquette river in michigan. Muskegon river lodge michigan steelhead mad river outfitters. For the trout, salmon and steelhead angler, the 15miles of river from croton dam to henning county park boasts some of. Michigan fly fishing guides guided fly fishing trips. Some years it is better in some rivers than others. A gratuity tip is a tradition in the guided fishing fly fishing world. Steelhead rainbow trout were stocked in the river in 1876, but king salmon were not introduced until the 1960s. Get hooked on fishing in michigan with muskegon river outfitters. Kent helvie also covers style, materials, wet flies, spey flies, imitators and dry flies.
Muskegon river fishing muskegon river steelhead trout. He took a break from the normal work life and started guiding fishing trips along west michigan rivers. Newaygo fishing guide, author breaks new ground about fussy trout. Steelheadrainbow trout were stocked in the river in 1876, but king salmon were not introduced until the 1960s. The big three, manistee river, pere marquette and muskegon all get good runs of steelhead. Book your muskegon river charter aboard our 20 custom jet sled today for a beautiful day on the muskegon river. Apr 22, 2020 the most common and effective techniques for fishing spring steelhead on the muskegon river include those just noted.
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