Finally starting to look and feel like fall !

Just a quick update on the upcoming fall steelhead season. I expect this years fall run to be back to normal…there were great numbers of steelhead in the lake this summer and this should translate into a much better steelhead fishery in the rivers this fall. We are just now switching gears aiming towards fall steelhead, though there may still be the odd king salmon caught here and there. We do need massive amounts of rain to really get things moving, the Muskegon river is sitting at just above 900cfs, which is about a solid foot below what I would consider to be low water, I may even trade out the driftboat for the Jet sled this fall for a bit. If your interested in getting on the river, please reach out and get a day locked in, as only a handful remain. 231-250-9745 call or text.

Spring has finally arrived!!!!

We are now past our spring steelhead season, and booking spring and summer river trips. We offer trips for both trout and smallmouth on the Muskegon river. Both with fly tackle and ultra-light spinning gear. The Muskegon has some pretty good hatches in May and June and can offer up some great dry flyfishing, as well as streamer fishing for both trout and smallmouth. River trips are available all summer and are offered as full and half day trips.

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Well…we finally crossed the season finish line for steelhead. It was a tough season going all the way back to October of 2023. If I had to say…the best fishing was from late January through the first week of March, with February being the best by far…this is mostly due to the mild winter. Though we worked hard and struggled some days, others fished fairly average…in the end…they are steelhead and you can’t catch them on the couch.

So… why do I think the run was so poor…COVID is the reason, the spring of 2020 when covid hit, our governor did not allow the state weirs to take eggs from the spring run steelhead of 2020, therefore there were no fish to plant is 2021….fast forward to this spring, we are seeing the gap in adult fish. But that is all in the past now and I expect next fall and spring to be back to the numbers we are use to. Just think how good the fishing will “seem”.

It’s never too early to get your fall, winter or spring dates booked. Our calendar is always open and is booked first come first served. Fall river trips for chinook begin on September 3rd of 2024, until then we are now focused on river trout, smallmouth and of course big lake fishing in Ludington on our 31′ tiara the “Hattrick”

Ok, were back…had a few issues with the web site and finally had time to get most of it all sorted out.

The fall steelhead fishing has been a grind across the entire state due to the covid of 2020. In 2020 the spring covid hit, our governor did not allow the MIDNR to operate the little Manistee weir and do an egg take for the planting of hatchery steelhead. The eggs that would have been taken in April of 2020 would have been planted in west Michigan waters in spring of 2021, there were no eggs taken in 2020, therefore no steelhead to plant in 2021…thus fast forward to this year’s run fall 23/spring24….we are not seeing the numbers of fish that we are used to, but we are grinding every day and having some great days mixed in with some pretty tough days as well.

That being said…we are still catching fish, but honestly you have to work for them every day and make the best of your opportunities.

Please get with us for a day or two of chasing steelhead and getting some great water therapy.

Float fishing has been the go-to method, covering water quickly is key…. the water has been very clear, so smaller, lighter presentations are working best, deeper slower water is a great place to start each day…. please practice catch and release of the fish you catch this year.

What an awesome fall it has been!

Things have been busy on the water for us, from the awesome fall chinook run to an awesome fall/early winter steelhead run this far things on the water have been great most days. Time seems to just fly by in between the fishing reports.

Currently the steelhead are in transition mode, the fishing is more of a marathon than a sprint to success. Patience and covering water are very important to finding the biters. The fish are starting to move into slower pools and hunker down for the winter. Smaller presentations and a bit of creativity are getting it done daily. The colors of these winter fish are just amazing. We are pretty much floatfishing nowadays. lighter leaders, smaller hooks and baits are key. Cover tons of water and you will be rewarded.

If you don’t like fishing in the crowds, now is the time to book with us!

2023 will bring several changes, weekend dates will be very limited, current rates will be going up as well.

Hoping everyone has a great holiday season!!!

Dog days of  summer are here…

Summer Smallies are the main target on the Muskegon River right now, though I’ve been busy on the big Lake chasing fish on the open water.

Fall dates are filling up very fast, we are now booking fall steelhead trip on the Muskegon rover. October and November are prime time for these fish, give us a call to lock in a day or two.

Summertime equals smallmouth bass!!!

As we move into July it means one thing on the Muskegon River, Smallmouth bass and good numbers of them. Smallie fishing is a great way to spend a day or 1/2 day on the river. Ino matter what technique you try you are bound to connect with plenty of fish. Topwater is our favorite way! Whopper Ploppers, Rebel pop R’s and the Berkley El Choppos are all great choices. Small to medium minnow swimbaits are also good choices if the fish are not looking to the top for a meal.

Nows the time to lock in a summer trip….fall dates are also going fast. Call soon to lock in a day or two.

Tight lines,

Capt Jon

231-250-9745

Sorry….

I just realized it’s been a very long time since my last report…

Currently we are running trips on the Muskegon River for smallmouth bass…throw in a few trout and other various species and it’s a great way to spend the day on the river. We offer both spinning and flyfishing options. Full and half day trips are available. Please give us a call for more info or to set up a day on the river.

Flyfishing anglers will want to target the fish with medium sized streamers imitating crayfish and small baitfish…some days the really flashy stuff works best. poppers are also a favorite try frog patterns fished closer to the cover.

Spin fishing your thing…Small to medium minnow imitating baits, rebel pop r’s,whopper ploppers and soft plastics imitating crayfish will keep the rod bent.

Winter has arrived, the guides favorite time of year……

Although winter gives us a chance to relax from our busy fall season, it also offers some of the best steelhead fishing of the season. Winter steelhead can be moody creatures, the fun part is that they keep you guessing. Locating winter fish is easy…. look for the slow water, the inside edges of the runs, and bottom structure…structure is very important, it offers cover and current breaks. Winter fish are lazy.

Float fishing is the method we use for the most part, long rods, beads, bags and bobbers. Make sure you keep switching presentation until you find what gets bit…generally smaller, and very natural color beads, lighter leaders, smaller hooks.

Give us a call to book a trip this winter…spring dates are booking up as well as fall dates for 2022.

Fall is rolling by, Salmon season on the PM was better than the last few years, however the run on the Muskegon was about what I would have expected.

I’ve been targeting fall steelhead for about the last 6 weeks now and the fishing has been like a rollercoaster. There have been some tough days mixed in with some good days. The numbers of fish seem to be consistent with the last couple fall runs. This looks to be the new normal. Work hard and make the best of your chances.

Float fishing with bead and spawn has been the go to method, however I have noticed that the fish seem kind of picky on some days, so mix up colors and sizes, even leader strengths. The fish are seeing plenty of options as it has been busy.

Give us a call to get on the water, we would love to get you into a few steelhead..