It's Alaska time!!!

Well this is the last post on Michigan fishing until mid-September as I leave early monday morning for Dillingham, Alaska where I will find my home for the next 3 months at Mission Lodge.  As many of you know I look forward to my time in Alaska every year and by the time it is over I am looking forward to getting back to Michigan for King Salmon and Steelhead just as much.  Look back here for updates on what is happening in Alaska periodically throughout the summer, just not as regularly as while I am home.

 I am reachable by e-mail and check my voicemail messages regularly for those of you looking to book fall Salmon or Steelhead dates, although e-mail is the best option with the 4 hour time difference and a busy guide schedule in Alaska.

I fished with David, Kirk and Ryder the last couple days on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette River.  We fished the Muskegon last evening and found plenty of Brown and Rainbow Trout and a few Smallmouth Bass willing to eat just about anything we threw at them including spinners, rapalas and dry flies.  The Pere Marquette River did not produce the numbers of fish the Muskegon did but the quality was better.  When we pulled into the boat ramp I noticed the river was up a bit with some color so we decided rapalas and spinners would be our best bet, we had a handfull of nice fish in the mid to high teens chase to the boat and enough low teeners that actually commited to keep it interesting.  Ryder is pictured below with a couple nice Brown Trout from the Pere Marquette River today.

6/11/2011  All smiles.

6/11/2011  Ryder with a nice Pere Marquette River Brown Trout.

Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River is still good despite the very high water, did I mention the water is very high?  Because it is, it hit 10,000 cfs today!!!  Backbouncing spawn is still getting it done in my boat, it's just all about covering water and the right water at that.  We are catching a higher percentage of dropbacks each day and if this water would drop they will stick around for us to have some fun with them.  Reports from the fly fishing boats were mixed, get on the right gravel and your day is made if not then you work to find fish.  I have May 10, 11 and 12 open for anyone who likes to fish warmer weather and get away from the crowds, there should be decent dropback fishing back bouncing spawn throughout the river by then.  Pictured below is Ronnie and Guy with a few Steelhead and a bonus Brown Trout from today.

4/29/2011  Guy with a nice buck Steelhead in the sunshine.

4/29/2011  A nice Muskegon River dropback Steelhead.

4/29/2011  Back bouncing Spawn has been producing good numbers of Steelhead.

4/29/2011  Ronnie's nice Brown Trout from this afternoon.

4/29/2011  Ronnie with the first fish of the morning a dropback hen.

Manistee River Steelhead

Fished the Manistee River with friends and guides Kris and Chris today, the bite was great considering we didn't hit the water until 10:00 am and fished behind 6 to 8 boats most of the day.  We even caught a couple bonus Lake Run Brown Trout, Kris is pictured below with the more substantial of the two.

2/26/2011  Kris with a Manistee River Steelhead.

2/26/2011  A nice buck.

2/26/2011  Kris's bonus Brown Trout.

2/26/2011  Chris with a smaller buck.