The "End of Steelhead Season" Report or is it?

Well we all though it would be completely done after the last surge of high water but low and behold there are enough fish around to make a good day.  Ed hit the water with me for the last 2 days and hooked a bunch of Seelhead putting a good number of those in the net.  Some are in good shape and others look pretty rough but we are happy to be able to still put a bend in the rod in mid May on a year it looked like it would finish up in April. 

The end of Spring Steelhead season can only mean one thing,  it's time for Alaska!!!  June 4 looks to be the date this year, my return date is tbd.  Anyone looking to book Fall Salmon or Steelhead dates your best bet is to get them locked in before I go, they can be booked while I am in AK by e-mail or through voicemail, but they could be full by then.  As of right now my openings are October 6, 7, 8, 10  then November 3, 5, 6, 10, 13, 15 - 19, 21, 25, 27, 29, 30.  Other guides are availbale on dates I am booked so call or e-mail for availability. 

Ed is pictured below with a few Steelhead from the last two days including one that pulled the boga grip scale to 15lbs.!!

5/10/2012  Ed with a hefty 15lb. Steelhead from yesterday.

5/10/2012  A plump hen from yesterday.

5/10/2012  The picture does this fish no justice, it was the best looking fish in 2 days.

Time to book your Fall Steelhead dates!!

This is what we have to look forward to,  book your November Steelhead dates now!!

5/10/2012  A hen that was nearly done with her duties.

Spring Steelhead Fishing

Float fishing for Steelhead was great today.  We hit a mix of  darker winter fish a few bright pre spawn fish and a few drop backs.  Ed and Fritz are pictured below with a few of today's Steelhead.  I had a cancellation for tomorrow 3/28 if anyone is interested in getting out on the river call or e-mail.
616-204-4999   jeff@muskegonriverguide.com

3/27/2012  Ed with a bright and tight hen.

3/27/2012  Fritz with a nice bright hen, float fishing was great!! 

3/27/2012  These fish were laying in dark water behind spawners just gorging on eggs.

3/27/2012  A dropback hen that devoured a 12mm bead.

Spring Steelhead

The Muskegon River dropped a little more today and is running about 4,800 cfs.  Steelhead fishing remains great with plenty of chrome fish available and some darker fish mixed in each day. 

3/22/2012  Ed with a bright chrome hen in the bright sun.

3/22/2012  A double header Ed and I landed back bouncing spawn.

3/22/2012  Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.

3/22/2012  With air temps in the mid 80's in March maybe we will see snow in May??

Spring Steelhead Fishing

There is not much new to report on the fishing, lots of fish and lots of boats.  Water is still up and has good color but is starting to drop and clear up, bring on some rain!!  Craig and Keith were with me today and put a good number of Steelhead in the net.

3/21/2012  Craig with a bright hen to start a great day.

3/21/2012  Keith with a great buck in the bright sunshine.

3/21/2012  Spring Chrome.

3/21/2012  Back bouncing for Steelhead has been great.

Spring Steelhead

Santiago and Alex from Mexico slipped in a Steelhead trip on the Muskegon River before their week of business meetings.  They did a good job picking up the back bouncing technique and put some nice Steelhead in the net.  Water is right where I like it, high and dirty and there are some chrome fish around.  Water temps in the lower river have been in the high 30's on these warm afternoons and should have big numbers of fish on the move soon.  I still have March 18, 19, 21, 26 and April 8 available for full day trips, there will also be 4 hour evening trips available in April for $200. 

3/11/2012  Santiago catches Redfish in Mexico but I think he likes Michigan Steelhead!! 

3/11/2012  A chrome hen from this afternoon.

3/11/2012  You couldn'y wipe the smiles off their faces.   

3/11/2012  Alex with a nice buck from today.

   

Muskegon River Guide

Back bouncing spawn for dropback Steelhead was great with the cloud cover and much less boat traffic today.  Had a fun day with Scott and his dad Bob back bouncing for late spring Steelhead on the Muskegon River.  Numbers of spawning fish have seemed to drop over the last couple days but that just means more hungry dropbacks in the dark water!!  I have the next two days off then tuesday thru friday on the water to tenatively close out my spring Steelhead season, that is unless there are still fishable numbers of Steelhead which a few regulars will chase with me.  Alaska season in gettging close now, I can't wait!!  Scott and Bob are pictured below with a few late season Spring Steelhead  caught back bouncing spawn in the Muskegon River.

5/14/2011  Back bouncing spawn for dropback Steelhead was great today.

5/14/2011  Muskegon River Guide for Steelhead.

5/14/2011  This Steelhead was out of the water as much as it was in during the fight!!

5/14/2011  Bob with a dropback steelhead from today.
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Muskegon River Guide

There are still good numbers of Steelhead in the system, they can be found in and around gravel areas and in deep pools.  Boat traffic was more like mid April rather than mid May today so we decided to back bounce spawn through some pools after lunch looking for dropbacks and fish that were pushed off gravel by the boats and sun.  We found a few biters in the hour and a half we back bounced before calling it a day and pointing the boat at the ramp around 1:30.  Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River should remain good for another week or so especially if some of the boat traffic subsides.  I am going to dedicate the day to back bouncing spawn for dropbacks tomorrow as I am sure the traffic will not be less than today,  we will see how it goes.  John and Troy from yesterday morning, Ed from last evening, Mark and Jim from today are pictured below with a few Steelhead.

5/12/2011  Troy with a nice hen Steelhead.

5/12/2011  Evening fishing was very good with fewer boats.

5/12/2011  Ed with a hen from the Muskegon River.

5/13/2011  Jim with a great buck Steelhead.

5/13/2011  Mark with a feisty hen Steelhead.

5/13/2011  Dropback Steelhead caught back bouncing spawn.

5/13/2011  Spring Steelhead on the Muskegon River.

5/12/2011  John with a nice Muskegon River Steelhead.

Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing in the rain.

The day started out with wind and sideways rain but the fish were on the bite and stayed that way until we called it quits at 1:45.  Gary and Tyler were in my boat and Dave and Rick were with Kris, both boats somehow easily surpassed yesterday's phenominal numbers of fish hooked and landed in much less time, these guys had a great 2 days Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River and we look forward to the fall trip.  Bright colored eggs and rabbit stip hex nymphs really rocked them today.  I will be back bouncing spawn tomorrow and hopefully there are still some of those chromers in the dark water, with the rain all the water may be dark by then??  Tyler is pictured below with a couple of his many fish from this morning.

4/26/2011  A big Muskegon River Buck Steelhead.

4/26/2011  Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing has been great.

4/26/2011  A healthy Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.

4/26/2011  Tyler and his dad posing with a nice hen.

Muskegon River Fishing Report

Fished a short 4 hour trip with my lovely wife and lovely mother in law today and the fishing was good!!  Today seemed like there were more fish on the pools and runs than most days recently, or it could just be that everyone else was looking for fish on gravel, either way I will take it.  We caught all of our fish backbouncing spawn and all the hens were still tight in skein, with the weather pattern hopefully they will stay that way and we can enjoy another couple weeks of good back bouncing for Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.  Natalie and Bambi are pictured below with a few good ones from this morning. 

 

4/18/2011  Natalie giving a little love back to the fish.

4/18/2011  Bambi with a harde fighting male Steelhead.

4/18/2011  Plenty of chrome Steelhead in the Muskegon River.

4/18/2011  Back bouncoing spawn was very productive today.

4/18/2011  Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.

4/18/2011  We had a great 4 hours on the water this morning!!

4/18/2011  Mother and daughter with a nice chrome hen.

4/18/2011  Back bouncing spawn for Steelhead on the Muskegon River.

Spring Steelhead Fishing

After being off the River Sunday, Monday and a cancellation on Tuesday and hearing reports of less than good fishing on the Muskegon River, I decided to pull the driftboat out of it's dusty corner and hit one of the area's smaller rivers to the north.  We switched gears from back bouncing spawn to fly fishing for the first time this spring.  This turned out to be a very wise choice as we had our fill of Steelhead hooked and landed by 1:00 pm and put the boat on the trailer.  There are good numbers of Steelhead in the Muskegon River but most of them seem to be piled up at the Croton Dam due to high water over the last week and a half, there are a few new fish trickling through the lower river but as of the last few trips not enough to hook more than a half dozen a day.  With any luck we will get another good shot of Spring Steelhead to spread the fishing out away from the Croton Dam. 

4/13/2011  This buck Steelhead inhaled a wiggle nymph.

4/13/2011  A bright spring buck Steelhead.

4/13/2011  Ed with the fish of the day.  10.5 lbs on the boga grip!!

4/13/2011  Ed with a nice Spring Steelhead from today.