Dropback Steelhead

We decided to avoid the weekend fishing pressure in the upper river and go back bouncing spawn for dropbacks today, it turned out to be a great decision.  We did see a couple of boats but those were just joy riding enjoying the weather, no other fishermen!!  The fish we hooked today were on fire making long runs and getting some good air.  Tomorrow brings my only day off for quite some time, Happy Easter.  Chaz, Mike and Bob are pictured below with some of today's fun.

4/7/2012  Chaz with a dropback Steelhead from the Muskegon River.

4/7/2012  Mike with a hen he caught back bouncing.

4/7/2012  Bob had the hot hand in the morning.

4/7/2012  These fish fought like crazy today!!

4/7/2012  One of a few males caught today.

4/7/2012  Muskegon River Steelhead 

Muskegon River Guide Service

Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River is good for mid May but boat traffic is higher than normal for this time.  Water level has dropped considerably and is slightly colored.  There are decent numbers of dropback fish available in the pools and still quite a few Steelhead on spawning gravel.  Ed and Fritz and I hit the Muskegon River around 8:30 today, we started out back bouncing spawn for the first hour and a half and found a few hungry dropbacks and fought through the army of trout gobbling up our bait.  Around 10:00 we switched gears to fly fishing and had good action for the rest of the day putting a bunch of fish in the net including a hefty buck that was 12 lbs. on the boga grip.  I have May 15 and 16 available for Spring Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River, back bouncing spawn can produce some exciting strikes with hungry dropback Steelhead call or email to get out and enjoy some nice weather and solitude on the river.

5/9/2011 Fritz hooked this fish back bouncing spawn and it was the best fight all day.

5/9/2011  Ed with the big fish of the day 12 lbs. on the boga!!

5/9/2011  Fritz with a colorful buck steelhead.

5/9/2011  Ed with a dropback Steelhead caught back bouncing spawn.

Muskegon River Fishing Report

Back bouncing spawn was great again today, there was quite a bit more boat traffic to work around but the bite was still on in the bright sunshine.  Muskegon River water level has dropped to just over 5,000 cfs and is clearing with around 3 feet of visibility today.  We should be able to chase dropbacks throughout the river system for the next 2 weeks and get away from any crowds that may show up once they can see what fish are left on gravel.  It's almost time to head for Alaska and that means it's time to start filling the fall calendar, I have some dates left in late September for King Salmon and a few for late October and early November for those chrome bullet fall Steelhead we all love so much.  Our customers have grown to love back bouncing spawn for fall Steelhead so get your dates booked before they are gone, I have email capabilities all summer while guiding in Alaska so that is the best way to get your fall dates booked between June and September.  For those wondering I am headed back to Mission Lodge in Alaska's Bristol Bay region, this will be my 9th summer guiding in AK and I am looking forward to many more.  Jim and Alex are pictured below with a few Steelhead caught back bouncing spawn today on the Muskegon River.

5/4/2011  Alex with a nice hen, back bouncing is still going strong.

5/4/2011  Back bouncing spawn for Muskegon River Steelhead.

5/4/2011  This fish bit like a freight train.

5/4/2011  Muskegon River Steelhead.

5/4/2011  Jim with a very nice Brown Trout from this morning.

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead

Fly fishing for Muskegon River Steelhead was great again today with Malcolm and Bill landing over 20 fish for the second consecutive day.  We landed a good number of hens that have just started to spawn, with the water temp hanging in the mid to high 40's the fish have not jumped up on gravel all at once, Steelhead fishing should last into late May.  Water levels are dropping at a snail's pace but once the river gets back to near normal flows dropbacks should hold long enough to proivide for another week or so of good back bouncing.  Muskegon River Steelhead open dates May 12, 14, 15 and 16 back bouncing spawn or fly fishing.  Malcolm and Bill from St. Louis Missourri are pictured below with a few Steelhead from this morning.

5/2/2011  May Steelhead Fishing has started out great..

5/2/2011  Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.

5/2/2011  A plump hen that can't have dropped an egg yet.

5/2/2011  Bill with a good buck from today.

   

Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing Charters

Had a late start of 11:00 am today, back bouncing spawn is still putting good numbers of Steelhead in the net in my boat each day.  Things have shifted to mostly dropbacks and actively spawning Steelhead and we are catching a handfull of Brown Trout each day as well.  Looks like I will put the back bouncing gear away for a couple days to fly fish with David from PM Outfitters but hopefully the bite will still be there tuesday when I am back to back bouncing.  The Muskegon River is still very high and can be dangerous for less than seasoned boaters so please be careful!!!  Tim and Adam are pictured below with a few of today's Muskegon River Steelhead.

4/30/2011  Adam with a healthy buck from today.

4/30/2011  Tim with a great hen at the end of the day.

4/30/2011  Back bouncing spawn has been producing a good bite lately.

4/30/2011  Tim with a nice Steelhead from the Muskegon River.

Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing Charters

Rain, Rain, Rain and the Muskegon River is very high, the last update I checked at 11:45 am was 7,940 cfs!!! It is adviseable to stay off the river unless you know what you are doing, if you fish please be very careful, there were full trees rolling down the river today we even saw a dock floating past that the water ripped off the bank!  On the fishing side of things backbouncing spawn was exceptional in the very high and rising water today.  Pat joined me for a half day trip and by the time we quit at noon we were just shy of 20 fish hooked!!!  There was a mix of dropbacks and fish that still have not begun to spawn, the few hens Pat kept were still tight in skein which is the only thing that will save us from having a bunch of empty spawning gravel when this water receeds, hopefully.  I am sure the dropbacks will take the free ride back to Lake Michigan because they may not have the energy to hold in this current.  Time will tell how long things will last for our Spring Steelhead season on the Muskegon River.  Pat is pictured below with a few of the pre spawn hens from this morning.

4/27/2011  Chrome Muskegon River Steelhead.

4/27/2011  Muskegon River Fishing Charters.

4/27/2011  A nice hen from this morning.

4/27/2011  Pat with a nice chrome hen.

 

Easter Weekend Steelhead Fishing

Well between Good Friday and today these had to be the two busiest days on the Muskegon River I can remember,  there are plenty of fish around between the fresh ones in the dark water and spawners on gravel bars.  The number of dropbacks should be increasing daily which is an option for those that don't want to get up in the middle of the night to camp on their gravel bar.  The hens we caught back bouncing spawn today were still tight with the exception of one which had just started dropping eggs.  Ed and John are pictured below with some nice Steelhead from today.

4/23/2011  Ed with a bright hen Steelhead.

4/23/2011  John with a hard fighting Steelhead from this morning.

4/23/2011  Muskegon River Chrome!

4/23/2011  John with a male that came out of a small dark pocket near some gravel.