Float Fishing for Steelhead

Steelhead fishing was great again today, float fishing has been great for us as we are finding lots of Steelhead feeding in small pockets.  There are a lot of dropback Steelhead around but we are seeing a handfull of pre spawn fish each day as well.  Fred and Rick are pictured below with a couple of the Steelhead they caught float fishing today.

4/9/2012  Fred with a nice tight hen from a mid river pocket.

4/9/2012  Rick with a long dropback hen.

4/9/2012  This plump hen is just getting ready to drop eggs.

4/9/2012  This fish almost landed in the boat on it's third jump!!

4/9/2012  Dropback hens like this one are plentiful.

4/9/2012  Muskegon River Steelhead 

Muskegon River Steelhead

Float fishing for Steelhead has been insane the last few days for us!!  There are plenty of willing biters in the dark water around gravel areas feeding on the eggs that are being deposited by the spawners and as long as you have the right imitation it's game on!  We are seeing a mix of pre and post spawn fish each day and with the slightly cooler nights the drive to spawn may atleast slow down enough to prolong things a bit more.  Dropback Steelhead numbers are increasing daily and should be targetable for those looking to get away from the crowds.  Below is  just a couple pics from the last 2 days of gimme fishing.

3/29/2012  Dennis with a nice bright hen from today.

3/29/2012  Matt with a hen that still had tight skeins.

3/28/2012  Ed from yesterday with an egg eater.

3/28/2012  This hen got her job done while she was still chrome.

 

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.

Pere Marquette River Steelhead

Centerpin float fishing has been great on the Pere Marquette River this Winter.  There is a good mix of brighter fish mixed in with the colored up winter fish and by the looks of things up river there will be some dropback fish soon as well.  I have March dates available for Muskegon River and Pere Marquette River Steelhead fishing, call 616-204-4999.  Ed is pictured below with some nice Steelhead he caught centerpin float fishing on the Pere Marquette River today.

2/27/2012  Ed with a nice Pere Marquette River Steelhead.

2/27/2012  Michigan Steelhead fishing.

2/27/2012  A colored up Winter buck.

2/27/2012  Float fishing for Steelhead. 

    

Pere Marquette River Steelhead

Float fishing for Steelhead was outstanding on the Pere Marquette River today.  We had a bit of a slow start with chilly air temps cooling the water off to just over 32 degrees over night but once the sun started to warm things up the fish went on the bite in a big way.  We found good numbers of slightly colored bucks and bright hens today along with a fair number of darker fish as well.  The Muskegon River and Pere Marquette River have both been fishing well for us so give me a call if you want to get in on the action.  Ed is pictured below with just a few of the piles of Steelhead he landed today.

2/20/2012  Ed with a Pere Marquette River Steelhead..

2/20/2012  Bright hens were abundant.

2/20/2012  This buck took us for a ride.

2/20/2012  There were a good number of these slightly colored bucks today.

 

Float Fishing for Steelhead

Steelhead fishing was very good today, it seemed like every fish in the river wanted to bite.  We hit all our fish float fishing today on a mix of spawn bags and beads.  We caught a mix of colored winter fish and brighter fish with a couple mixed in that were so fresh they were still dropping scales!!  These mild temps should keep the fishing on the better side of good so give me a call to get out on the water.  Ed and Fritz are pictured below with a few of the many Steelhead from today.

2/16/2012  Ed with a great buck from the Pere Marquette River.

2/16/2012  Fritz with a brand new chrome hen.

2/16/2012  Float fishing produced some good fish today.

2/16/2012  Centerpinning for Michigan Steelhead.

Pere Marquette Steelhead

Winter showed up again today in a big way, the temp went from 30 at 8:00 am when we left Newaygo to 17 by 2:00 pm when we were leaving Baldwin!!  The wind was blowing the snow in sideways and our centerpins were freezing up but the bite was steady for the short time we spent on the water.  With the forecasted cooler weather over the next couple nights we could run into shelf ice and slush flows in the rivers of West Michigan but we will be fishing through it no doubt.  Jim, Drew and myself with a couple Steelhead caught float fishing the lower Pere Marquette River.

2/10/2012  A nice buck I caught right at the end of our day.

2/10/2012  Drew with a hefty hen.

2/10/2012  Jimmy with a Pere Marquette Steelhead on a cold windy day.

 

Float fishing for Steelhead

Ed hit some nice fish centerpin fishing on the Muskegon River today.  It was a 50/50 split between beads and spawn bags that hooked our fish today and most did not make the net.  Ed is pictured below with a few we did get into the net.

2/8/2012  The hat actually catches the fish and Ed holds them for the picture!!

2/8/2012  A nice hen from this morning.

2/8/2012  This hen has been in the river a while.

 

Muskegon River Steelhead

Steelhead fishing has been very good over the last week and today was no exception.  Ed and Fritz hooked into good numbers of Steelhead float fishing and back bouncing today, we also caught so many trout they were almost a nuisance.  Boat traffic was pretty heavy but there are plenty of fish to go around.  My next openings are tuesday, wednesday and friday of next week if anyone wants to get out and enjoy the mild winter weather and great Steelhead fishing.  Ed and Fritz are pictured below with a few of today's Steelhead.

2/3/2012  Ed with a plump hen.

2/3/2012  Fritz with a colored up Winter buck.

2/3/2012  The mid Winter bite has been good.

2/3/2012  Lots of Steelhead in the upper Muskegon around Pine St.

  

Float fishing for Steelhead

After a few days of great Steelhead fishing in the upper river we decided to do a short trip this morning a little lower in the system to see if the fish were distributed evenly.  The fishing is the same throughout the system.  As for how long they are going to stay on the bite like this only time will tell but I am happy to enjoy it while it lasts.  Jim and I are pictured below with a few Michigan Steelhead caught centerpin float fishing.

2/2/2012  A nice buck on the first drift through the run.

2/2/2012  There are lots of nice hens like this one around.

2/2/2012  Float fishing for Winter Steelhead.

2/2/2012  With all these hens around the egg drop this spring should be like Salmon season!!

  

Muskegon River Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead fishing has been outstanding on the Muskegon River the last few days.  Water level is above normal for this time of year and holding nice color.  With the exception of today boat traffic has been minimal.  Mild weather over the next week should keep the fish on the bite so give me a call if you want to get out of the house and catch some Steelhead.  Pictured below are Jim, Luke, Kurt, Kris and myself with just a sampling of the fish we caught float fishing over the last few days.

2/1/2012  Jim with a nice buck from this morning.

2/1/2012  Kurt with a Muskegon River Steelhead.

2/1/2012  Luke with a Michigan Winter Steelhead

2/1/2012  Jim and Kurt with a double header and yes Luke is fighting another one!!!

2/1/2012  Chalk one up for me.

A triple Luke, Jim and myself put to the net!!!

Jim with a very nice hen.

Kris got manhandled by this fish.

Jim with another noteworthy Steelhead.

Float fishing was great!!!

Kris and myself with a Brown Trout / Steelhead double header.

Jimmy hooked up right as Kris was letting this fish go.