High Water Steelheading

The water is high on the Muskegon River at just over 4,800 cfs. with a heavy stain.  Steelhead fishing was very good today reminding me why I love fishing in high water!! 

3/12/2012  A hefty buck that took me for a ride!

3/12/2012  Kurt with a bright chrome hen.

3/12/2012  Spring Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River.

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead

The Steelhead bite was pretty good in the high water today.  Nick and Tom put some nice fish in the net back bouncing spawn on the Muskegon River.  I still have a handfull of open days in March and just two full days in April so get your days booked before they are gone.  Nick and Tom are below showing off some of today's action.

3/10/2012  Tom and Nick with a double header.   

3/10/2012  A nice chrome hen on her way up river.

3/10/2012  This fish was just about as fat as it was long.

3/10/2012  Muskegon River Steelhead.

3/10/2012  Tom with a nice Steelhead he caught back bouncing.

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead

Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River was great today, we did have to fight through some ridiculously high winds but the fish were on the bite.  We ran into a pretty big batch of bright chrome hens today with a handfull of darker winter fish mixed in. Another sign Spring is not far off was a Robin we saw on the bank.  Jeff and Rob are pictured below with a few of the chrome Steelhead caught back bouncing spawn today.

3/7/2012  Jeff with a chrome Spring Steelhead.

3/7/2012  Rob with a nice bright hen.

3/7/2012  Lots of bright hens today.

3/7/2012  Muskegon River Steelhead fishing.

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 Spring Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead fishing was very good today on the Muskegon River, the morning bite was fast and furious with big bright eggs and flashy fry patterns taking most of the bites.  There are still a good number of healthy hens just starting to spawn so things should last a few weeks yet.  Bill and Malcolm were in my boat today and are pictured below with a few of the more than 2 dozen they landed.  I have May 12, 14, 15 and 16 open for Spring Steelhead Fishing, dropbacks should be plentiful for those that would rather back bounce spawn for fish in pools as opposed to fishing gravel.

5/1/2011  Malcolm with a colorful buck Steelhead from this afternoon.

5/1/2011  A bright hen from the early morning hours.

5/1/2011  Bright egg flies were the ticket this morning.

5/1/2011  Bill with a very nice hen taken on an articulated fry pattern.

Muskegon River Fishing Report

Had a cancellation today so guide buddy Nathan and I backbounced spawn for a short 3 hour trip this morning to see if the fish would still bite in the super high water.  The end result was Yes they will bite, you may fish a few spots and get blanked but then you run into a spot where you might hook as many as 5 fish, they are definately clumped together and when you put your bait in their face they eat, location, location , location!  We also caught a half dozen chunky little trout that have obviously been gorging on eggs.  Once again there was a mix of pre spawn fish, dropbacks and actively spawning Steelhead, as strange as the weather has been Spring Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River is going strong.  Back bouncing spawn should remain good atleast through the high water and depending on how fast the dropbacks head for Lake Michigan, even longer.  Pictured below is Nathan and myself with a few Steelhead from today.

4/28/2011  Myself with a dropback hen.

4/28/2011  A nice pre spawn hen from the Muskegon River.

4/28/2011  A tight hen that came out of a soft seam in a pool.

4/28/2011  Nathan with a good buck that fought very hard.

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.

 

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead

Spring Steelhead fishing is in full swing and so was the boat traffic today, there are fresh fish in the runs and with the higher water levels if there are any waiting to come in they should be on the way.  Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River should last well into May.  Today was day two of three with the Tennessee group through PM Outfitters, today Mike and Ben joined me while Rich and Karen fished with David.  While we hooked plenty of fish today keeping them hooked long enough to net them was another story, all in all another good day on the Muskegon River chasing Spring Steelhead.  Below are a couple pictures from today, not sure why but I just did not pull out the camera much today although we did land a great double header this morning that would have made for a great picture but one slipped out of Ben's hands and into the river a little early.  I have May 4, and 9 thru 12 open for Steelhead on the Muskegon River for anyone who likes Steelheading in warm weather.

4/21/2011  Mike with one from this afternoon.

4/21/2011  Ben with a nice buck Steelhead.

Muskegon River Fishing Report

Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River is going strong with plenty of new fish in the runs and others in the shallow water getting the job done.  The water bumped up pretty good today from 3,400 to 4,800 cfs but is running pretty clear.  I am on a group trip with David from Pere Marquette Outfitters today thru friday with Rich, Karen, Ben and Mike from Tennesee.  Richard and Karen were in my boat today and did a great job hooking and landing lots of Spring Steelhead, Mike and Ben did equally well in David's boat.  Spring Steelhead fishing seems to be right on track now and should be good thru May.  Below is Rich and Karen with a few from today.  April is full but I have May 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12 open for Steelhead.

4/20/2011  Karen with a great hen Steelhead from today.

4/20/2011  Muskegon River Spring Steelhead.

4/20/2011  Muskegon River Steelhead fishing.



4/20/2011  Rich with a nice buck Steelhead.



Muskegon River Spring Steelhead

Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River was very fast and furious this morning.  Mark and Jim were into double digits by 10:30 am, we decided to take an early lunch at around 11:30 then the decision was made by them to quit so our lines never did hit the water again.  All the fish were caught back bouncing spawn and once again all were fat tight pre spawn hens aside from one drop back.  The push of fish that showed up in the last few days should be several days from spawning as their eggs are still in skein.  It looked like the gravel fishing may get good as well, or maybe it is already good I have not fished gravel yet but a couple of the boats we saw on gravel were hooking fish at a good pace.  Mark and Jim are pictured below with a few that I could convince them to pose with this morning, cold hands was the excuse??

4/19/20112  Mark with a spring steelhead from the Muskegon River.

4/19/2011  New spring steelhead are here, the next week should be great.

4/19/2011  Mark with a cookie cutter hen.

4/19/2011  Jim with one of many chrome hens from this morning.