Spring Steelhead Fishing Reports - Bead Fishing 101

One of the newest, most innovative techniques for Michigan Spring Steelhead has definitely been bead fishing, or Trout beads. Bead fishing replicates perfectly, the age old, number one spring steelhead food, Chinook Salmon eggs.   Any color can be matched. and beads are round.

   As yarn egg patterns are cartoons of the 1970's, Trout Beads are now the Blue ray DVD of today. 

Trout beads can match any color selection of salmon or steelhead roe, they are perfectly round, transparent, and beautifully match salmon eggs to perfection.  They are Egg-actly a perfect salmon egg representation for steelhead fishing.

A selection of trout beads for Steelhead fishing. Any color can be matched.

Fresh eggs, milky eggs, dead eggs. Perfect eggs.

Beads are easy to fish. 

Because Trout Beads are made of hard plastic, it's best that when rigged for steelhead or trout. the bead should be pegged about 3" above the hook.  I prefer Raven specialist #6 hook,  however and up turned octopus hook should work well.  Sharp is the key, like, tacky sharp!  Pegging can be achieved with a tooth pic, basting brush spoke, or actual Peg-its by Trout Bead.   Pegging holds the bead in its place.

Notice in this photo, the fish is hooked well, bead is 3' from the mouth. 

Matching the Hatch:  Salmon eggs change color...

Muskegon River Guide - Michigan Steelhead

Over the past several weeks,  Steelhead fishing has been outstanding!  Warmer than normal temperatures and higher water levels have made for great migrations this season on the Muskegon and Manistee Rivers. This year class of steelhead and salmon has been nothing short of spectacular, with an abundance of alewives, the fish have put on the feed bag! 

So what's working best to catch them?

Floats - Spawn - Beads.  Without a doubt, floats and spawn has been working best, producing a lot of steelhead and fat trout.  Covering water with technique has been key.  Great Lakes Steelhead Company - Beads have also been working great!  Trout beads match a single egg perfectly. Their colors are nothing short of amazing!  I usually peg the bead about 2.5" from the hook.   A snelled hook seems to work the best, as it always lays straight on the leader.  It looks like a weird set up but, actually it works perfectly. The fish is always hooked well inside the corner of the mouth.   

 

Back Bouncing Spawn.  Back bouncing spawn has also been another deadly technique for winter and early spring steelhead.  With this style of technique, a heavy drift sinker, ( 1oz or more) is "walked" along the bottom in a hop, hop motion.  It very much resembles a jigging motion.

Large spawn sacks tied with steelhead skein the size of a quarter with 4-5 bright orange floaters help keep the eggs off the bottom.    This technique is so deadly  because it offers a lot of scent and the bait is always right in the fishes face. 

Back bouncing is an easy technique to master. The angler needs to keep close contact with the bottom and feel the weight hitting the boat. With back bouncing, you can actually feel the texture of the bottom, (sand, rock, gravel) and the bottom depth, and hidden pockets and lies that may not be seen.
Hits range from rip the rod out of your hand, to soft, subtle heavy feeling.  Winter Steelhead can be light biters especially when the water is very cold. 

 

 

 These two techniques will help you have a better time on the river, and land more steelhead
We are available for guided trips on the Muskegon & Manistee Rivers year around.  Visit our new website for accurate Daily Steelhead fishing reports.  

 

Muskegon River Winter-Early Spring Steelhead. Spring Steelhead Guides (231) 519-7348

  In the up coming weeks, we should start seeing a fair amount of brighter, chrome spring fish. I guided down low, Bridgeton down, last week and there were good numbers of chromers to be had. I know there are good numbers of fish in the lower section of the Muskegon River. Water levels were up this morning, also with warmer temps. Day light is getting longer, Spring Steelhead fishing should start in earnest in the next week or so. There also seems to be a fair number of stone fly nymphs. The activity of Michigan Winter Stone flies usually my cue to start fishing hard down lower for bright chromers closer to Muskegon Lake. 

Muskegon River Steelhead and Salmon fry - During the late winter months, early Spring, Chinook salmon fry and lake run brown trout fry begin to hatch out of the gravel into the "Fry" or "Alevin" stage.  Red Horse Suckers also produce many fry and tiny minnows.  Large lake -Run Brown Trout feed on them heavily throughout the winter months and early Spring.  

"Ice Man - Rainbow Fry"  is available at MoJoFlies.com

These young fish are the perfect food source for larger steelhead and trout during this time of year. Egg patterns with a pronounced "blood dot" or bright red dot mimic the fry at this time. Also patterns such as the "Ice Man Minnow" or other fry or parr patterns also work well. Steelhead and trout during winter are now relying less on salmon eggs and focusing more on case caddis, stone flies, scuds, sowbugs, other macro invertebrates. Stone flies and fry patterns begin to really work well at this time of year when temperatures are cold and food is limited. 

Muskegon River Daily Fishing Reports 

Muskegon River Fishing Report - Muskegon River Fly Fishing

A new month with new spring steelhead entering the river. March is possibly one on the best months for steelhead fishing in Michigan. With a fair amount of spring snow melt off, much longer day light, warmer water tempratures, March kicks steelhead fishing into overdrive!
Over the past few days, we've expreinced some great fishing! Fly Fishing has become increasing more productive each day. Best fly patterns have been the Egg Sucking Stone Fly, Psycho Nymph, and the Ice Man Minnow. All of which have produced some great fish! Josh landed a gorgeous hen on the "Golby" ice man minnow. Dr. Reily, and Dr. Steve also landed some great steelhead and trout on flies.

Centerpin float fishing has also been very productive. Jigs and wax worms, and floats/spawn.The upper sections of the Muskegon River from the Newaygo area up to Croton have been fishing well. New Chrome Spring Steelhead are on the way with plenty more to come.

Spring Steelhead on the Muskegon River - Muskegon River Fishing Reports

In the up coming weeks, we should start seeing a fair amount of brighter, chrome spring fish. I guided down low, Bridgeton down, last week and there were good numbers of chromers to be had. I know there are good numbers of fish in the lower section of the Muskegon River. Water levels were up this morning, also with warmer temps. Day light is getting longer, Spring Steelhead fishing should start in earnest in the next week or so. There also seems to be a fair number of stone fly nymphs. The activity of Michigan Winter Stone flies usually my cue to start fishing hard down lower for bright chromers closer to Muskegon Lake.

Muskegon River Steelhead and Salmon fry - During the late winter months,early Spring, Chinook salmon fry and lake run brown trout fry begin to hatch out of the gravel into the "Fry" or "Alevin" stage.

These young fish are the perfect food source for larger steelhead and trout during this time of year. Egg patterns with a pronounced "blood dot" or bright red dot mimic the fry at this time. Also patterns such as the "Ice Man Minnow" or other fry or parr patterns also work well. Steelhead and trout during winter are now relying less on salmon eggs and focusing more on case caddis, stone flies, scuds, sowbugs, other macro invertebrates. Stone flies and fry patterns begin to really work well at this time of year when temperatures are cold and food is limited.

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead - Spring Steelhead Fishing Report

Spring Steelhead: In late February, Steelhead move up river and begin their migration to their spawning areas. Steelhead feed heavily on stone flies, caddis larvae, and Chinook fry. During March, April and May, Steelhead begin to polish gravel and begin to spawn.

During this time, Fly Fishing Steelhead is at it's absolute best!! Anglers can visually seek steelhead and make casts to the spawning Spring Steelhead. Sight fishing to Steelhead on gravel and watching them take the fly makes this an exhilarating experience!!

We have guided trips available for fly fishing for Muskegon Steelhead. Guide trips with sink-tips or chuck & duck are available. We also specialize in fishing with floats and spawn during the winter months. Not only do these fish bite.. They about rip the rod out of your hand!

Muskegon River Steelhead - Spring Steelhead

Muskegon River - The Muskegon River, as always, is far behind, because of the warm water reservoirs. The Muskegon River improved greatly over the next few day with the high water levels. Over the past few days, rain and warmer weather has dramatically improved the Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River. There seems to be good numbers of steelhead starting to show near the mid to lower sections. Deeper holes and runs have been producing the best fishing action. With forecasted rain, fishing should continue to improve. The middle to last week of March and April should offer some great Fall Steelhead fishing, I would also expect to see a handful of large, Lake-Run Brown Trout.

Fly fishing has been our choice technique. Deep water nymphing has been producing good numbers of Steelhead with the stone fly emergence. Stone flies emerge near 36 - 38 degrees and Steelhead key in on them big time!