Muskegon River Trout - Fly Fishing Hatches

Muskegon River Trout Fishing - Dry Fly Hatch fishing at it's finest!

 

Sucker spawn is for kids! It's great opportunity to introduce your son or daughter into fly fishing. Trout fishing during the sucker's spawn has constant fish landing action with the small 8" - 12" trout. They're also sure to hook into a couple big trout! They're great for kids to learn the fundamentals of fly fishing and have a great time on the water. This technique is very easy to learn. Half days are also perfect for this technique.

For those of you interested in trophy brown trout fishing, we are extremely excited about the upcoming Gray Drake spinner fall! If you look back through the fishing report, you'll see we have landed some giant resident brown trout throughout the winter and early spring. All of these big second year trout will be in the shallows feeding on Gray Drake mayflies. Dry fly fishing the Gray Drake spinners  is an angler's best opportunity by far, to land a trophy brown trout. Sight fishing to these big browns is an adrenaline rush! You're hunting trophy browns!

May & June are the the time for Dry fly fishing with the Gray Drake Spinners. (Gray Drakes are a mid-sized may fly with smoke clear wings, a thin variegated body, and a white ring around the eyes.) Most spinner falls occur just be for dark.

Drakes also always spinner fall on a riffle or fast current. Muskegon's most overlooked hatch, typically found in the middle to lower sections of the river. Thornapple - Henning Park.

Dry fly trout fishing the Grey Drake  in late May. Without question, my favorite time of the year for trophy brown trout on the Muskegon River! Sight fishing giant pig browns feeding in the evenings on the surface. It's one of the only times of the year that browns are less wary during daylight hours. These trout gorge on Gray Drakes and nymphs preparing to emerge.

Muskegon River Hatches: March Browns, Caddis, Quill Gordons, Black quills, and Sulphers. Gray Drakes coming soon! We still have good numbers of steelhead in the system on shallow gravel redds. Key locations are holding fish. Chinook Salmon fry are everywhere against the banks. Resident Trout are feeding on fry and parr big time - Making for some fantastic Streamer fishing during the next several weeks.

Coming up in late May, early June, we have the Gray Drake spinner fall offering some of the best dry fly fishing there is in the mid west!

Muskegon River Trout Fishing Report

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.