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Think Spring Steelhead..They'll be here before you know it!
We are Michigan's
Outfitter for the Muskegon River.
Muskegon River Hatch Chart ~ Summer Trout
We are Michigan's premiere Outfitter for the Gray Drake hatch on the Muskegon River. This Flyfishing Guide Service with get you into lots of Michigan Salmon, Trout, and Great lakes Steelhead. We are now USCG certified to guide Atlantic Salmon St. Mary's River. Skamania Steelhead on the Manistee and St. Joe. Muskegon River Fly Fishing Guide Service. |
Book now for Spring Steelhead Fly Fishing!
Steelhead:
Muskegon River - May Steelhead
Many bright chrome
hens are just now beginning to spawn, after a very cold winter,
water temps are just now starting to get steelhead into full spawning
mode, just when the bulk of anglers feel "The run is done",
that why we love the Muskegon River. Our reservoirs, Croton and
Hardy keep water temps cold throughout the spring season and gives
the Muskegon River one of the latest steelhead runs in the state
of Michigan. In the evenings of May and June, The Muskegon River is home to the famed Gray Drake Spinner fall and the Iysonchia Bicolor, two large varieties of may flies that tend to spinner fall just before dark. These flies attract the attention of trophy brown on the dry fly. These trout may be selective at times, but are certainly well worth the wait. The guides at Betts Guide Service, wait the entire year for the six weeks of spinner falls and incredible dry fly fishing!
Stone Flies- There have been massive amounts of size 14-16 black winter stone flies in the Muskegon & Pere Marquette Rivers. Steelhead and Trout have been gorged with these stone flies. The Michigan winter's stone seems to be either black in color with chocolate thorax. Wing case is also chocolate. I've also seen variations of olive to a pale tan depending on the molt stage. These will certainly be the main stay of the bio-drift for the next several weeks. Fly fishing with nymphs has been excellent! Best
Flies: Best flies during
the past few days has been the super stone, egg- sucking stone, and black pheasant
tail nymph. With the lower, more clear water, micro stones have hooked a few steel
and plenty of trout. Small nuke eggs and smaller glo-bugs has also accounted for
some steelhead hook-ups! MoJo
Fly Sales
Float
fishing for Winter Steelhead
Muskegon River - The Muskegon River, as always, is far behind, because of the warm water reservoirs. The Muskegon should peak for Steelhead during later November. Over the past few days, rain and cooler weather has dramatically improved the Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River. There seems to be good numbers of steelhead starting to show near the Thornapple launch and high rollaways. 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 November and December should offer some great Fall Steelhead fishing, I would also expect to see a handful of large, Lake-Run Brown Trout.
Book a Winter Steelhead trip on the lower Muskegon River or Big Manistee River!!
Fly
Fish Steelhead on the Muskegon River. During typical years, Prime-Time steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River is from October 20th through late December. January and February also fishes well. The Muskegon has an earlier run of fall steelies due to cooler water temps as a tail-water fishery. We will be guiding Steelhead on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette Rivers during December, January, and February.
We have guided trips available for fly fishing for 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!
Click here to contact us
Pere Marquette River FISH:
Steelhead fishing on the Pere
Marquette river has been great over the past few days! There are also decent
numbers of steelies from Upper to walhalla and Rainbow to upper. New batches should
continue to enter the river. This seems to definitely be the peak weekend for
salmon fishing on the Pere Marquette River. During the past week there has been
large numbers of salmon spawning on and near the gravel and pocket water. In the
lower and middle sections of the river, there have been few fish in the holes
to replace the fish on gravel. The "Flies Only" section seems to have
the highest concentrations of fish on gravel and in the holes. The higher water
levels have pulled the majority of fish to the upper sections of the river. Fishing
on the Pere Marquette River should continue to remain strong over the next few
weeks. Comments: Due to huge client request I am posting a list of Spring Steelhead Fishing equipment . Rods: As per Steelhead fishing in November and December
, I recommend a 9'6" 8wt fly rod or a 10' 8wt fly rod, as for
reels, I recommend Orvis Barstock IV or a Ross big game #4. These
reels have an excellent drag and very fast line pick up. Spool them with a running
line, ex, Poly Fuse, 25lb Amnesia or Neon Tangerine Suffix. For weight on chuck-n-duck I use a free sliding snap swivel clipped to pencil lead, a clear bead, and a barrel (crane) swivel with one end to butt (12lb) and one end to tippet. For optimal drift, I recommend a 5 foot leader (8 or 10lb) from lead to end fly, with and egg fly in the middle and a dark nymph on the end. Also note: For guide trips, you will need waders and polarized sunglasses. All gear, tackle, flies (nominal cost) and a grilled, shore lunch will be provided with all guided trips! Fly Fishing Knots- Steelhead Steehead:Glo-bug egg flies in sizes #8 and #10's, natural colors such as Golden, steelhead orange, peach, Oregon cheese, baby blue, soft yellow. Hex Nymphs, nuke eggs, dark center, light halo Nymphs: Stone flies, hex nymphs, soft hackles, green caddis rock worm. I always carry a large selection of egg flies at any given time for Steelhead and resident trout. Click here to contact us for more information about guided fishing. Muskegon
River Steelhead Fly
Patterns for Fall & Winter Steelhead. Salmon: Any two fly rig, such as an egg (middle fly) and a nymph dropper fly seems to be working well. Dark nymphs such stone flies, green butt skunk, large pheasant tails, or hares ear nymphs. Tan or olive colored PM wigglers also work well. Trout: Small egg flies, little green caddis rock worms, midge larvae, pheasant tail nymphs, Beatis nymphs, River Conditions: The river level is 1700 - normal on the graph.You can also call 652-5009 to get new levels, 6.5 is normal for phone number. Water temp is 35-38 degrees For on-line flows, click here. Open Guide
Dates: .
We have open guided available for Winter Steelhead on the Muskegon River and
lower Manistee.
Book Now for Winter & Spring Steelhead!! March has more winter & Spring Steelhead than any other month and the least amount of anglers. Spend the day on the water hooking lots of Steelies! Our Jet Boats have heaters and hot coffee!!
Click here to contact us for more information about guided fishing. February:
Buck on the fly. Michigan Current River Flow Rates
Local Maps and Directions to places we fish: Order Michigan Fishing licenses on-line:
Michigan's
Muskegon River - Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing
Muskegon River Steelhead taken on the fly in November! Summer
Guide Trips for Smallmouth Bass & Trout Smallmouth
Bass Fishing: is going very well in this great summer weather. Good
numbers of smallies are feeding heavily on crayfish and small baitfish minnows.
The higher water level is making for some great smallmouth fishing as well. The
best fishing with streamers for smallies is usually once the sun gets over the
trees throughout the mid-day into the evenings. Afternoons have been the best
Fishing for both trout and smallmouth.
Best Fly Patterns: Bait fish streamers (see below), peach egg, black stones, PT nymphs, green caddis, small hex nymphs, parr or sac fry patterns.
Many of the larger resident brown trout are keying on the recently stocked hatchery trout. Large zonkers, bunny leaches, and sculpin patterns replicate this food source well.
Grand Rapids Fly Fishing Company - 49505 - Grand River Dr. Chicago fly fishing guide service for the Muskegon River Steelhead. Chicago Fishing salmon on the Western Michigan Rivers. Chicago Anglers- Pere Marquette Rivers guide. Chicago Guide fishing trout Michigan Fly Fishing. Chicago outfitters fly fishing. Chicago Orvis Shop, Ontario St. Chicago, Ill. Grand Rapids Fly Fishing Company - 49505 - Grand Rapids, MI Chicago Fly Fishing Steelhead Muskegon River- Chicago, Ill. Ann Abor, Mi 48103 Chicago fly fishing guide service for the Muskegon River Steelhead. Chicago Fishing salmon on the Western Michigan Rivers. Chicago Anglers- Pere Marquette Rivers guide. Chicago Guide fishing trout Michigan Fly Fishing. Chicago outfitters fly fishing. Chicago Orvis Shop, Ontario St. Chicago, Ill. Grand Rapids Fly Fishing Company - 49505 - Grand Rapids, MI Chicago Fly Fishing Steelhead Muskegon River- Chicago, Ill. Ann Abor, Mi 48103 Guided Fly Fishing Trips for Michigan's Winter and Spring Great Lakes Steelhead on the Muskegon River, Pere Marquette river, and White River. Gray Drakes are the best dry fly on the Muskegon River. Gray Drake spinners, Gray Drake dun, and Gray Drake nymphs fish best in May for Muskegon River trout. Gray drake inn May are the best fly for Muskegon river trout fishing. Pere Marquette River lodging is difficult to find in Baldwin, Mi . We are outfitters for Gray Drake hatches on the Muskegon River. We have Pere Marquette river guides available for steelhead, salmon, and trout. Muskegon River fishing reports are updated daily for the Muskegon River and Pere Marquette Rivers. The Muskegon River Steelhead fly fishing is the best in the Midwest and great lakes region. Pere
Marquette River guide service available for salmon, trout, and steelhead in Baldwin,
MI and Newaygo, Michigan for the Muskegon rivers. We love the Pere Marquette River
and Muskegon River fly fishing for Steelhead. Muskegon River steelhead is best
in November. Gray drake fishing is the best in May for Muskegon river trout. Welcome to Western Michigan's Premiere guide service for Salmon, Trout, Steelhead, and Smallmouth Bass on the Muskegon River. We guide Michigan's Muskegon River, Pere Marquette River, and Manistee River for Steelhead, including Skamania. We are Michigan's Outfitter for the Gray Drake hatch on the Muskegon River. This Flyfishing Guide Service will get you into lots of Michigan Salmon, Trout, and Great lakes Steelhead. We are now USCG certified to guide on the St. Mary's for Atlantic Salmon. Guide Atlantic Salmon on the St. Mary's River. Float fishing for Spring
steelhead! We'll hook you up! |
Jerry with a very nice plump hen. Still very good
numbers in the Muskegon for those who know where to look. (5/11)
USCG Captain Chad Betts 
Indicator Nymphing for Muskegon River Trout. 
Great Lakes Fall Steelhead are some of the most sought after fish
of the year! The bone jarring hits and incredible power... these chrome fish are
amazing!
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Betts
Guide Service
(231) 652-3189
Guide
Chad Betts
PO Box 608
Newaygo, MI 49337
ChadBetts@hotmail.com
Great
Lakes Steelhead guides for the Muskegon, Pere Marquette & Manistee Rivers.
"Steelhead Alley Guides for Ohio, Pa, and Erie" Grand Rapids, Mi
49505