Great Lakes Steelhead - Steelhead are the ultimate game fish and the "Crown Jewel" of Michigan Rivers. Like Salmon, Steelhead are born in rivers but spend their growing years in larger bodies of water. Our Great Lakes Steelhead return after three or four years, then head out to the big lake again.

These beautiful fish average 8-10 pounds and occasionally a monster close to 20 pounds is caught. Natural reproduction is increasing so join us to catch a Wild Trophy Steelhead and the memory of a lifetime!

Muskegon River Fall Steelhead - Great Lakes Steelhead migrate into our rivers in late October. These hard charging, acrobatic, exhilarating chrome bullets enter the Muskegon River in mid October while Michigan strain- Chinook salmon are spawning. Bright silver egg robbers cruise spawning salmon redds searching for free egg samples. Drifting egg patterns behind the spawning Chinook is the preferred method for taking early fall Steelhead.

Later in the the season when when the water temperature cools, greater numbers of Fall Steelhead enter the lower Muskegon River. Fishing spawn drifted under a float just can't be beat. These Steelhead are fresh, just in from Lake Michigan!!

No fish inspires anglers more than Michigan's Winter Steelhead!

Muskegon River Winter Steelhead - During the winter months, fall and winter steelhead stage in the lower Muskegon River below Newaygo. Due to colder water, these Steelhead group up in deep holding water and slowly make their way up river. This is an exceptional time of year to focus on good numbers of Fall and Winter Steelhead with few anglers on the River. Both Fly Fishing and Floats & Spawn are very effective for targeting these great fish!

Michigan's Spring Steelhead - In late February, the winter 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!!

Peak Dates: March, April, May, early June

~ Michigan's Muskegon River Spring Steelhead ~

Michigan Summer Steelhead - (Skamania Strain) Probably the most noted, the St. Joseph River, located in southwest Michigan, and the Manistee River, is perhaps the most reliable River in Michigan for Skamania Steelhead. Both Michigan and Indiana, plant more than one hundred thousand summer run steelhead a year into the St. Joe River. Numbers of adult Summer Steelhead return to the river as adults. Skamania Steelhead stage at the mouths of cool spring creeks flowing into the larger main stream. Large groups of steelhead cruise clearly visible to the Chicago fly Angler. Casting the fly to particular fish, managing the drift, and watching the take make this fly fishing experience extraordinary.

Peak Dates: July, August, September