The pictures above tell exactly how I love to spend my early March days with clients. Limits of bright silver chrome, spring steelhead, fish in the net! Winter is over and spring has sprung! The Muskegon river is now full of these beauties! Steelhead fishing has been right on track so far this week with new fish entering the river daily. The past three days have offered some very good steelhead fishing. Water temperatures are about normal. The warm spell last week brought in a lot of steelhead into the upper sections of the river. Water conditions are just about perfect with water levels, clarity, and temperatures. It will be very nice this season, not having snow melt flood conditions this year. It’s gravy time from this point forth.
Text to Book >>> (231) 519-7348
We’re a guide service devoted to catching Steelhead, however, it’s nice to show off some big brown trout from time to time. Stone flies are going!
Lindsey with a butter ball brown trout. Catching some nice browns with the steelhead. The last few days have been great!
You guessed it. Steelhead fishing is still really good and continues to improve. Water levels are perfect. Clarity is improving day by day. Water clarity today was 3′ – 5′ visibility. We were fly fishing today and landed 7 fish on stone flies, and trout beads. Brighter colored beads fished well, along with the egg sucking stone fly.
Muskegon Stream Flow: 5720 cfs Water temperature: 36 degrees Clarity: 3′ – 5′ Wading: No
Starting to see bright silver spring steelhead on the Muskegon River, Michigan.
Chrome Spring Steelhead throughout the system with more entering the river each day. Significantly warmer weather ahead should get fish moving big time!
I’ve been posting fishing reports for over 15 years, and I’ve been trying all day to think of the best way to explain this so everyone is on the same page. Most clients read a fishing report and then will book a date three weeks after the post was originally made, and then wonder why they had a three fish day on a guided trip, instead of the double digit days they had seen me post about weeks prior…The best way to explain this particular fishing report, THERE IS A SHIT TON OF STEELHEAD IN THE RIVER… NOW!! As in, you should’ve booked two weeks ago and should be fishing NOW. The Muskegon, White, and the Grand Rivers are all loaded with chrome steelhead with hardly anyone fishing them. News Flash folks…The main Spring Steelhead run has been here for four days now. I’m not sure why people are waiting to fish, but this is me telling you to book your trip now, not two weeks from now, but NOW! They’re here, with a lot more coming..
Not Joking… Helen Keller could catch a limit of Steelhead right now… (231) 519-7348
Everything is way ahead of schedule now due to the warmer weather. Water temperature on the Muskegon River is 37 degrees! (Should be 33 on a normal year) The Ice is now completely gone from Croton and Hardy Reservoir, which normally keeps the water temperatures low late into April.
The Spring Steelhead migration this year will likely be much shorter than normal. I believe steelhead will finish spawning by early to mid April. March will be the month to fish. Warmer weather ahead, conditions look spectacular for steelhead fishing this week. Highs in the 60’s for February. No doubt that steelhead will be on the move, and hopefully start spawning with the warmer water temperatures!
Spring Steelhead should be in full swing after this week!
You may Book Spring Steelhead Dates through the (Rates Tab) or through email. ( chadbetts@Hotmail.com ) Emails will be answered within 24 hrs or less, You may also call or text me regarding questions on winter / spring steelhead trips. We will continue to guide throughout the winter. My cell for immediate questions,
texts regarding Spring Steelhead fishing. (231) 519-7348
Winter Steelhead Fishing has been Excellent!
Oliver with a gorgeous winter steelhead. Fishing has been excellent with lots of steelhead being landed daily. Guide trips are going well. Lots of fish this winter. (1/16)
Warming trend coming up this week for steelhead fishing. Water levels on the Muskegon River are perfect right now, dropping at (2530 cfs) Wading is possible right now – Be careful – Use pull tab floatation vests. Boating is good. Spawn and trout beads have been fishing well. Stone flies and fry patterns for fly fishing. Water temp is 34 degrees. So fish slowly, and cover the water efficiently. (231) 519-7348
Jackie with one of many steelhead from yesterday. Steelhead are larger, more stout this winter. Good numbers of steelhead & trout. (1/1)
Winter Steelhead fishing has been excellent over the past week or so. Good numbers of darker steelhead in the upper sections near Thornapple or Pine St.
Lower river – Newaygo Down stream – has less numbers but brighter fish. Steelhead still continue to move through the system, with new fish coming in from the lake. Typically, the Muskegon River gets fresh steelhead throughout the winter months.
Winter Steelhead fishing is absolutely one of the best times of year to fish! Good numbers of Steelhead with a handful of anglers on the water.
Big smiles & big fish! It’s no wonder why so many anglers choose the Muskegon river as their top fishing destination during the winter!
One of the greatest things about the Muskegon River Winter Steelhead fishery is, no matter how cold it is, the Muskegon River never freezes! Being a tailwater river below two giant reservoirs, the Muskegon is a top draw dam, taking water from just below the ice, keeping water tempratures always just above freezing. This makes the Muskegon River one of the best Winter Steelhead rivers in the nation, offering excellent steelhead and trout fishing fishing throughout the entire winter. Fishing is incredible all winter long, this year is no exception!
Myles with a gorgeous chrome hen steelhead. This kid was on fire today! Float Fishing Beat Down on Steelhead!! (12/1)
Jessica & Adyson with a prime example of why we steelhead fish during the winter!! (Jessica landed this buck!) Great day with great new friends! (12/5)
Bead-O-Lishious! Great Fall Steelhead on the Muskegon River. New Fish coming in with the bump in water levels! (12/1)
Toby and Myles put a hardcore beat down on some Steelhead today! Big numbers moving in from the lake with much warmer than normal, water tempratures (46.4 degrees). Chrome steelhead coming in from Lake Michigan. A very nice bump in the water levels, 2270 cfs, making for some killer steelhead fishing for December! Look for excellent Steelhead fishing for the next few weeks! Game on for Fall Steelhead!!
We have guide dates available for all West Michigan Rivers. Please text us >> (231) 519-7348
Big rains on Monday brought water levels up, bringing fresh chrome steelhead, and much better fishing conditions. December should be excellent!!
Higher Water Level Bump has made for some phenominal Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette Rivers.
Recent rains have brought the local rivers, Muskegon, White, Pere Marquette, and Big Manistee River levels up from previously low levels. This should help the fall steelhead and trout fishing tremendously for the month of December. December is always an exceptionally good month for steelhead fishing, this year prove to be great again this year! Water tempratues are still in the high 40’s so steelhead are agressive and taking spawn well.
Kris & Kris with a gorgeous Pere Marquette River Steelhead. PM and Manistee River are fishing well right now. Good numbers of fish in both rivers. Cooler temperatures have turned on the Steelhead Fishing in West Michigan.
A good day of Fall Steelhead Fishing on the Muskegon River. Alex, Petru, and Irina with some nice hatchery steelhead for the table.
Michigan Steelhead Fishing Tours on the Muskegon, Pere Marquette, and Big Manistee Rivers. Steelhead fishing has been very good over the past few days. Cold nights definitely have steelhead on the move to the upper Muskegon River below Croton Dam. Chinook Salmon are about finished for this year making for some hungry resident trout. Other food sources, caddis larvae, scuds, sculpin, and golbies have been high on the menu. Croton Dam to the Pine Street access has been fishing well with lots of steelhead, and resident rainbow and brown trout. Steelhead fishing should remain strong over the next several week. Especially with rain the forecast. expect better, more consistent steelhead fishing for later November and December, as more Steelhead enter the lower Muskegon and Manistee Rivers. Text to book>> (231) 519-7348
Brian with one of the most beautiful, well earned, steelhead I’ve seen in a long time. An absolute dime piece!! Big Steelhead this year!
Starting to see good numbers of Fall Steelhead on the Muskegon River. Steelhead sitting behind the salmon.
Game on for Fall Steelhead! Recent rains last night have brought the Muskegon River up to a decent, and “Fishable” level for Steelhead and Trout. The Chinook Salmon are about finished but still remaining Coho and Lake Trout. This rain should give the river a boost and bring in our main batch of migratory Steelhead.
Big Manistee River is already in full swing with lots of Steelhead through out the entire river system. Tippy Dam has been fishing very well. There continues to be lots of King Salmon, Coho, and Lake Trout.
More chrome to come!
With this year’s salmon season beginning to wind down, we’ve been hooking 5 – 10 chrome bullet Steelhead a day by “accident” while fishing for salmon. If this is any indication of how steelhead fishing is going to be this fall, we’re in for one heck of a Fall Steelhead migration! Drifting small spawn sacks, eggs flies, or trout beads behind the spawning Kings has been key. Steelhead are hefty and stout this fall. Similar to the Fall of 2013.
These Steelhead are big and jumping like crazy when you hook ’em! We will be guiding both Steelhead and Salmon for the next week or so, then focusing on pure steel. We can’t wait to catch more chromers!
Girls fish too!! These Steelhead have been amazing this week. Water temperatures in the mid 50’s have steelhead going crazy! Hard hits and big air! Pure Michigan Chrome!
Carley with a gorgeous Fall Steelhead. Things are on track for epic fishing this fall. Good Steelhead numbers so far.
River Conditions Right Now!
Muskegon River: Flowing at 1300 cfs Temp. 52
Levels are quite low and gin clear. Wading is a good option. Challenging for jet boats.
Muskegon River is fishing well.
White River: 375 cfs. Temp. 52
Great wading and Drift boats. Low and Clear.
Grand River: Water is coming down. Murky
6th Street is fishing well.
Temp. 52
Manistee River: 1710 CFS Temp. 53
Dropping. Low and Clear. Wadable at Tippy Dam.
Mid sections fishing well.
Trip Options at this time of year.
Muskegon River: $350 for 2 anglers. (8hrs)
Guided half day. $250 for 2 anglers. (4.5 hrs)
Manistee River: $395 for 2 anglers. (8hrs)
Pere Marquette River: $395 for 2 anglers.
White River: Raft Trip $395 for 2 anglers.
White River walk in – $300
Grand River: Below 6th St and down.
$395 for two anglers.
