Muskegon River Spring Steelhead Report – Croton Dam – (231) 519-7348


Fully Guided Spring Steelhead Trips for Michigan Rivers. Full Day Trips ( 8 hours) $395 Half Day Guided Fishing Tours (4 hours) $295

** All Gear, Tackle, Rods, Reels, Fishing Cleaning Provided** Super Prime Spring Steelhead Dates & Half days available for Muskegon River.

Steelhead fishing has been incredible. The main push of steelhead is here now during May. Water temperatures are equivalent of April 20th. Steelhead is way behind schedule and fishing is great. Our main focus has been sight fly fishing for steelhead on gravel. River water has been gin clear therefore sight fishing has been excellent. Good pockets of fish in the upper Muskegon River near the Croton Dam. Similarly, Mid section above Pine St has been doing well. Temperature and clarity is very good. Best Steelhead flies have been brown pheasant tail nymphs, salmon fry patterns, sack fry, olive hares ears nymphs. Small egg patterns are also working well. Apricot, Steelhead orange, Oregon Cheese, and golden nugget, all working well in #8, or #10’s. Consequently, Steelhead Egg Flies Fishing should remain great for the nest 10 days or more.

Open May Steelhead Dates

After May 15th, guided steelhead trips are $395 for the full day. Half day afternoon trips are $295 for 4.5 hrs of steelhead fishing.

George with a beautiful hen. Spring Steelhead are just beginning to spawn. May will be very good with lots of steelhead well into June this year.
Jordan with a giant buck steelhead. Double digit days just starting to rock! Spring steelhead just now beginning to spawn.

Two Steelhead on at a time! Yes, It’s about to be really really good fishing! New steelhead still coming in from Lake Michigan.
These steelhead have been gorgeous! Spring has been a month behind with very cold water temperatures hence fishing is just now getting good !

Open May Steelhead Dates:

After May 15th, guided steelhead trips are $396 for the full day. Half day afternoon trips are $295 for 4.5 hrs of steelhead fishing.

If you’re sitting in your office cubicle, bored, or sitting at home, NOW is the time to get out of the house and fish! May Steelhead dates are filling quickly. We are only offering the $295 half day Spring special until May 15th.

Water temperatures are still very cold! 44 degrees. We are landing at least one steelhead per hour on the Muskegon. It’s a great time to be on the water with little angling pressure and lots of fish. Fishing has been excellent with last week’s high water which shuffled the deck and brought in lots of new steelhead from the lower river. Likewise, Spring Chromers coming in from the lake with more to come!

It’s nearly May 5th and over 90% of the Michigan Spring Steelhead migration has not even begun to spawn. Similarly, all of the spawning hen steelhead have not spawned yet. Fly fishing for steelhead is phenomenal right now! If you seen the weather pattern for the past month, you’d swear it was March at best which makes this year’s spring steelhead feel the same way!

Water temperatures are just barely in the 40’s with the vast majority of the steelhead not even ready to spawn. Gravel fishing over the past couple days has been PHENOMINAL! Double digit days have been the norm with the weather finally warming up, and water levels dropping to a perfect level. The drop has made for some very good fly fishing! Visibly sight fishing for steelhead on gravel is probably some of the best steelhead fishing you’ll ever experience. Watching a fish take your bead or fly. Exhilarating!!

Best Steelhead tips and techniques

 Right now, free style nymphing for steelhead has been our best bet for numbers of steelhead. Trout beads and small black stone flies, salmon fry patterns, or green PM Caddis have all been working well. Sight fishing to spawning steelhead on gravel has been very effective. Long leaders and quality drifts has been the key to success. Running lines with a small amount of weight, and a two fly rig, or one trout bead with a stone fly dropper.

How To Catch More Trout

Bobber fishing on spinning tackle has also been effective. Very small spawn sacks in natural colors have been the best for both trout and spring steelhead. Brown trout have also been very active around spawning steelhead. Look for big numbers of steelhead during May this year. Steelhead are now just getting started and should go well into June this year.

Super Prime Spring Steelhead Dates & Half days available. Text to book >>> (231) 519-7348

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