GreatMich.com Fishing Report and More....

YARN. yarn is my stand by no matter what time of year. Moss green or blood red this time of year in the high muddy waters and you cannot go wrong. No stories to tell yet as I've havent caught much this winter, but you can be sure that I will post like crazy when i do catch one.

I am new to the river fishing this year but finally bought some wadders and plan on fishing the west side tribs hard. I am a pier fishing master at the holland and grand haven piers. I have more knowledge on fishing the piers than most guys twice my age. I fished almost everyday from august until october last fall and ended up with 37 kings. I also love to fish for sheephead! They are the greatest fighting fish in the summer months and are a prized quarry to me. I am always open to fish with anybody.

hey sage, i live on the mo and chase steels every day, if your going to flyfish the muskegon i would recomend small stones in black and small cadis, both in size 8 or 10, nuke eggs can also be very productive

Dave isnt their a pier in the holland state park? If memory servers me correctly there is. Hows the fishing there around labor day? I maybe going camping there for that weekend , wondering if i should pack my gear.

Hey sage, no lead and big dog are spot on with their advice. I would also add the hex nymph (ie wiggler immitation). I have found that on the Muskegon peacock stone flys, size 10 are really close to what comes off the river starting around march or early april and that green/copper color that the peacock hearl has sure seems to entice the fish. For hexes I like a size 8 tied on a 2x heavy wire and extra long nymph hook. Sparrows are another good fly that are a quick tie in either green or tan. And Fish-N-fool, if you are coming to Holland around labor day you should absolutely bring your gear. That will be prime salmon time and if the water has rolled over could be good for lake perch.

Hey rick thanks for the info. Now im going to have to press on you a bit more. How do they do it there? Cast spoons and body baits. What about your other rod for dead sticking floating rapalas, or minnows?

HI Fish-N_fool, Your basic pier tactics should land you some kings. First be there before sunup, and 2 hours before dark . The low light hours will be the best. Some guys will cast spoons all night. If you have a cast net be sure to bring it along with a minnow bucket. If there are ale wives around this is the best bait. If not, spoons (cleos 3/4 oz., k.o. wobblers, crockodiles, moonshines) with some glow colors are a good bet. I've never thrown body baits but it sure seems like they would work also. And then there is always spawn. Fresh skien about the size of a golf ball will also take some kings or coho. Fish alewives on about a 4 foot leader using a sliding pyramid sinker bottom rig. Bring pryamids from 1oz. to 3oz. For kings most people use 10-12 lb main line with 8 - 10 lb. flourocarbon leader and size 2 or 4 hooks. If you can't catch any bait(alewives) and use spawn then sorten the leader down to around 2 feet. You will need some kind of rod holders and a long handle net. At the grand haven pier, most rod holders are 2" pvc by 12 inches long with a 1/4 " od. by 18 to 24 inch piece of steel rod to get it pushed between the concrete and steel on pier. A lantern or headlight will also make things easier. And if the water has rolled over say in the upper 40s or low 50s the perch will be around. Again try and catch small alewives or go to the bait store and get perch minnows, and use a standard two hook perch rig. good luck Rick

Thanks very much Rick, that was alot of good info.

Yes, great info indeed.

Sage and others, For the centerpinners that are in pursuit of mastering this technique for said species, it is advisable to diligently watch masters such as myself perform this deadly craft on the waters that we all so often frequent.

For example, on my home waters I hadn't caught a fish on a spawnbag in my entire life previous to my exploration of the pin. Now i can drift various fly patterns with good success. BTW, My river has been very good to me over the years and I'm sure this spring will be no different. Keep an eye on the superstars and try to mimic their casting styles. You will learn grasshopper.

Ludington Pier is the best! I have always had my best luck at Ludington, north or south it does not matter. Try casting glo spoons in the dark.

Good Day,

Sageflyfisher, there is a variety of patterns to choose from. One can't go wrong throwing any sort of egg pattern and as the weather warms, nymphs will really start to come into play. I've had my personal best day in late March on a green butt skunk pattern, so to each their own.

Also Sageflyfisher, Don't count out late March for early season action. I remember one snowy day in late March years ago when I still went fishing. There was only one other angler and I fishing the run and I lost count of fly hooked steelies. I still reminisce about this day every couple weeks and love to post about it every year. If you want to come over sometime and have some tea and maybe tie a few flies, shoot me an email. Always willing to help a beginner.

Steelie

Hey guys! I’m coming to Fremont on the 20th to do some steel fishing...We came out last year around the same time and never hooked a fish...we are coming from South Dakota to try to get some steels...no boat last year and fished in Hesperia with spinning rods and spawns with a float...like i said no fish...this year we are bringing a 20ft flat bottom in/out jet, plan on fishing the Muskegon for 4 days this year and hope to hook some fish...any ideas??

hey m robinson, If you go to the forum page and then go to next fishing trip, then down to "a different river, outfitters" there is some info posted there on access to the Muskegon. If you are coming march 20 there should be fresh chrome in the river as well as the winter hold over fish. You may find some fish on the gravel but primarily the tailouts and behind the redds would be good water to fish. Flys (hex nymphs, caddis, stone flys, sparrows and yarn eggs) will all take fish. Spawn bags will also do the trick but be prepared to catch alot of 10-14 inch trout as they are gobbling the spawn. I usually have at least three colors of bags, chartruse, pink, and white. The water is usually pretty high in the spring so make sure to bring a good amount of chain for anchoring. I run a 16 foot modified john and usually run 60 to 80 lbs. What part of south dakota are you coming from and how many? Are you camping or hoteling it? One other thing, give some consideration to trying the grand river for one of the days you are here. You can fish it right below sixth street dam in Grand Rapids. There is a boat launch on the east side of the river. It is not near as scenic but in March when you are going to be here it will be fishing better that the Muskegon as far as Steelhead goes. Good luck!!! Rick

Thanks a lot rick for your help! There is 4 of us coming and we are staying near Fremont with friends at their house. His parents own the Harley Dealership there so he doesn’t get a whole lot of time to fish, but he’s taking a few days off to try to get us some fish...last year we never hooked a fish cept for one brooke...we are coming from Yankton, SD the far southeast corner, about 792 miles...it was a long ways to go last year to not hook a steel. We did a lil ice fishing at night and got some nice gills and a few nice eyes but other than that no fish. I plan on bringing my fly rod and have talked another friend who coming into bringing his as well...but it might get pretty tight in that boat with 5 people, so not sure if i will get to break it out or not...I’m thinking that we might hit up that dam on 6th street in grand rapids, its only about 40 miles from where we are staying, and if we can’t hook fish on the Muskegon then we will head there for sure…

Matt

Hey Matt, How ironic that your friends parents own Sandys as that is the dealership that I use. Are you talking about Josh? Definately bring your fly rods as there are some areas that you can get out of the boat and wade. Also, if you want I can give you my phone number and maybe hit the river with you guys for a day or two. Ill give you my email and if this sounds like something you would be interested in drop me a line. Rick_Plite@yahoo.com I'm suprised that you didn't do any good on the White last year. That is usually a pretty good river for steelhead but you might have been a little early. Hopefully this year will be better for your group. That is definately a long ways to drive for no chrome.

Small world huh? Actually Eric, Josh's younger brother. That sounds good to me, have to talk it all over with them. Last year while we fished the White, Josh and his friends were on the Mo and did well but we didnt have a boat last year to get out there. Im bringing my fly rod forsure and have talked my other friend into bringging his as well...We cant wait to be there, been counting down the days for the past few weeks now. Catching small trout would be fun as well since we dont have any trout in yankton, cloest is a few hours. It would be nice to hook into some steels and i have a really good feeling this year thanks to your help Rick. My email is mrobinson@robinsonmotors.net and i will email you forsure. We are leaving Yankton at 2 am on the 20th and should arrive around 2-3 pm on friday...prolly wont get to fish friday since we have to tie spawn, but sat-mon its on.

I am planning a Steelhead trip on the PM this year, and could use some advice on when the majority of fish will be up. We will mostly be anchoring and dragging HotnTots, or drifting spawn.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

bvolk, just remember it's all about the water clarity, try to go when the water is clear. I drove up to the P.M. from GR the last time the conditions were perfect and I hooked 7 in a half hour of fishing on the river. If you watch the conditions, you will have luck, indeed.

For those of us that don't need luck, we rely on our frozen king skeins to produce consistently for us for these elusive steel which we all seek. For the floatrodders out there, keep an eye on Lamiglas for a new "axisgear" signature series great lakes stick, as I've pulled a few strings with the guys there...

LOL axisgear!!! those of us that dont need luck!!! Lamiglas!!! dude you are too funny

Indeed LOL on the axisgear post. 7 fish in a half hour, wow that is some kind of hot fishing. Were they just jumping into your net and then unhooking themselves so you could get your hot setup back in the water? I agree with bigdog, dude you are too funny. From your earlier post I was wondering how you could cast with one hand as the other one was so busy patting yourself on the back for being the great master that you are. Oh grasshopper, the time has come for you to go.

Matt, one other good option if you want to wade is the Big Manistee below tippy dam and there is a boat launch at the dam as well one draw back is on the weekend it is a zoo down there. If you are interested in fishing flies using chuck and duck 5 people in the boat is not a problem. Chuck and Duck is like casting a spinning reel other than all your line in the bottom of the boat. If you want some pointers at set up and flies swing into the Cabela's in Mitchell SD. Ask around for Bob Becker he works in the hunting department he is a transplanted Michigan boy. Tell him Kurt sent you in,he and I steelhead fished for years together he can show you what you need for a set up and yes he fly fishes with one arm. With all the warm weather and high water there should be plenty of steelhead in the rivers by the time you get here.

Fly advice for Sage, the past couple of years I have done real well on Salmon fry immitations on the Rogue, Manistee and the Muskegon. Late March through mid May you can't beat them. Look around on the web to find different patterns. One site to check is Feenstraguideservice.com, Kevin is a guide on the Muskegon who shares his flies on his web site a great spring pattern he has is the BTS (Better than Spawn) it is a minnow immitator that the fish love to eat. It is an articulated fly (two hooks) which gives it more action in the water. If you check the Baldwin bait and tackle web site under John's reports he had a video on a Salmon fry pattern he uses on the PM but it will work anywhere there are Salmon Fry. From Mid April salmon fry patterns are my nymph of choice. Give them a try.

BTS LOL!!! yeah great bed fishing fly!!

SAGE

I personally have had great success using an olive matuka, but my favorite fly of all time is a bright colored spring wiggler. Nothing can beat the beauty of a majestic steelhead on a redd on a cool spring morning and swinging those spring wigglers right in their face. Man i love this time of year.
Good luck to all!

in their face in their butt, in their dorsal fin, where ever just remember the 8 foot leader.

You guys talking about steelies and redds is getting me excited. That is the time of year when i can consistantly slam them. The warm weather and rain we are having should be just the thing we need to have them start spawning on my favorite sections of gravel. I have been getting a couple the last few days down at six street. They seem to be liking the size 14 and 16 black stones the best. Oh and i only run a 5-6 ft leader.

:)

bigdogx71, I don't know if you are implying that i am trying to foul hook or "line" these fish but as a seasoned fly fisherman i take great pride in tying my own flys in hopes of enticing a smart, savvy, very intelligent fish to tangle with me. I also like to bobber fish holes. I'm new to it so I'm learning, slowly but surely, how to master the king of the spring. Good luck to all!

Bafishsteel and to all others that need help, I have been floating hole for as long as I can remember. I don't want to brag but I rode my horse to the river yesturday and in 6hrs I hooked and landed 1 male. Anyways if anyone has a question or ineed of some advice just hit me up.

Rogue, I fished the rogur river wednesday and friday last week in hopes of finding steel but only ended up with trout. Water color was good but still really cold. Fished above packer on wed. and above jerico bridge in Rockford on Friday. Great to be back in the flowing water again. Will be back after them again this week.

I wasnt impling i was flat out saying, why would you even bother fishing for fish on gravel...I know because you can SEE them. You realize that when there are fish on gravel there are still plenty of fish in the holes either post spawn or in the runs waiting to move up..but oh no every year hundreds of "seasoned anglers" fly up to the gravel to rip em...I hope we have flood stage water all spring

:)

bigdogx71 as i stated before i am also a bobber fisherman. Why would i hole fish if i only fish redds cause i can SEE the fish. Would you think the same thing about a person texas rigging a 5 lb bucketmouth off its bed, which is a heavily practiced and not critized as much as us doing the same thing fishing gravel in the river. I agree alot of the people i stand shoulder to shoulder with, on some days, don't really care if the fish is foul hooked or not. I am not one of these. I also do alot of dam droppin' and people think i'm foul hooking alot of those fish but the they are bitters and they bite hard. I love watching a giant chromer jumping gracefully through the air with a bafishsteel spring wiggler special solidly locked in his jaw. Ill still check out the redds every season but dam droppin and hole fishing are stealing my heart!! Good luck to all!

Had a few questions, I am new to this msg. board and was curious about some of the topics u guys have wrote in about. I am an avid float fisherman and was wondering what the center pin u have talked about. Will this help me with float fishing? Also I read something about dam dropping. What style of fishing is this? Thanks inadvace.

Ishmal check out whitakers.com they have a large selection of centerpin reels and a brief description of the benefits of using one

Axis, going through the post I seen the u wrote something about u pulling some strings on ur own series of rods. I was wondering if that was true and if so what type of rod it's going to be. I'm in the market for a new rod and I would rather buy a rod that one of our own michiganer has designed, or if anyone could steer me in the direction of a good 14'-15' rod would great. Thanks.

ahhh....1 week away and i will be on the Muskegon rippin some lip. Anyone been out there?

Sage, BAfishsteel, and others

Don't listen to those that would only try to discourage you from trying your hand at these anadromous silvery torpedoes which we all feverishly pursue. I see no problem with you fishing the spawning grounds of these hatchery fish as long as you don't keep more than you and your brethren can consume. This is something I would like to touch on briefly. Please don't take more than what is needed. For example, on any given day, I could easily catch 5 steelies in a few minutes or less and head home with a bunch of meat, if I wanted, but I might keep just one every now and then for the smoker. And I catch a TON of steelhead. So if you are only catching a few and keeping them, let a couple go, You can't eat them all.

OK then, let me get this right..............on any given day you can easily catch 5 steelies in a few minutes. Also, 12 fish in an hour on the Grand and 7 in 30 minutes on the PM. Not saying it is impossible, but WTF. You will not travel 30 minutes to fish unless you can have double digit hook-ups in an hour. You pretty much just recently caught your first fish on a bag, and floatfishing I might add, in which anyone could do. And now you are helping in the design of a floatrod for Lamiglas?

Dude.....this is some very funny stuff.

I too can easily catch 5 steelies in minutes, but I choose not too because it makes my friends mad. As far as eating them-YUCK-! I catch hundreds of Walleye a year, so I'll eat them if I want some tasty fish.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone. I'm new to greatmich and can't wait to give and receive info. Well til next time

Hello all, went down to the river yesterday,one small trout no steel for me did see two in a boat.Spill gates open water is flowing strong.Going back on wed morning.Hey rick plite you must be rob's younger brother i know him from the eagle's .

Axisgear and bafishsteel, As I read through all the post ive noticed that u guys seem that u guy know alot about steelie fishing. I was wondering if either of did any guideing? I'm new to this sport and would love to have a guided trip so I could learn a few tricks of the skillful trade. I do alot of my fishing near the newaygo area.

Just wanted to add that I'm lucky if I can hook one maybe two when I see all the other fisherman around me fighting fish all day. In the post u both talk about catching steelies all day long and I would love to have a day like that.

Maybe he will write an instructional book on steelheading and have a book signing down at the Grand River at his hotspot.

Afterthesteel,

I'm very honored that you would like me to share my knowledge of these beautiful fish we all persue, but im also a newby. This is my first year float fishing and i learn new and wonderful things everyday when i'm wetting a line. My advice is to read alot of books and don't be afraid to try something new. Who would have thought a bright red, orange, and chartruese spring wiggler with a bright pink tail swinging gracefully downstream would ever catch the attention of such a magnificent fish? Not me, but every spring i can't wait to tie one on and just enjoy the natural beauty of the river. Good luck to you and Good luck to all.

Hey axholegear
I don't know what you do for a living but you should give some thought to writing fiction, because you seem to have a natural talent for it. In life, usually the one who brags the most about something, usually excells the least. I really like the recap of your b.s. that bottomfeeder assembled. Indeed some very funny stuff. If I ever happened to see you at the river, I'm sure it would be very easy to spot you. You would be the one walking on the water, or maybe you would be in the water wading without waiders but some supernatural current break would magically divert the water around you, or maybe it would be the steel halo that hangs over fishing gods heads, and while landing 7 fish in 6 seconds all on what 1 or 2 pound leader line with a spawn bag that never needs replacing. Yes indeed, I think you would be an easy one to spot because of all the barn flys....after all axhole, ye does know what flys are attracted to doesn't ye? And one more thing, you have probably heard the statement "I fish therefore I LIE" At least now I know where it came from!!

Rick Plite look at post #43

There slot of negative pol in here. I've always noticed that it's not the one who brags that excels tbh least it the ones that feel they must point out everones flaws and try to bully them. These type of pol are the ones that excel the least tryn to make other feel bad. Howard city buzz, is there something wrong with my post(#43)? I really hope your not putting 2cents worth in something that didn't involve u. If u have something to say than say it to me instead of hideing behind somone n let them talk ur shit for u.

Ahhh yes, you can tell it is spring fishing because there is bickering in the air. I'm sorry if my successes on the pin have caused any sort of jealousy, because that is not my intention. I am posting here in attempt to provide my knowledge and experience to the newbies that require it, no more or no less. I can't help it that I find myself constantly doing battle with our metallic adversaries when I'm on the water. I simply go when the conditions are prime and I'm always rewarded for my efforts. If you doubt my credentials, I will have you know that I have personally landed over 100 DIFFERENT fish species on the pin. Sure, the centerpin experience is quickly becoming passe, but once something new comes along, the "look at me" glory seekers will move on. Remember, I fished flies, particularly streamers, before this whole pin craze got going and I wasn't too shappy with the bug rod either. So to each his own. Goodluck to all.