Muskegon Pere Marquette fishing guide and reports.

Interested in fishing Lake Michigan for king salmon, coho, steelhead, or Browns? Jon Kolehouse and Hattrick Charters out of Lundington, Michigan offer trips of a life time!

Open Dates

Call (231-250-9745) today to book an exciting trip!

River Conditions

FISHING REPORTS

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May 5 2008

The steelhead run is winding down on the Muskegon river. There are still enough fish out there to play with but the numbers are dropping off each day. Primary focus will now turn to stream trout fishing as the weather warms the hatches will start to provide some great action. Look for caddis,BWO's and a few sporadic smaller mayflies to bring the fish to the top. Sulphurs and grey drakes are only a few weeks away. Now is the time to book your summer trout trips.remember the muskegon fishes best now thru june for the big boys. Late June thru August is prime for Smallmouth Bass !!!

1/2 day trips are available. Morning or late afternoon,evening trips. 225.00

I also charter out of Ludington,come fish with us on the big lake !! Kids and families welcome for a great day of catching salmon,and trout. Check out the web site for more info. www.hattrickfishing.com. We are running an early summer special, call or email for more info !!!

Tight lines.

April 26 2008

The fishing still remains strong on the Muskegon ! There are fresh fish coming in at a steady pace to fill in the ones that are leaving. Water levels are back to normal and temps are in the low 50's. Best flies the last few days have been smaller natural eggs,larger hex's and stones. The run looks to be at peak and the fishing will remain good for a few more weeks. We have openings both full and half days.

We offer 1/2 day afternoon specials from 4ish till dark. Please call or email for more info on these great trips...all the traffic is gone and the fishing usually picks up again in the evenings. Cost 250.00. This was a very popular trip last spring so dont miss out. Great for getting your kids on the water after school !

PRIME DATES OPEN APRIL 28-30 THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FISH THRU EARLY MAY !!

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

Summer trout and smallmouth trips available as well as Charters out of Ludington Mi ! www.hattrickfishing.com

April 22 2008

The fishing has been great with fish in the pools,runs and spawning areas. Although the weekend traffic has been out of control. Look for the fishing to remain decent thru the first few weeks in May. I spent the last two days getting the "Hattrick" ready for the lake and will be available for charters starting May 10.

PRIME DATES OPEN APRIL 26,28-30 THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FISH THRU EARLY MAY !!

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

Summer trout and smallmouth trips available as well as Charters out of Ludington Mi ! www.hattrickfishing.com

April 15 2008

PRIME DATES OPEN APRIL 21,22,26,28-30 THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FISH THRU EARLY MAY !!

May dates also available.

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

I had the pleasure of floating the PM the last two days with long time clients. There are fish in that system as we all know but with the sunny conditions it was a little slow. We managed about 7 hookups and a few landed in two days. With some very nice browns as icing on the cake. Water levels are perfect and there is a good stain in the water. Eggs,stones and woolybuggers did the trick on the fish. I can only imagine how great it would have been if the sun was hidden. Back to the mighty Muskegon for a day then back to the PM later in the week.

April 13 2008

Finally things are looking up for the run ! Recently super high water has brought a new batch of chrome fresh fish to the rivers ! Although conditions are forcing you to work a bit for them the reward is there. And it is always worth it. Super high colored water has had the egg bite going good. Plenty of fish in the pools and also some guides are spending their days on the gravels hooking up well.

There has been plenty of traffic on the river so please be courteous to the other boaters out there.

Open dates April 21-23,28-30

May dates also available.

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

April 8 2008

Finally a few decent days on the river.The water temps are finally getting up there,and there are a few winter fish poking around the gravel. Silver fresh fish are in the pools. Pretty much any kind of water is holding fish right now, you just need to keep looking for them. Larger egg flies and larger nymphs are working as the water is still a bit tinted.

There has been plenty of traffic on the river so please be courteous to the other boaters out there.

Open dates April 21-23,28-30

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

April 5 2008

After a couple day off ,I was back on the river today with high hopes of finding pools full of new chrome fish.......this was not the case,we got into only a couple fish and lost both. The walleye bite is still going strong with some really nice fish in the river.....Water temps are still on the chilly side, just pushing into the upper 30's. It looks as if the fish are taking their sweet time getting up the river. Look for things to finally break loose this week (hopefully). Visibility was about 5 feet in the upper river.

The river was VERY busy today.

Open dates April 21-23,28-30

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 31 2008

DUE TO CANCELATION APRIL 3,4 IS OPEN Call me to jump on these prime dates, the chrome will be here !!! 231.250.9745

Finally we are getting the much needed rain and things should turn around quickly in the next few days. Look for good numbers of fish to enter the rivers in the next 24 hours. Spring chrome is on the way. The colored water will also give the fish in the system a little cover and most likely get the fish on gravel in better numbers. Bigger brighter eggs will most likely be the rule for the next few days. Oranges,pinks,chartruese and of course the clowns!

Open dates April 21-23,28-30

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 28 2008

Things havent changed much in the last few days.The fishing continues to be very tough. The weather is playing a huge role in the fish numbers and things dont look as if they are going to change soon...way too cold and way too much sun as of late. Water temps are hovering in the low 30's in the AM to mid to upper 30's in the afternoons. There are a few winter fish starting to spawn in the upper river for those looking to sight fish....but there are not many. Pray for rain and warmer temps to get the Muskegon into shape,until then it will be a struggle and you will have to work hard for every bite.

Flies... Egg paterns in small natural shades,clowns and nuke eggs,small PT nymphs,green caddis and tiny stonefly patters will get bit. As will small fry patterns to imitate the fresh hatch of salmon fry.

We have spring dates avail. March 31

April 21-23,28-30

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 24 2008

PRIME OPEN DATES ....MARCH 31, APRIL 21-23

Cold weather,bright sun and changing weather patterns are making the fishing a little tougher than it should be right now. A more typical march will be responsible for the great fishing we will have in April this year. Look for the cold weather to push the run well into early May.I have been fishing both flies and bait and squeeking out a few fish each day. Major water temp swings and bright sun are making it tough. Fish deeper and slower water due to the conditions and you will get bit ! The crowds are getting worse and as expected due to cabin fever setting in.

We have spring dates avail. March 31

April 21-23,28-30

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 20 2008

PRIME OPEN DATES ....MARCH 31,APRIL 1,2

The fishing pressure has increased a bit the last few days. The fish numbers are also there if you are willing to work a bit for your prize. Key times have been early or on cloudy days. The fishing has been very tough in the bright sun ,even with the good stain in the rivers. Look for the run to pick up soon as alot of our snowmelt has slowed down and water temps will get a chance to rebound.

We have spring dates avail. March 31

April 1,2, Other dates open in the later part of April

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 17 2008

Spring will arrive this week on the calendar,but will the fish arrive in better numbers to meet it? The fishing over the last few trips has been pretty decent. There are good numbers form the dam all the way out to Muskegon Lake. Water flows have increased slightly putting new fish on the move. Water temps hover in the lower 30's most days. Pretty much all methods getting it done. The weekend crowds have been a little heavier than recent weeks and will only get worse.

Flies... Egg paterns in small natural shades,small PT nymphs,green caddis and tiny stonefly patters will get bit. As will small fry patterns to imitate the fresh hatch of salmon fry.

We have spring dates avail. March 22,26,31

April 1,2,9, Other dates open in the later part of April

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 10 2008

The fresh spring fish are in the river and spreading out fairly quickly. Recent cold nights and bright sunny days have made the bite a little slower that we would like,not to mention falling water levels due to dam controled waters. Look for most West Michigan rivers to gain activity this week with air temps finally warming into the 40's for a few days. The PM and Grand are both set to get a solid push this week,to put them on schedual with past years.

Flies... Egg paterns in small natural shades,small PT nymphs,green caddis and tiny stonefly patters will get bit. As will small fry patterns to imitate the fresh hatch of salmon fry.

We have spring dates avail.

Call or email for more info. 231.250.9745 or jkolehouse@sbcglobal.net

March 6 2008

Well as you can see there are some very bright fresh spring fish entering the system. Look for the freshies in the lower river to be a little dumber than the well educated winter fish in the upper river. Egg paterns and small nymphs would be the flies of choice. Salmon fry are going to be hatching very very soon. As usual plenty of winter black stoneflies are happening now.

We have spring dates avail. March 10,12,15,16,19,26,31

April dates also available.

Call or email for more info.

March 2 2008

Finally a new month. Spring is getting a little closer each day now. THe fishing has improved this week and new silver fish are on their way now ! Good sized chrome females are making their way into the river as we speak. There are good numbers of winter stoneflies hatching and making an impact on the fly bite. Do not be afraid of fishing very small nymphs for these big eating fish.Natural egg paterns also getting looked at. It look like the spring run will be right on time for all local rivers. The Pere Marquette river will see the earliest fish hitting gravel in the next week or so if we get a warm up. The Muskegon is running a very cool 32-33 degrees.

Get on the river now before the crowds ! Very light pressure durring the weekdays

We have openings for individuals or large groups. We guide both on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette rivers. We also offer the technique of your choice. Fly,spin....or plug fishing? Or combo trips. Instructionals are also available.

Call or email for openings,I'm sure we can get you on the water and into steel!

231.250.9745 for more info.

We will be offering our ever popular 1/2 day evening trips once daylight savings time kicks in. Call for dates. 250.00

Feb 25 2008

Well after several days of sunny weather the bite slowed big time. And water temps barely moved due to below zero overnight temps. It looks like it will be a normal spring compared to the last few. Due to the extreme amount of snow this year we will most likely have higher flows and cooler temps till later in the run,most likely forcing the run to be more drawn out ! This is a good thing for anglers and will allow the fish to spawn for a longer period and fishing pressure to spread out more evenly.

Call or email for openings,I'm sure we can get you on the water and into steel!

231.250.9745 for more info.

We will be offering our ever popular 1/2 day evening trips once daylight savings time kicks in. Call for dates. 250.00

Feb 21 2008

Sorry for the lapse,I havent been on the river for a few days due to very cold or icy conditions.The good news is that I was out today and we found several fish to play with.Floats/spawn did the trick. Morning temps were a chilly -4 degrees at 9 am afternoon temps were a balmy 23 degrees. I will be on the river fairly regular now that march is almost here.

Many of the ramps are in bad shape, I recomend a 4x4 for launching your boat.

Still open dates, call or email for availability.

Feb 12 2008

As you can see the river looks very frosty ! I will be on the river later this week and will hopefully have new pics of nice winter steel! Plenty of ice at the ramps,packed snow and slippery conditions will make launching difficult for sure. Also note that the river dropped about 7 inches today and there will be alot of shelf ice busting loose. Look for more fishing info in a day or two.

Spring dates are filling up! Call or email soon to get on the river with us. We can accomodate large multi boat trips.

Winter 1/2 day $200.00

Feb 8 2008

With currently rising waters one would expect the fish activity to pick up.... but the last few days out that hasn't been the case. The fishing this week was a little slower than expected. We are getting into fish everyday, just not as many as I feel we should. Possibly its just the changing water levels or the major storm fronts coming through this week. The truth is ...if you fish you will catch them, just be prepared to work through a few pools. Look for slower pools for the best luck. Spring is on the way.....

1/2 day trips $200.00

Feb 5 2008

Fished with Mike S today, just a quick morning half day trip (before he had to go to work) we put a few in the boat and lost one along with several river trout. The fishing for the rest of the winter will be great. We have finally gotten our fish numbers to where they should be and things look on track for the rest of the season. Why wait till spring to go fishing??? Or maybe you like to fish in a crowd ?

Why not join us on the river for a day or two and see for yourself how many of the "old wives tales" you can break ! The world of steelheading is full of myths ! How about becoming a myth buster with us? We would love to show you a wonderful time on the river. Hot grilled lunches on all full day trips and heated jet boats. We have multiple boats available if you have a large group.

Fish with the guide service that runs more trips and spends more time on the water than any other....Let us show you why ? We catch fish ! Since 1992

1/2 day trips also available. $200.00 Full day $325.00 with hot grilled lunch

Feb 2 2008

Finally back on the water after another major cold snap. We had a good 1/2 day trip once again with several fresh steelies to the boat and a few misses as well.....cant get em all ! The river looked great with a little flow once again bringing the river to normal levels once again. Plenty of ice floating down from the traffic. As expected bigger and brighter doing the best.....although I know these fish are munching bugs, I just cant seem to find the right bug to fool them as well as eggs. Look for this weeks mild temps to get things really going.Fish are scattered from Croton dam to the lake. Things look great for late winter chrome !

1/2 day trips 200.00 A great way to get on the water and catch a few steelies.

Spring dates also available.

Jan 29 2008

Fished a 1/2 day trip on the morning of the 28 th. Had a great day with Larry E. We managed several to the net and lost a few. Alot less pressure today as expected. The water is rising as we speak and has alot of ice flows. I am sure the shelf ice will form again today and through the night. The weather will be back to normal and We will resume fishing Friday. Brighter and larger eggs will most likely be the call for the next several days... Spring is on its way.

Please contact us to take advantage of the $200 1/2 day winter special. We would love to get your pic on the site. Plenty of days open.

Jan 27

I did make it on the river yesterday and Saturday,Saturday started with lots of shoveling and ice chopping to get the boat in, after about an hour we were on our way.The fishing was much slower than we had anticipated probably due to the extreme cold temps from friday and 20 plus hours of ice flows. We got into several fish and put a few in the net, but worked very hard for each bite. Sunday very similar results with a few very nice healthy fish. The river was very crowded today....saw over 20 boats. Most boats seemed to have a tough go of it. Still catching most of the fish on eggs,but very small natural nymphs have fooled a few fish.

January 25

Tried to fish with a good friend today, his boat was sitting in a big ice cube docked in front of his house. Lots of shelf ice and lots of flow ice on the river today and even into late in the afternoon. Shelf ice was pushing out quite aways in the slower waters. Look for this coming week warm up to break things loose and get the bite going strong again..hopefully !

Spring is coming if you are interested in a day or two please call or email..plenty of winter steelhead yet to be caught.

January 24th

8am morning temp 12 degrees.........A perfect day to fish for steelhead ?? Of course it is !!! Never a bad day to fish for steelhead in my book....well,single digits might push that theory but I have launched my boat many days in temps well below zero. After having been in the business of fishing for winter steelhead for 16 years (well over 25 years total)I have pretty much fished in all types of weather. And very very cold days are always the most memorable ! Why you ask...I must be crazy..NO !! its because These fish bite in the very cold weather. The fish in the system got a slight break from the pressure and it showed. I fished with a good friend and we had a great day. Very little pressure as expected and a few happy fish to go with the winter scenery. Temp at the end of the day 18 degrees...Sure its chilly but if you dress for it its just fine, our boats have heaters available ! Fish hard and stay warm !

We would love to get you into some of these beautiful winter fish !! Just give us a call or shoot us an email.

Please also notice the current river conditions on the top right side of this page, this will give you a great deal of information including weather forecasts and stream flow data.

Big Thanks goes out to my Webmaster for keeping my site current and giving you more information to help with your fishing !

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