River Conditions

Fishing Report - Sept 3 2008

My Salmon season begins full swing this week....I floated a long mid- section yesterday on a scouting mission and found that there were a couple salmon in most of the traditional pools...some moving some holding in faster runs...I DID not find any huge numbers in any one spot. As of now I would be prepared to work hard for the "King". There were fish spread throughout all 15 miles that I floated. But I did not see more than 8 -10 fish in any one spot and most pools were only holding 2-5 fish. The lower river is also spotty although that is were the aggressive biters will be. Look for flyfishing to improve after this weeks cool down and forecasted rain. Pray for North or East winds to cool the lake and bring the adult kings nearshore and up the river.

Due to a few cancelations I have a few open dates,these dates wont last long...Sooo if you are interested please call to get a day on the river.

Sept. 6,8,14,20,25,26

I also have October and November openings

Call 231.250.9745 or email to book a date.

Fishing Report - Aug 24 2008

Things have been hectic on the big boat..running multiple charters some days ! Recent river news is that there have been a few small pushes of fish up the river and some guys are getting into several a day throwing crankbaits and drtifting skein spawn. The guys throwing flies are also finding a few aggressive fish. A good rain will get things fired up and the bigger pushes of fish looking for their spawning grounds.

SEPTEMBER OPEN DATES 2,3,8,25,26 Grab a day or two !

Call or email for other openings.

231.250.9745

Fishing Report - July 27 2008

Summer weather,summer conditons and summer fishing is great ! The smallies on the muskegon are cranked up right now, good flows and good feed have the smallies cranked up. Small crankbaits,and jigs fished slow to imitate crayfish and sculpins. Most fish ranging from 9-15 inches with a good shot at fish up to 20" on most trips. Surface flies and poppers are also working well.

Trout fishing on the Pere Marquette is going well with typical summer flies. hopers,ants and small attractors are working well....rubber leg foam patters can also be great choices. Small beadheads on a 2' tippet below your dries will also get bit.

Only a month or so before the Kings begin their migration up the PM and I only have a few dates available. If you are thinking of chasing Kings on the PM please contact me asap. November is also almost full for fall Steelhead on the Muskegon.

Fall salmon and steelhead dates are available,call or email for current dates. 231.250.9745

1/2 day trips are available. Morning or late afternoon,evening trips. 250.00

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.

Fishing Report - July 18, 2008

Summer is here...... Right now we are in a typical summer pattern. Smallies on the Muskegon are going well, warmer water temps have the trout seeking deeper water and cooler parts of the day to forage. The PM is in its hopper season....big attractor flies with rubber legs are getting looks from the resident trout. Still plenty of summer left to get on the river and chase some fish !

Fall salmon and steelhead dates are available,call or email for current dates. 231.250.9745

1/2 day trips are available. Morning or late afternoon,evening trips. 250.00

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.

Fishing Report - June 30 2008

The fishing remains great on both the Pere Marquette river and the Muskegon river. The evening fishing on the Muskegon is still offering up some dry fly fishing for some very large fish. These fish are not easy by any means and are very educated....perfect or near perfect presentations are a must. Morning and afternoons have been great for smallies and the smaller trout. Baitfish and crayfish patterns are the best bet.  Hex fishing on the Pere Marquette is the thing right now....Late nights and big flies are bringing up the big boys. Morning trips with hopper/droppers are a great way to go if you dont want to fish the late nights.

1/2 day trips are available. Morning or late afternoon,evening trips. 250.00

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.

Fishing Report - June 21 2008

Wow...almost July and it hardly feels like we have had any summer.... The good news is that the hatches on the Muskegon have lasted much longer due to the cooler weather. Still a few Drakes but the Iso's will be the big prefered bug for the next few weeks. Big browns on big streamers !!!! dont be afraid to throw streamers 6-7 inches if you realy want a "troutzilla"

Smallmouth fishing is picking up with some really nice fish on streamers and rapalas. Warmer mornings/days have been much better for the smallies. Cover lots of water and think like a bass...cover....cover...cover...logs,stumps and drops are holding the big ones.

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. 

Fishing Report - June 15 2008

Finally got my camera back into working order.... Took a trip down the Muskegon today and got into a bunch of smallies and several world class brownies... A ton of action on both streamers and light spinning tackle. The water is perfect for fishing ! good level, and little color. Plenty of bug activity in the evenings, but not much feeding on top during the mornings except smaller fish.

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. 

Fishing Report - June 4 2008

The hatches are on !! The past week has been great on the Muskegon and the PM rivers !!! Very good spinner falls of gray drakes,sulphurs ! Plenty of other bugs too....Yellow sally stoneflies,caddis and salmon fry are keeping the fish fat and happy.  If your looking to get on the water and get into some really nice trout please give us a call.

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 !!!

Fishing Report - May 22 2008

Cooler temps than normal seem to be the norm, this is keeping a few steelies in the river but also slowing the surface actuvity on the Muskegon. Streamers on the cloudy days and nymphing or swinging wet flies seem to be the key. Also try nymphing with tiny egg flies behine the herds of spawning suckers. A few smallies also are coming to the streamers.

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.

Fishing Report - 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.

Fishing Report - 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

Fishing Report - 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

Fishing Report - April 15 2008

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

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.

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.

Fishing Report - 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.

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.

 Open dates April 21-23,28-30

May dates also available.

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

Fishing Report - 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.

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.

 Open dates April 21-23,28-30

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

Fishing Report - 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.

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.

 Open dates April 21-23,28-30

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

Fishing Report - 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!

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.

 Open dates April 21-23,28-30

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

Fishing Report - 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.

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.

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

Fishing Report - 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 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.

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

Fishing Report - 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 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.

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

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

Fishing Report - 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

Fishing Report - 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

Fishing Report - 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.

Fishing Report - 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

Fishing Report - 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.

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