River Conditions

Fishing Report - Jan 30 2012

The fishing on the Muskegon has improved wit the recent that,rains and runoff. River levels spiked around 2900 cfs and the fish got shuffled around as expected. Add to this the water clairity darkened up and this is the perfect recipe for some great mid-winter steelhead fishing. This weeks mild temps should help even more. Availability most of this week

Floats and spawn as well as custom painted beads in both 8 and 10 mm have been good floated just off the bottom. Tiny winter black stoneflies should start making an appearance this week if we get a little sun. These small nymphs can make a big impact in the diet of our steelhead. Look for these nymphs to be floating in the film or crawling in the snow at the rivers edge. If you spot them...its time to start drifting small stoneflies or PT nymphs in size 14-16.

Plenty of open dates, give us a call,email or text to get on the river and into some steelhead! Both Muskegon and PM trips availabile now and through the spring.

Winter 1/2 day trips on the Muskegon river only $200 for 1-2 fishermen.

Fishing Report - Jan 25 2012

The fishing on the Muskegon is showing signs of improving with the recent thaw and rains over the weekend. River levels bumped up and the fish seemed much happier this week. Floats and spawn as well as beads drifted under floats produced fish on both the Muskegon and the Pere Marquette rivers in recent days.

Traffic is down, and this is my favorite time of the year to fish. Give us a call to get on the river now before the spring circus begins.

Fishing Report - Jan 11 2012

A new member to my fishing team has kept me off the river most of the days since I returned from NY. His name is Gordie...after one of the greatest hockey players to ever put on the skates. Hope to get him on the river very soon.

 I did get out last sunday for a bit and found the fish to be pretty stacked up ....but not very willing. The fish have moved into the winter lies and many are sitting in very slow water. Add the fact that the river is very clear and you get a tough bite when it is extremely sunny out. I am looking forward to some normal winter weather later this week. Clouds,snow...colder temps...might just be what we need to get the fish fired up.

I will be out over the weekend and a few days next week, hope the fish get fired up with the return of winter.

Fishing Report - Jan 4 2012

Happy New Year !!

I had the chance to head out to NY to fish the Salmon River in Pulaski,Ny just after Christmas. I have read and heard alot about this river and have wanted to fish it for many years. We had a great trip and fished with a couple great guides. Its always fun to fish with outher guides on other rivers, I feel it is a great way to learn and improve my guiding methods and compare techniques with other great guides. I will be trying to make this an annual trip for sure. The salmon River flows through some very scenic country and offers a ton of different water types. The river has a true western feel with all of the white water and rapids.

Back to the muskegon now, the fish numbers are still great here, but the fish can be a little moody as they are now finally transitioning into their winter modes. The weather is forcasted to be vey mild for the next week or so....give me a call and come get your first Steelhead of 2012.

Its time to start booking your spring trips. Call or email for available dates.

Fishing Report - Dec 24 2011

*****MERRY CHRISTMAS*****

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

The fishing in Dec. has not slowed down much from the fall. Water temps are still up and the fish are spread nicely through the river. Water levels have been good also..except for when they have been fluctuating the water levels at the dam. We have very good numbers of fish in most of the west Michigan rivers and the rest of the winter should fish very well. If you like to fish the rivers when the crowds are down now is the time....why wait till spring and fight the crowds for your share of the fish.

Floats and spawn are still taking the majority of our fish,although the C and D fly rig will prove effective also. Egg patterns as well as small nymphs will be great choices for the colder months.

Fishing Report - Dec 15 2011

December has been fishing very well so far...great weather,almost no fishing pressure and plenty of hungry fish. Recent rains have pulled in yet another batch of chrome fish from the lake. Last week I had a couple days off and hit both the PM and the Big Manistee. It was nice to see some other rivers, and found plenty of hungry fish. This week I had to stay off the river as the boat was getting some work done on it....should be good for another 15 yrs now. :-)

Look for the great fishing to continue for the rest of the winter. If you are interested in hitting the river and don't mind chilly fingers....please give me a call.  As in the past I will be running my 1/2 day special on the Muskegon for only $200 for 4-5 hours.

Its never to early to book those spring trips as well.

Fishing Report - Dec 2 2011

December is here on the calendar, though the weather is still like mid- November. As is the fishing!!! As we roll into early December the fishing continues to impress me.

Look for the fishing to get even better as the fish move into their winter lies and begin to fill up in the deeper slower water. I am really looking forward to this winters fishing, with the numbers of fish and the size of them it will be a winter to remember in West Michigan.

If you are not afraid of a little cold weather and like to fish while the crowds are down, please give me a call and see just how great Michigan winter steelheading can be. Both full and 1/2 day tris are available.

Holiday gift certificates are available....Guided fishing trips make great gifts for everyone!

Fishing Report - Nov 19 2011

The fishing the last week has improved for the most part. Some of the pressure has traded out the fishing rods for rifles and shotguns. This alone has made it easier to find biters. The rains we had a week or so ago pumped some much needed water into the river and helped shuffle the deck. These two things alone have helped the fishing in a big way.

Although most days have fished very well, there have been a couple of tougher days,mostly due to the fact that it was either just after or during a big change in weather. Strong fronts passing through have had an effect on the fish. Fishing hard and covering water quickly on these days has been the best option.

I still have Nov. 28 available as well as openings in December.

December will fish very well as even more people hang up their rods for the winter. Dont miss out as the fish will begin to stack up in their wintering holes making for some big number days.

Fishing Report - Nov 9 2011

The fishing the last week or so for me has been a bit more challenging...partly because of increased traffic...method, and the fact that the river had almost dried up making catching the chrome dummies tougher...good news is that the rain the last few days has started the chrome train once again for sure. Super soggy weather has kept the photos down...smartphones done do well in the rain. There are still good numbers of fish and this weeks rain should get things back to where they should be....

I still have Nov 26,28 open as well as early December dates available.

Fishing Report - Oct 28 2011

The fishing the past week has been great!! Myself and my clients have enjoyed some pretty good weather...except for the snow flakes today! And some great fishing. The steelhead this week were really full of it!! Several break offs by large hot fall steelhead. There is nothing like the fight of these fish....We have taken fish on floats and spawn as well as flies and beads. The fish are starting to spread out as the eggs have filtered into all the nooks and crannies in the river, making it easier for them to feed.

Please be respectful to the resource and let a few go for the next time. I have witnessed people killing way to many fish this week.

Open dates

Nov 26,28

Now booking December Steelhead trips...

Fishing Report - Oct 21 2011

Wow...this is starting to sound like a broken record....all fall long I have been reporting on how great the fishing has been....well, it continues to roll along... The fishing thus far has been insane! All of the West Michigan rivers saw massive numbers of King Salmon...Now as we move into Late October, I am pretty impressed with the number of Fall Steelhead we are seeing on the river. Although the fish are spread out top to bottom, there are a few key spots that are producing everyday. As for rigging....float fishing and chuck and duck flyfishing with eggs has been the key. Pretty simple :-)

I really want to thank everyone that has fished with me this fall and that will fish with me this fall / winter. And those that have fished with me so many times in years past. Without your support I would not be able to do what I do for the last TWENTY years. For anyone sitting on the fence...this is one fall that I would not want to miss!!!! Shame on you if you do!

Fishing Report - Oct. 13 2011

Prime time Fall Steelhead dates are going fast !!

As it looks right now , I am done with guide trips on the PM for a bit, as I move to the Muskegon to transition into Fall Steelhead. The Salmon run this year on the PM will for sure go into the record books as nothing short of amazing...with plenty of fish still available, the PM has a few weeks left in its fall run..Let me know if you are interested in checking this river out,for some late fall Salmon.

The Muskegon is also fishing well for Kings...there are Steelhead here in fishable numbers also. If you have never fished for fall Steelhead, you owe it to yourself to experience these fantastic fish on your own. I have some openings in October still as well a handfull in November. Flyfishing,floatfishing,Center Pin fishing or back bouncing we do it all. Give us a call to get a day or two on the water with us.

Fishing Report - October 6 2011

What a year is has been on the PM... In my 20 yrs of guiding this river I think this yr takes the cake for the most fish in the system!! We are still seeing daily pushes of fresh fish up the river...There are fish jammed in the pools still as well as the gravels are also fishing well. This is a year for the record books....and then you add in the size of the fish this year...AWESOME... If you are thinking of getting on the river for some Kings, call soon, this is the year you dont want to miss.

Fall steelhead are begining to show on the rivers as well, I will begin poking around for these great fish this weekend, although working for a few fish might not sound like fun to some...these fish are the hottest,baddest,meanest fish that swim in our rivers...chrome expolsion ! These are the fish that leave you saying Holy @#!% what the heck was that !!! GET SOME !!! These fish are also my most favorite of all the fish I guide for. Come see why for your self!

I have plenty of openings for October and just a handfull in November.

Fishing Report - Sept 27 2011

Sorry for the time between reports....truth is nothing has changed....the fishing is still going well...plenty of salmon in the PM to keep everyone happy. Sore arms have been a bit of a problem though.

 I did sneak a trip on the MUskegon river this past Saturday and found a good number of fish interested in smashing some hardware !! Nothing compares to the strike from a fresh KING !

I have plenty of days open in October...November is almost full if you are looking for a fall salmon or Steelhead trip...dont wait..now is the time to book a day or two.

Fall colors,big salmon and steelhead...great weather....how can you not go fishing ???

Fishing Report - Sept 18 2011

 The fishing has been great this year! The river looks like it used to 10 plus years ago, without a doubt the best in over a decade. How long with the fishing last ? A few cohos are available as well as well as a steelhead here and there. There are fish spread from top to bottom, with new fish trickling in daily.

Oct 3,6,9 are my nearest openings.

Fishing Report - Sept 8 2009

From the photos you can see I had the chance to get on the PM and chase some Kings. We fished Monday and Wed of this week, Monday the fishing was great we boated 11 on hardware and skein spawn, Wednesday we only fished till about noon and landed 5 on hardware and lost a few, which is pretty good considering these fish are all biters. Nothing in fresh water hits as hard as these early kings!! These fish really show their true spirit.

Fishing Report - Aug 30 2011

Well....the word is out...Many of the rivers already have good numbers of Kings in them! The PM has recieved a couple of spurts of fish. These early fish move fast and dont sit still for long, so their locations can change daily. As for numbers of the total run, I still feel the numbers will be down this year. But the size is up! This year there will be some legitimate 30 pound kings caught.

I have been super busy on the Big Lake and am looking forward to the simplicity of the drift boat and floating the PM river.

Fishing Report - Aug 7 2011

Man..almost a month since my last report...

Its smallie time on the muskegon, and hopper time on the pm. There is still some pretty good fishing left this summer before the big fish of the fall start returning home to spawn. I have been very busy on the lake as of late and have not been able to hit the river. The Kings are running very big this summer, with fish up to 30 lbs being taken in Ludington. The huge mass of post spawn alewives provided some great feeding for the fish in the Lake. Although the size is up, I feel the numbers are down...15-20 fish days on the lake are very rare this season.

New 2011 rates are going up as stated earlier this season. Full day salmon and steelhead trips will be $400. They will be posted on the site soon and on the paypal menu as well.

Fishing Report - July 9 2011

The fishing is in true summer mode right now ! We have plenty of openings. 1/2 day trips availabe.

Both the Muskegon and PM are producing some pretty good fishing right now. The key has been the weather and the chosen method fished. The fishing has been best early and late unless its been cloudy out. This is pretty typical as the bright mid day sun usually has the fish off the bite. Cloudy days are fishing fine mid day.

The Muskegon is moving into summer mode...a few species of mayflies still exist, but the caddis are whats really hapening as well as nymphing...this is the way to go for big daytime fish. If conditions allow streamer fishing can be hot as well...cloudy, higher flows work best for this. Trout, smallmouth bass and the every so often walleye can be had on both fly gear as well as light spinning gear.

The Pm is seeing the last few days of the Hex hatch...now is time to break out the rubber leg stuff ....ants,hoppers attractors...If the water is high and off colored...its streamer time! We moved some really really big hogs this past weekend on big streamers. Early am and evening will still produce the best fishing here....mid day fishing can be expected to be rather slow most days. Nymphing mid day can be a great option. Nightime mousing is another option for the true hog seeker...big flies bring out the big browns.

Please notice:

I will be raising my rates starting September 2011, Overal higher costs on just about everything have forced me to make an adjustment in Guide trip fees. I didnt want to do it....but we have all felt it and it is time to make an adjustment. New rates will be posted soon.

Fishing Report - June 13 2011

Ahhhhhh....summer is here and there are a ton of fishing options right now!

Both the PM and the Muskegon are seeing some great hatches right now....Gray Drakes,Sulphurs,Caddis, Iso's and a handfull of stonefly action. Anything that rides high with foam legs has been a good choice durring the day, especially with a small nymph dropper. Hexes wont be far off....look for these big bugs to start hatching as soon as we get a bit warmer. Choices...choices.... Streamers have also been producing in the higher water as of late.

If you are looking for something even bigger on the end of the line....why not book a day with my on the biggest boat of my fleet ? The King Salmon fishing out of Ludington has been on FIRE !!!!  for more info check out my other site @ www.hattrickfishing.com A perfect family get away...get some fishing in and spend some time in the great town of Ludington,Mi.

Fishing Report - May 16 2011

For me the 2010 - 2011 steelhead season is a wrap. Finished up this weekend with a couple great last trips. The fish numbers are still decent, but the heavy boay traffic and fishing pressure makes it much harder to chase these late season fish. Most of the fish were dark colored males or hens that were almost spawned out.

From here on out....it will be browns,smallies and of course big KING salmon on my boat the "HATTRICK" www.hattrickfishing.com The trout fishing on the Muskegon and the PM will be in high gear for the next 2 months, then its Smallie season on the Muskegon. If your interested in getting on the water please give us a call.

A HUGE thanks to all my great clients ....without you I would not be able to do what I enjoy so much!

Fishing Report - May 1 2011

May already ?? From the fishing the last few days it looks like mid april. With the extreme high water, the fishing has been pretty good all things considered. The hard part has been getting the boat anchored in the right spots....with so much flow, only a few spots have been smokin hot... not to mention throwing over an ounce of lead on a fly rod can prove to be challenging. But....the fish are still here and catchable. I have plenty of May openings if your interested in some late spring steelhead fishing. The fishing should remain good for at least another week to 2 weeks.

Why the lack of photos ?? In order to return the fish to their spawning duties, I prefer not to keep them out of the water for the photo op. Please be gentle with all steelhead.

Something else to think about is the trout fishing from here on out...its streamer time !!! Casting stick baits is also a great option for the big hungry browns.

Fishing Report - April 20 2011

The fishing has been pretty typical of late april. There are fresh fish in the pools and runs for those that look for them as well as fish in the shallows if that is your thing...the river rose quite a bit today and might come up even more. This should bring the final push of spring fish in and provide some good fishing for a couple weeks to come.

Fishing Report - April 15 2011

GO WINGS !!!!

Ahhhh.....after a couple days off due to cancelations it was good to be back on the water today to shake the bad luck of previous trips.....and shake it we did...the morning bite was great, but the high winds of the afternoon seemed to shut the fish down a bit,most likely due to the pressure change. But none the less we managed several to the net. The crowds this weekend are sure to be at full capacity. There are still fresh fish in the pools and runs, the fish are starting to hit the gravels as well.

Current openings April 23,25-27

Fishing Report - April 12 2011

Call it what you will.....but as every fishermen knows things have a way of evening out....for whatever the reason might be.....weather,water levels,moody fish...challenging fishing conditions, very high winds yesterday, extreme bright clear skies today....or just my turn ??? The last two days have been a struggle for me and my clients. We failed to boat a steelhead for 2 days. This struggle isn't only mine....just about everyone (except for those lucky enough to land on a group of spawners) have struggled with the fish the last couple days. With this being my 20th April as a licensed guide, our lack of luck will soon turn the tide and we will once again enjoy the fantastic fishing we have come accustomed to. Look for a serious rebound the next day or so.