|
Michigan Fishing Reports February 2012
Michigan Guided Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Fishing Reports,Manistee River,Pere Marquette River,Muskegon River.
Michigan Rivers & Lakes Reports, Michigan River Conditions
These reports are from Jon's Guide service a Michigan fishing guide service located in South Boardman Michigan and having remote locations in Baldwin Michigan and Newaygo Michigan, providing guided fly fishing, instruction, and schools on Michigan's "Gold Coast Rivers". Fly Fishing reports for Salmon, Steelhead, Trout , Smallmouth bass & Carp. Jon's Guide Service offers Michigan guided fishing services and trips year round on many of the Midwest's finest "Blue Ribbon Streams & Rivers" such as the Manistee River, Pere Marquette River, Muskegon River, Betsie river, as well as Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Grand Traverse Bay. Michigan River & stream based Guided Fly Fishing and Light Tackle gear fishing, Instruction, and schools offered, as well as classes on fly tying and more. Join us for a great day of "Michigan Guided Fishing."
Michigan Trout, Steelhead, Salmon and Smallmouth Fishing Reports
Michigan Trout Fishing Reports /Michigan Salmon Fishing Reports
Michigan Steelhead Fishing Reports / Michigan Smallmouth Fishing Reports & Michigan Carp Fishing Fishing Reports 2012
If you are interested in booking a fishing trip please feel free to call or e-mail and we will contact you about the fishing opportunities as soon as we get off the river.
February 1 , 2012
Fishing Notes: Great Salmon run in 2011, and great steelhead numbers in the Manistee River in 2012 !
Northwest Michigan fishing is in winter fishing mode here in North West Michigan. Warm Fall Temps and a mild start to winter have many rivers fishing well for steelhead and trout fishing, as well as a few coho salmon and lake trout! Several rivers in the state of Michigan offer steelhead / trout fishing both on fly gear and light tackle. Trophy steelhead opportunities are available on the Manistee River. Prime late season steelhead action is here, and we have a few great dates open from now through the end of 2011!
2012 Spring Steelhead dates are booking fast! Dec - March offers some great winter steelhead and trout fishing , and the weather can be great if you plan ahead! Jon's Guide Service does book 9 other guides for multiple boat trips, so we can fill most booking request if made in advance!
Taking bookings for the 2012 season!
The following are Quick fishing reports. For full fishing reports,
click on the highlighted rivers for more detailed reports.
Below are updated fishing reports for the following rivers: Upper Manistee River (Kalkaska, MI) above Tippy Dam (CCC Bridge area), Lower Manistee River below Tippy Dam (Wellston, MI) smallmouth, salmon and steelhead water , Pere marquette river (Baldwin, MI), Muskegon River (Newaygo, MI), White River (Hespiria, MI), Little Manistee River, AuSable River (Grayling, MI), Betsie River (Benzonia, MI), Platte River (Honor, MI), Grand Traverse Bay (Traverse City, MI), Grand River (Grand Rapids, MI), Rogue river (Rockford, MI), and Flat River, as well as seasonal reports on The Black River, Pigeon River, Sturgeon River, Rapid River, Pine, and Maple rivers.
Winter Fishing Special
Guided Fishing Manistee river below Tippy Dam
Tippy Dam is a tailwater fishery and provides great opportunities for trout fishing as well as Fall Steelhead and Salmon! October and November can provide the hottest and best steelhead opportunities on this big water! Dec - March offers good to great fishing with little to no pressure. The key to winter fishing is the weather! 2012 has been a mild winter with little snow pack. Look for a early season in 2012 and great steelhead and trout fishing into late April.
Steelhead fishing is crazy at the moment with so many fish in the river from Fall! Trout and fall steelhead fishing has been great this winter, and looks to be one of the better winters in the past couple for steelhead fishing. Look for warmer weather / water to move good numbers of winter steelhead upstream on the Manistee river, with a few fresh fish from lake Michigan trickling in. Still a few great dates for spring steelhead fishing, as well as the winter fishing special from now till late March!
Water levels are up over the past couple days with warming, run-off, and local rains. Fresh steelhead are moving into the Manistee river, but just a trickle with cooler water temps. Great numbers of winter steelhead are sitting in pools on the Manistee river. Lighter tippets, smaller patterns, and covering water has been key! The next couple weeks are the best time to look for big winter steelhead with little to no fishing pressure. High water will move the fish around a bit, but should provide great winter steelhead opportunities! Look for most of these winter steelhead to look to spawn early April. Fresh fish will continue to trickle into the sytem until March when the main spawning runs ebter the Manistee river sytem.
June marks the annual Iso "Isonychia" (Slate Drakes on the Manistee river), the Hex "Hexaginia limbata" hatch (Pere Marquette River, Manistee River, and AuSable River), The Grey Drake "Siphlonurus" Hatch, and great fishing with "Giant stone flies" (Pteronarcys California) on our Michigan waters. If you are interested in booking a prime date in advance for great dry fly trophy trout fishing in Michigan (open days limited) call or e-mail for more information.
Trout / Steelhead / Salmon / Smallmouth Bass
(Lower / Below Tippy Dam)
Water levels: 1690
Water temp: 34-35
* Great numbers of Fall Steelhead and Coho salmon this season! The salmon were bigger, and so are the steelhead! Trout and steelhead fishing remains strong with each day of fishing. Small egg patterns and nymphs are working best.
 
Jon's Guide Service offers Guided Spring steelhead fishing, summer trout fishing, late summer smallmouth fishing, and fall salmon fishing and fall steelhead fishing on the Manistee River. Guided Fishing year-round below Tippy Dam (Wellston Michigan) to Lake Michigan and the town of Manistee Michigan for Steelhead, Salmon, Smallmouth, and Trout fishing opportunities on light tackle and fly gear.
Hatch chart for Lower Manistee River
Winter Fishing Special
Guided Fishing Extended season water upper manistee river
Upper Manistee/ Flies Only M-72 - CCC Bridge area)
New extended catch and release waters in 2011!!
Fishing Report & Water Conditions:
The upper Manistee is running above normal levels, and some nice fish are looking at streamers! Fishing big patterns stripped from the structure and banks can produce a trout of a lifetime. Water temp is still cool, so fishing will improve with warming trends. Black and olive streamers have been working best.
Best time of the year for trout
June marks the annual Iso "Isonychia" (Slate Drakes on the Manistee river), the Hex "Hexaginia limbata" hatch (Pere Marquette River, Manistee River, and AuSable River), The Grey Drake "Siphlonurus" Hatch, and great fishing with "Giant stone flies" (Pteronarcys California) on our Michigan waters. If you are interested in booking a prime date in advance for great dry fly trophy trout fishing in Michigan (open days limited) call or e-mail for more information.
Water level: 1110
Water temp: 34-35
Jon's Guide Service offers trout fishing on the upper Manistee River located by the famous CCC Bridge. Guided Fishing year-round fishing out of Kalkaska Michigan located on the banks of the famous flies only section of the upper Manistee River.
Hatch chart for Upper Manistee River
Heavy rains (2 inches or more) can slow fishing due to large numbers of worms that are washed into the river! Fish pass food quickly, and the bite is back on in a matter of days!
Manistee River "Flies Only" Fly Fishing Guide Service
Contact: kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
Winter Fishing Special
Guided fishing Pere Marquette river
Fishing Report & Water Conditions: Water conditions are above avg with run-off and local rains. Good numbers of winter steelhead can be found near slow pools and structure. High water should move these fish around and make fishing improve over the next week. Egg patterns, leeches, stone nymphs, caddis larva, hex patterns have all been working well. Streamer fishing will pick up as water temps improve. Not much snow in the area, good numbers of fall steelhead in the sytem, look for a early season (late March early April)
Best times for guided trout fishing
June marks the annual Iso "Isonychia" (Slate Drakes on the Manistee river), the Hex "Hexaginia limbata" hatch (Pere Marquette River, Manistee River, and AuSable River), The Grey Drake "Siphlonurus" Hatch, and great fishing with "Giant stone flies" (Pteronarcys California) on our Michigan waters. If you are interested in booking a prime date in advance for great dry fly trophy trout fishing in Michigan (open days limited) call or e-mail for more information.
*Pere Marquette Fall Steelhead: late Oct - Dec is the season for fall steelhead on the Pere Marquette. Less people and out of control fish is what this time of year offers. This is one of my favorite times of the year to fish for some of our best fish!
Jon's Guide Service offers fall salmon and steelhead fishing on the Pere Marquette River, as well as spring steelhead fishing and trout fishing. Guided Fishing year-round fishing out of Baldwin Michigan located on the banks of the famous Pere Marquette River.
Water level: 817
Water temp: 34-36
 
Here is a great video showing of all the 2009 spring steelhead still sitting below the electric barrier located by Custer Michigan on the Pere Marquette River, that were not willing to move past the barrier to spawning grounds. 2010 will provide better steelhead fishing and a much more natural spring steelhead season on the Pere Marquette river.
Late April Below The Custer Weir on the Pere Marquette River Video by fishingporn.com
Pere Marquette River Guided Fly Fishing Guide Service
Contact: kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
 
Hatch chart for Pere Marquette River
The Muskegon river (Croton Dam-Newaygo Michigan)
Winter Fishing Special
Guided fishing Muskegon River
FishingReport & Water Conditions: Tail Water Fishery
The Muskegon river is running high with warm temps, run-off, and local rain. Local rains and warmer temps have fresh spring steelhead moving into the system in some numbers. The Muskegon is still fishing well from the great numbers of Fall steelhead in 2011. Look for fishing to remain good, and for the fish to move around a little with the higher water levels. Look for most of the fish in the Muskegon to spawn in March with fresh spring fish to spawn into May. Egg patterns, stone fly nymphs, caddis larva, mayfly nymphs, as well as salmon fry and leech patterns.
Best time for guided trout fishing
June marks the annual Iso "Isonychia" (Slate Drakes on the Manistee river), the Hex "Hexaginia limbata" hatch (Pere Marquette River, Manistee River, and AuSable River), The Grey Drake "Siphlonurus" Hatch, and great fishing with "Giant stone flies" (Pteronarcys California) on our Michigan waters. If you are interested in booking a prime date in advance for great dry fly trophy trout fishing in Michigan (open days limited) call or e-mail for more information.
*The Muskegon river offers fall steelhead opportunities not found on most rivers, the Muskegon offers vast numbers of fall steelhead compared to other rivers in the midwest. The Muskegon river is a tail water fishery, which means it does not freeze, and offers great opportunities for winter anglers! I might go as far as saying it offers the best fall / winter steelhead fishing in the United States. Swinging streamers, drifting egg patterns, and fishing light tackle is the trick to fishing this world series of steelhead fishing. Our best days of the fall for steelhead almost always are on this awesome fall steelhead fishery in later November and December!
Water levels: 3190
Water temp: 35
Hatch chart for Muskegon River
Jon's Guide Service offers summer trout fishing, late summer smallmouth fishing, salmon fishing, and fall steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River. Guided Fishing year-round fishing out of Newaygo Michigan located on the banks of the Muskegon River.
Guided Betsie River Fishing near Traverse City Michigan
Guided salmon fishing
Benzonia and Frankfort areas
Betsie river and Betsie lake.
Fishing Report & Water Conditions: Water is above avg and running with some color from the run-off and local rains. A few lake run browns are also in the mix. With the great numbers of steelhead and little fishing pressure on the Manistee river, I have not spent as much time there this winter.
This is a great river during most of September for coho Salmon fishing. Days are limited and advanced bookings are needed!
Guided Platte River & Betsie River Fishing Near Traverse City Michigan
The Platte can offer great fishing and smaller crowds then other rivers. Fishing to fresh run coho salmon in the river, and throwing streamers and light tackle at the mouth of the river and in the bay can produce some great fishing for steelhead and lake run brown trout, as well as lake trout and 3 yr old salmon!
Fall Salmon Fishing!
Streamer fishing kings!
Cranking kings also available in the lower Betsie river and Betsie lake
Our "Favorite Salmon River" during late Aug /Sept
Water level: 890 - 920 Water temp: 34
Jon's Guide Service offers guided fishing on the Betsie river as well as Betsie Lake. Guided Fishing year-round fishing out of Benzonia Michigan located on the banks of the Betsie River.
Salmon / Steelhead / Lake Browns
Platte River Guided Fly Fishing & Light Tackle fishing Services.
-
Grand Traverse Bay - Boardman River & Elk River February 1, 2012
Guided fishing Grand Traverse Bay near Traverse City Michigan.
Grand Traverse Bay Surface Water Temperatures
Grand Traverse Bay -
Peak smallmouth Bass Fishing Season
Late May and June is the time for fly fisherman to fish the bay. Large groups of pre-spawn fish, and monster smallies on deep beds is the game! Although there are many places on the Great Lakes to fish smallmouth bass, Grand Traverse Bay has to rank near the top for trophy smallmouth fishing. Last season 8lbs was our largest fish!
Smallmouth fishing in Grand Traverse Bay Ranked top 10 in USA!
Jon's Guide Service offers smallmouth fishing on Grand Traverse Bay, and many of the great inland lakes such as Tourch Lake, Long Lake, Green and Duck lake, Elk lake, and Skegemog Lake . Guided Fishing out of Traverse City Michigan located on the banks of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay.
kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
Toll Free # 1-877-636-5603
Phone # (231) 518-0118
Cell # (231( 590-3483
     
© Copyright 2007-2012 Jon's Guide Service
|
