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Taking bookings for Fall Salmon & Steelhead 2009 on the Manistee River , Muskegon River , and Pere Marquette River
Open Fall 2009 Dates: Sept 23-27, Oct 3-9, 23, 27-31 (The Manistee River fishes great in late Oct for fall steelhead)
Nov 2-6,18-24, 26-30 (The Muskegon River offers world class fall steelhead fishing well into December on a fly)
Salmon trips run until Oct 10 on the Manistee and Pere Marquette rivers, and until Oct 20th on the Muskegon River.
The knowledge and experience you will receive on a guide trip with Jon's Guide Service is "priceless."
"The use of a guide will also help your odds of having a great trip. A local guide spends a multitude of hours on the water and is better suited to put you over productive water with fish willing to take your fly, than any other person."
In This Issue:
Fall Salmon & Steelhead
1. What flies do I use for Steelhead?
2. What determines the fly I use?
3. How do I fish the fly and where?
Salmon Fishing Michigan On A Fly
October Steelhead on the Manistee River
kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
What Is The Cost?
Full Day Guide Rate:
A guide trip for 1 or 2 people
Cost $375.00 (+ Flies)
8 Hrs (Meal Included)
Half Day Guide Rate:
A guide trip for 1 or 2 people
Cost $275.00 (+ Flies)
5 Hrs (No Meal)
Rivers we fish for Salmon and Steelhead
Guided Fly Fishing Trips
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- Muskegon River Trout / Steelhead / Salmon
- Manistee River Trout / Steelhead / Salmon
- Pere Marquette River Trout / Steelhead / Salmon
- Betsie River Trout / Steelhead / Salmon
- White River Steelhead / Salmon |
Drift Boat & Jet Sled Trips
Wooden Drift Boats & Power Drifters:
Wood Watercraft
Michigan Fly Fishing
-Great Lunches
-Great Fish
-Great Fishing
-Great Experience
Steelhead Fishing on Manistee River
On-Line license:
www.mdnr-elicense.com/welcome.asp
Photo Gallery
Flies Gallery  |
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Video:  |
Guide: Captain Jon Kestner
Jon Kestner (Jon’s Guide Service)
5421 E. Main St.
South Boardman, MI 49680
Phone # 231-369-2997
Mobile # 231-590-3483
www.jonsguideservice.com
kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
 River Reports, Maps, Guided Fly Fishing in Michigan for the following Species and Rivers:
Michigan River and Fishing Reports
Muskegon River Fly Fishing
Manistee River Fly Fishing
Guided Fall Steelhead Fishing
Steelhead on a Fly!
Steelhead on Streamers!
Jon Kestner
5421 E. Main St.
South Boardman, MI 49680
kestnerflyfishing@yahoo.com
Toll Free # 1-877-636-5603
Phone # (231) 369-2997
     
Jeff Bacon will be taking bookings for Jon's Guide Service while in Alaska. Jeff works the Manistee, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers as well as many inland lakes and streams. Jeff is an Orvis endorsed guide, FFF certified casting instructor, and guide of almost 20 years in Michigan.
Jeff Bacon (Michigan Fly Fishing Ventures)
Salmon / Trout / Smallmouth / Steelhead
Muskegon River Guide Service
Century Circle Guide Service
Pere Marquette River Guide Service
Sean McDonald
REALTOR with Carriage House - Vacationland Properties
I'm a fly fishing river guide and realtor that specializes in recreational property in the Mason, Oceana, Lake and Manistee area. If you are looking for a Condo, River Frontage, Lake Frontage or Hunting property send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to provide you with a list of properties that meet your needs.
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The summer season in Michigan is drawing to a close as I head to Naknek River Camp in Alaska for the backend of the summer and early fall. Alaska offers summer runs of salmon, the best rainbow fishing in the world, and always new adventure in one of the best destinations with a fly rod in the world. I will be returning from Alaska in late September, and will be chasing salmon and steelhead until the Michigan winters close the rivers again with snow and ice.
Naknek River Camp has a few openings in September which is rare considering that September is the best rainbow fishing of the year! Since I am one of the guides at the camp, ownership is offering a few great deals on an Alaskan fishing trip of a lifetime. Feel free to contact Naknek River Camp if you are interested in booking a great trip (remember to mention you heard about the deal from my newsletter!) 4 for the price of 3, or the camp will pay for a guided trip in Michigan with me as a bonus if you do not have a group. Naknek River Camp ranks very high on my list of great fishing areas in the world, and the rainbow fishing is all that it is said to be and more!! (standard rates for the week are $1795.00 per person, yes, it is a deal of a lifetime!)
Naknek River Camp
Call: 907-246-2894
or e-mail
naknekrivercamp@hotmail.com
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Muskegon River Fall Steelhead Fishing
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Manistee River Fall Steelhead Fishing
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Pere Marquette River Fall Steelhead Fishing
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Betsie River Fall Steelhead Fishing
Fall Steelhead!
Steelhead Streamers!
Great Fishing!
Great Experience!
What flies do I use for Steelhead?
Thousands of patterns have been tied for Steelhead over the years. It can be hard to decide what pattern to use. I like to break the Steelhead patterns I use in the Midwest, into four (4) different groups; Nymphs, Eggs, Attractors, and Streamers. To have an idea of what we want to fish, we have to have an understanding of what Steelhead eat. A Steelhead has a diet of aquatic insects as well as smaller fish and roe or fish eggs.
Fishing nymphs or aquatic insect patterns for Steelhead has become very popular in the midwest. There are three (3) groups of importance when looking for patterns to fish for Steelhead: mayflies, stoneflies, and caddis.
Egg patterns are what a good number of Steelhead fishermen use to catch Steelhead, and is one of the best patterns to use for fall Steelhead! Egg patterns imitate the roe or fish eggs of spawning fish in the river system. Eggs, as well as general nymphs and Streamers, can be tied in bright or hot colors, and can be productive for catching Steelhead. These patterns are called attractor patterns. Attractor patterns are good when the water is high and dirty or when fish are in an aggressive mood.
Streamers have been the roots of Steelhead fishing in the northwest portion of the country for years. Streamers may include leeches, baitfish patterns, sculpin, as well as attractors, as mentioned before.
Flies for Steelhead Gallery
What determines the flies I use for Steelhead?
Picking the fly to fish, based on conditions, is important. If the water is low and clear, the pattern should be natural and sparse. If the water conditions are high and dirty, the use of brighter and full dressed flies will allow the fish to find your pattern. Are there fish spawning or eggs drifting down the river? Do you see any hatches taking place? These are the things that I use to help determine what to fish. During the peak seasons of Steelhead fishing, an egg pattern will almost always be a good choice. In low water or in bright fishing conditions, my egg pattern is natural and realistic. In high dirty water, my egg pattern is bright and on the large side. A hatch can be a key to putting on a pattern. Wading traffic can also help determine what to fish. Anglers walk around the stream and will kick loose nymphs such as the popular green rock worm or caddis larva. When picking out nymphs to fish, remember that the Hex (Hexagenia Limbata), as well as several stone flies, will stay in the river for multiple years before hatching, thus making them always available for fish. A simple rule of thumb, when the flow is low, or temps are low, and wade fishing is low, aquatic insect flow is low. If the water temp increases, flow increases due to melt off of snow or rain, and if wading traffic is up, aquatic insect flow is up.
How do I fish for Steelhead?
There are three basic ways to present a fly to a Steelhead. The most common way is to use a technique called chuck-n-duck. This system uses a small diameter fly line (shooting line or running line .020 -.034), a butt section of 8’ or longer and a dropper weight attached to the end of the butt section. From the butt section, weight, tippet, and flies are added. This system runs to the bottom and follows the bottom while presenting the flies. The second technique is to use a floating line. This system works best for fishing shallow water or site fishing. The ability to mend and cast are at a higher level with this technique. Rigging a floating line can be as simple as attaching a tapered leader to the fly line, a fly, and a pinch of weight. The use of a strike indicator can be used to help detect the take. An indicator can also be used to fish a 90 degree presentation or to fish the flies elevated over snags and debris. The use of spey or two-handed rods has helped this technique become popular. The longer fly rod makes casting, mending, and presentation easier on the angler as well as more productive.
Another common way of fishing for Steelhead is to swing or strip flies. I find this technique to be more productive in the fall, but have had success in the spring as well. The use of a sinking line will help keep flies down in the strike zone while swinging or stripping flies. The most effective techniques are based more on ease of presentation and how long the fly stays in the strike zone.
Where do I fish for Steelhead?
Michigan has many great rivers and streams to fish for Steelhead. Some of my favorite rivers are the Manistee River below Tippy Dam , Pere Marquette River below M-37 bridge (flies only section – Wahalla bridge area) , Muskegon River below Croton Dam - Newaygo , and the Betsie & White River. When choosing a river to fish, ask yourself what you are looking for. Some rivers are easy to wade; others fish better with a boat. Will the river or section of river to be fished be crowded? I try to fish where good numbers of fish can be found but where I am not influenced by others all day long.
A key to fall Steelhead fishing is Salmon! Since the fall run is based on spawning Salmon, and the fish use gravel to spawn and lay eggs, find gravel and Salmon and you will find fall Steelhead. Some of my best days have been fishing a deeper pocket or pool below spawning gravel. Fall Steelhead look for Salmon roe, so look for Steelhead to sit below spawning flats. I look for flow, structure, and enough depth for fish to hide if they need to.
Jon's Guide Service books several guides and recommends other services on the Manistee River, Pere Marquette River and Muskegon River. Here are three great guide services for trout, salmon, and steelhead fishing.
Upper Manistee Trout
Manistee River below Tippy Dam
Ted Kraimer (Northern Angler)
Manistee River Guide Service
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