| Spring "Steelhead Season" in Michigan starts in | | | | guiding the Muskegon for steelhead allows the |
| March and can last well into May on several rivers | | | | anglers to cover vast amounts of river and |
| in Michigan. Northwest Michigan offers some of | | | | offers some of the best steelhead fishing in the |
| the best spring runs of steelhead in the Midwest. | | | | world. The use of egg patterns and nymph |
| The Pere Marquette River is one of the great | | | | patterns work well. The Muskegon is a great river |
| Michigan steelhead streams and starts seeing | | | | to swing flies. A good number of wild fish, mixed |
| good to great steelhead fishing in early March. | | | | with a great number of hatchery steelhead, |
| Located just north of the Pere Marquette river is | | | | means great fishing by all! The Muskegon offers |
| the Big Manistee River which offers the largest | | | | great spring steelhead opportunities well into May. |
| run of Lake Michigan steelhead in northern | | | | Fishing in May can produce days of great fly |
| Michigan. The Pere Marquette is a smaller | | | | fishing for steelhead and the weather can be |
| freestone stream with good numbers of pools | | | | warm enough to be in a t-shirt on many days. |
| and pockets for steelhead to hold in. Guided fly | | | | With dryer weather and more sun, smaller |
| fishing for steelhead includes using a drift boat and | | | | patterns of nymphs and eggs are used while |
| covering large amounts of water in search of | | | | guiding the Muskegon River for spring trout and |
| different pools and runs that will produce trout | | | | steelhead. |
| and steelhead on a daily basis. The Big Manistee | | | | The Pere Marquette River has a weir located in |
| River is a much larger tailwater controlled | | | | Custer, Michigan. The weir is for lamprey control |
| environment. The use of a drift boat or a jet sled | | | | and is a natural barrier for all migratory fish in the |
| is used while guiding this river. | | | | spring. Late spring showers always produces a |
| Early in the season, the use of wiggler or Hex | | | | secondary push of spring steelhead on the Pere |
| patterns (Hexagenia nymph) are used in | | | | Marquette River, as well as a good number of |
| conjunction with an egg pattern and the same | | | | drop back or spawned out steelhead heading back |
| with small early black stonefly nymphs. Water | | | | to Lake Michigan. These fish can be fished with |
| temperatures on the Pere Marquette River will | | | | sinking lines and streamers. The later portions of |
| range wildly with sunny days and rapid snow | | | | April and into May provide anglers on a guided |
| melts from spring showers. Hatches of small | | | | spring steelhead trip to catch numbers of browns |
| stones can trigger a bite from trout and | | | | as well as steelhead while traveling down the river |
| steelhead. The use of caddis and mayfly nymphs | | | | on a trip. Early hatches of caddis and stones |
| also works well as the water levels and | | | | produce the first dry fly fishing of the season. |
| temperatures start to climb with warmer | | | | Guided spring trout and steelhead fishing is all |
| weather. The Big Manistee River is controlled by | | | | about timing. Early march can produce great |
| Tippy Dam and the water takes longer to warm | | | | fishing opportunities if the weather is warm and |
| than smaller rivers. When the water does start to | | | | the water is not too high from snow melt. Look |
| warm in April, it is hard to beat a day of guided | | | | for increases in water flow and temperatures to |
| fishing on the Manistee river. The Manistee River | | | | move better numbers of fish into the beautiful |
| starts to see great numbers of steelhead working | | | | runs and pools that Michigan's great rivers provide. |
| towards the dam area (upstream limit) and the | | | | Guided spring steelhead fishing on Michigan's |
| fly fishing for spring steelhead is red hot! | | | | Manistee, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers |
| The middle of April starts major runs of steelhead | | | | can be enjoyed by all. Guided fishing offers |
| on the Muskegon River located in Newaygo, | | | | opportunity for the novice angler as well as the |
| Michigan. The water below Croton Dam is a | | | | pro. |
| tailwater fishery. The use of a jet sled while | | | | |