By: Capt. Jeff Bacon
Michigan Fly Fishing Ventures
(616) 560-3195
www.westmichiganflyfishing.com
March is a magical time on the Muskegon River. We start to see the first of our steelhead migrating in from Lake Michigan. Many of the river wintering steelhead will be seeking out spawning grounds and those just coming in from Lake Michigan will be staging in deeper pools and runs near spawning grounds, in preparation for their spawn. As water temperatures slowly rise, resident rainbow and brown trout will become more active, and once the first of the spawning steelhead start working the gravel, trout will be quick to post up behind them for easy meals of both loose eggs and insects that get kicked up during the steelhead spawning process. With both fly fishing and light spin tackle setups, we’ll be pursuing both resident trout and steelhead from early-mid March, through mid-May. Spring is arguably the best time to catch trophy trout, as they’re hungry from a long winter and eager to feed on most anything they can get ahold of! Fly fishing options include bottom bouncing, indicator nymphing with floating lines, as well as swinging streamers. Common setups for spring steelhead include a 9′ or 10′ long, 7 or 8 weight rod, large arbor reel with the appropriate line for whatever technique one chooses and tippet in the 8-10# range. Streamer rigs can differ a bit in that heavier tippet is used, often depending on river conditions, but 15+# tippet not uncommon when fishing streamers. Light spin tackle rigs include longer rods for fishing nymphs, egg imitations, or bait under bobbers and rods in the 11′-12′ length common. Bottom bouncing the same offerings on 9′-10′ long rods, with 8-10# test tippet is an option as well.
Certain years find late winter stoneflies hatching on the Muskegon River in late March and if the trout key in on them, this can provide some fun for the fly fishing enthusiast. These are the first flies of the spring and when the trout key in on them, they’re easy pickins!
This is a critical time in our sport fishing history in Michigan, as we’re amidst some significant changes in Great Lakes with big game fish populations. We have to protect the natural reproduction that we have in the Muskegon River to maintain the steelhead populations. If practicing catch and release, remember to play out the fish as quickly as possible and limit the amount of time you have the fish out of the water.