Muskegon River Fly Fishing Report
Updated Daily fishing Reports for Michigan's Muskegon River & Surrounding Rivers.
Tips, Techniques, Photo's, Fly Patterns.
Our guides offer a wide spectrum of fishing opportunities and techniques. We offer both Fly Fishing and Float Fishing with light spinning gear for Fall & Winter Steelhead on the Muskegon River.
Paul and Norm from Chicago show off a gorgeous Michigan Winter Steelhead from the Muskegon River. Fly Fishing has been very good over the past month averaging over a fish per hour!
Whether your looking for a trophy Steelhead, numbers of Trout, or would just like to learn to fly fish. We have Muskegon River trout guides available to make your experience memorable.


Jeff Hoffman from ESPN Outdoors with a gorgeous Fall Steelhead on the Muskegon River.
Anglers from Chicago fly fishing will enjoy great fishing only a short drive away!

Michigan Fly Fishing guides available for the Pere Marquette and Manistee River Salmon & Steelhead. Book now for Spring Steelhead!
Related Links:
Lake-Run Brown Trout Spawn on the Muskegon River during the Winter Months. Most of these browns are 6 to 12 lbs. (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb)

Winter Steelhead are available during the late Fall and Winter months. You can fish them with spinning gear-Floats & Spawn or Fly Fishing with shooting lines.

King Salmon are available during the early Fall Months- Late August, September, October.

Casting Crankbaits for early Season king salmon is a blast. You can fish them on spinning gear or FlyFishing with saltwater streamer patterns and sink-tip fly fines.

Muskegon River Spring Steelhead are available during the Spring Months. March, April and May are best for Steelhead.

Fly Fishing is the preferred method for Spring Steelhead. Shooting fly lines drifting stone flies and egg patterns score big numbers of Steelhead.

Fly Fishing for Muskegon River Trout is available during the early summer months. May, June, and July offer exceptional dry fly and streamer fishing for Trout.

Steelhead fishing is available during late October, November, and December. Winter Steelhead fishing is best during January and February, and March. The best Spring Steelhead fishing takes place during April and May. Skamania are available during June and July.

Fishing Calendar:

Spring Steelhead – March, April, May

Trout – May, June, July, August

Smallmouth Bass - June, July, Aug.

Salmon – Late Aug, Sept, Oct.

Fall Steelhead – November, December

Winter Steelhead - Dec, Jan, Feb, March

We specialize in cooperate outings and large group trips on Western Michigan Rivers. Lodging and Hotel accommodations available.




Guided Fly Fishing available for Muskegon River Smallmouth. Michigan River Smallies during July and August. Light Spinning & Fly Fishing tackle.

We seasonally guide on the Manistee River and Pere Marquette River for August Chinook Salmon and Fall Muskegon River Steelhead.

Contact Us - Click here.

West Michigan Steelhead Fishing Reports:
Spring Steelhead Fly Fishing on the Muskegon River with Stone flies.

(3/2/10) Spring Steelhead fishing has been very good over the past two days. We have been averaging a Steelhead per hour on either flies or floats and spawn. I have not seen a big difference between the two methods. Both methods have required great stealth in approaching fishy areas, good boat positioning and lighter tippets than usual. Today Anthony from Grand Rapids, MI (49505) and I dropped down from a heavier leader to 3x tippet and immediately hooked two Steelhead in the bright sunshine proving that a changing tippets mattered.

Best fly fishing patterns have been small sparkle nuke eggs with a bit of flash. Golden with an egg halo has been my best fly in the gin clear water. Hex nymphs and fry patterns have also taken some hard hits and fish during the past three days. Sometimes during the afternoon, Stone flies have worked well but have been hit or miss taking mostly smaller Trout and Steelhead smolt. Light tippets and long drifts have produced the most Steelhead especially later in the day or bright sunshine.



Around 11:30 things began to change. The wind died down and the sun popped out for awhile. We moved the boat to several deeper Steelhead runs. Many drifts and only a few small trout in those locations. I decided to change up patterns instead of moving. Shun hit his first Steelhead of the day, a stout double striped buck pictured on left. After ten photos Shun was fired up, had faith in the water (and guide) and was now ready to fish! We managed to hook four more Steelhead that afternoon and landed another bright hen and a smaller buck.

Those of you that know me well understand that I prefer to fish floats and spawn during the cold winter months. Typically, you hook and play far more Steelhead and line management is just easier. It did feel great to hook-up Steelhead on a fly rod. There is certainly something different about feeling the "grab" of the fly verses watching a float go down. They are both cool if there is a fish at the end!

By the second day, things were beginning to groove well. Shun had the cast and the drift down and fishing smoothly. Air temps, still not warm, were better than the day before. Within the first three hours on Sunday, he had landed an nice Brown, hooked two other Steelhead and landed a dark winter hen from a deep run. Oddly though, almost every Steelhead landed (7 for 11- 2 days) were all on either Stone flies or Hex nymphs. Often times that is a sign that Spring is near, the hens need protein to help mature the eggs, Stone flies become active in late February, and salmon fry begin to emerge this time of year. I was thinking more along the lines that every Steelhead from the Dam to Bridgton have all been either hooked, pricked, stung, or caught and released on spawn sacks or egg flies. Nymphs were something different.

Point being that we both had a fantastic two days of fly fishing! Not the best weather or best conditions. The water was 32 degrees, low, and gin clear. Because the Muskegon is a tailwater fishery, it has so much more to offer. It never freezes, and has piles of resident trout and a lot of Steelhead. How many places in the world today, can you hook over ten Steelhead in two days fly fishing in February? This Muskegon River has a lot to offer anglers. Sometime this Spring, take and day and enjoy the river!

Welcome to the Muskegon River's premier guide service for Michigan Spring Steelhead! We are sincerely looking forward to the up coming season! We are excited about the current water levels and the new "Bubbler System" built to increase the survival of resident Rainbow and Brown Trout. Spring Steelhead should be fantastic with the higher water levels and increased dissolved oxygen!

New Video Clip: Float Fishing Muskegon River Steelhead
One of the best float fishing videos we have filmed for Fall Steelhead on the Muskegon River and Great Lakes region. Lots of float fishing with a ton of hook ups and fish landed on video! Now is the time to float fish Steelhead!

Unlike the Grand River, White River, and Pere Marquette Rivers, the Muskegon is a tailwater fishery, this means the Muskegon River never freezes! This allows us to guide anglers throughout the winter months for Steelhead and Trout. Float fishing during the Winter is a beautiful time to be on the water with good numbers of Steelhead and lots of wildlife along the rivers banks.
Now is the time to float fish Steelhead!

Muskegon River Guided Fly Fishing & Float Fishing Adventures for Michigan's Spring Steelhead ...

Since 1996, Muskegon River Guides in Newaygo, Michigan has provided anglers with the best in Muskegon River Fly Fishing. With an excellent team of professional fly fishing guides, our staff pride themselves in offering the very best in guided fly fishing, lodging and hospitality.
Our guides are courteous and professional.

Every photo on this website speaks volumes about the day we've had, all with a big smile! Our professional Muskegon River fly fishing guides take great pleasure in fishing with anglers of all skill levels. Our guides excel in teaching new anglers from beginners, novices, young people, and families, to guiding
advanced experts. We specialize in fly fishing throughout the year, not just when the fish are spawning on gravel in the Spring and Fall months.
Why choose Muskegon River Outfitters?
We have a passion and understanding of how Steelhead, Salmon, Trout, and Smallmouth Bass behave in a river's environment. Our main focus is the Great Lakes Steelhead and Trout. We guide anglers for Muskegon River Fall, Winter, and Spring Steelhead over 200 days a year!

~Our Fly Patterns work~
We tie and invent our own fly patterns and study the insect hatches so we can bring the magic of taking a fish on the fly to you in a special way.
Our broad experiences of fly fishing throughout Michigan and Great Lakes region give us great insight on fly development!
MoJo Fly Company


Our goal is to exceed your expectations and have you leaving the river
excited, having learned or perfected your techniques,
catching fish and enjoying a great day on the water.

~ About Muskegon River Steelhead~
During the Winter Months, ( December, January, February, March) the Muskegon River is loaded with Winter & Spring Steelhead. Unlike the Grand and Pere Marquette Rivers, the Muskegon is a tailwater fishery, this means the Muskegon River never freezes, allowing us to guide anglers throughout the winter months for Steelhead and Trout. Fly fishing during the Winter is a beautiful time to be on the water with good numbers of Steelhead and lots of wildlife along the rivers banks.

~Muskegon River Winter Steelhead~
Muskegon's fly fishing can be at it's best during the Winter. Few anglers fish this time of year, the Steelhead are eager to feed well with little angling pressure or guides on the water. Our guides love fly fishing during the Winter months. Michigan is blessed with many great rivers that may be fished year-around.

We offer guided fly fishing adventures year around for Michigan's Winter Steelhead on the Muskegon River. March, April, and May are also great times to chase Spring Steelhead. The stone fly emergence during March produces excellent fly fishing for Steelhead in March. We have guide dates available for Spring Steelhead on the Muskegon, Pere Marquette, and Manistee River.


Muskegon River Outfitters has been devoted to the pursuit of Great Lakes Spring Steelhead, Trout, and Salmon. We pride ourselves in making Steelhead fly fishing fun while helping anglers learn more about the sport we love! Whether your looking for trophy Steelhead, numbers of Trout, or would just like to learn to fly fish, we have a guide available to make your experience memorable.

~ Great Lakes Steelhead Fly Fishing Guides ~
Muskegon River Outfitters offers guided fly fishing adventures on Western Michigan's finest Rivers; Muskegon, Pere Marquette, St. Joseph, White, and Manistee Rivers. (231) 519-7348 ~
~ Muskegon River Guide Service ~

We provide Quality Orvis fly fishing gear, tackle, flies, tippet, whatever you may need at no extra charge. This also includes a grilled, shore lunch!

Muskegon River Fishing Report

Professionally Endorsed
Fly Fishing Outfitter Since 1996

Michigan's Muskegon River Hatches

Michigan fly fishing guide trips are available during the summer months
with prolific hatches and lots of Muskegon River Trout!

Custom Steelhead, Salmon & Trout flies. Unique patterns for the fly fishing enthusiast! Muskegon River Guides for Michigan's Fall Steelhead.

~ Chicago Fly Fishing ~
We are located only 3.5 hours from Chicago. With just a short ride north, you can be into some of the best fly fishing Michigan has to offer! Chicago Fly Fishing anglers will enjoy Steelhead fishing on the Muskegon River because we are so close. We are located 3.5 hours from Chicago, Ill Chicago Fly Shops Chicago, IL 60611 (231) 519-7348. Only a short drive North from Chicago on US-31. We are located 45 minutes North of Grand Rapids, Mi 49505. Grand Rapids is home to our local fly shop, Mojo Flies.

Muskegon River Outfitters
599 Ottawa St.
Muskegon, MI 49443
(231) 519-7348.