March 13, 2023

Shop Hours are 7am to 6pm Daily

Here we go!!!  The spring season is taking shape.  Lots of our fall and winter fish have spawned and dropped back, but new fish are cycling into the system.  The entire river system is fishing good.  There are certainly some hot sections from day to day, but the river has been fishing consistently throughout.  We are still waiting for our big spring push of fish, but with low water year it could be a slow and steady migration???  Which is fine with me.  We still have a few open guide dates and Lodging available, so give us a call too go fishing!!!  231-745-3529

The river is running at normal levels.  The upper to middle sections are clear to tea colored and the lower sections are holding a nice tea color.  Water temps have been bouncing around the upper-30’s to low-40’s.  Most days we are seeing some midges hatching and small black stones…and I have actually seen a couple trout rise already.  Trout season is not too far off!!!!  The fry hatch is still slowly building daily.  Trout bite in the upper and middle sections has been good!!!

The egg bite was much stronger this week…cream clowns, pale nukes, 10 & 12 mm beads in the lower river in pale orange or chartreuse tones.  Small stones, hexes, PM Blondes and cross-dressers have been getting some fish, but the egg bite has been better.  Try to adjust your fly size to match the water color/level.  Low and clear water fish smaller and more natural sizes/colors…higher and dirtier water fish larger and brighter colors.

It feels great to be back on the river everyday!  The season is off to a great start and we are having a good time!!!  Making memories, catching up with old friends, making new relationships and even catching a coupe fish along the way.  Life is good!!!  I am running short on time, so here is a “copy & paste” for remainder of the report.  But, please read it…

Please be mindful of the regulation on the Pere Marquette…Everything up-stream of M-37 and the Baldwin River are closed until the last Saturday in April, from M-37 to Gleason’s Landing is “Flies Only/Catch & Release” (NO BEADS WHAT SO EVER), from Gleason’s Landing to Lake Michigan is open to all legal techniques (bait, hardware, beads and flies) & ONLY a one fish limit from March 15 to May 15.  We have been doing some bead fishing a little more and sell beads in the shop; but trying to educate/communicate where they can be fished.

Presentation is the name of the game!  Presentation in all aspects; the drift, leaders & line, fly or bead color/size, hook size, mends, proper weight, proper depth of your floats, physically approaching the pool/run, casting a shadow…you get the point.  But it all makes a difference in finding a player most days in low water.  Tread lightly and stay off the run as much as possible to increase your odds.  That is just my $0.02’s.  Also, please try your best to respect your fellow anglers as well…boats floating bye bring in your lines, have a sit and drift thru the entire run with the least amount of disturbance.  Just a friendly reminder…that is the proper edict around here…it will be appreciated!

Good luck out there and enjoy yourselves!!!

John