Shop Hours 7am to 7pm Daily
Burning the candle at both ends is an understatement and it’s already October! The season is flying bye and finally improving. We saw some good movements of fish last week with a couple overcast days and a full moon. The river is starting to fill in with kings and even a few steelhead. Lots of kings are spawning or hanging around the gravel sections. We hooked a couple steelhead last week and even boated one…first of the year in my boat and it felt great!!! Plus, I have spotted a few everyday floating down the river.
The river is still very, very low and gin clear. It looks like some rain is in the forecast for later this week. Every little bit will help, but we really need a two day soaker to move the needle. The fish have been on the move and not sitting still. They are late to the party and covering water to get home. Not only were the fish “here today and gone tomorrow”, but moving throughout the day. We would be fishing a hole and watch them swim out in big groups and then a new pod would move in…the action came in waves a couple days last week. All our guides were comparing notes after fishing a few days last week and depending on what time you floated through determined if there were fish or not in certain holes. Empty in the morning and full by early afternoon. A real shell game!
It’s been a very busy season for us and we appreciate it! Thank you to all our clients and customers!!! It’s awesome to be floating down the river and hear anglers compliment the shop staff and our guides….that goes a LONG way!!! Thank you very much!!!! We work hard and it’s worth every second. Making memories and friendships on the Wild and Scenic Pere Marquette River. We have been grinding everyday for “quality vs. quantity”…but to each their own. I understand…go for it!
Fishing pressure is increasing daily, so please respect your fellow anglers. The right location or rotation will make your day, but it could work against you as well. Considerably more challenging for the wading anglers with limited “Real Estate” to work. Don’t be afraid to drift in the lumber and log-jams. Many fish have been hugging the lumber with the low water conditions and blue bird days. Even in the lower river fishing the structure has paid off.
The shop is loaded up with everything you might need or just want. Please stop in and take a look at our selection…we got something for everyone. All our Guides are booked solid until Mid-October and then we will start hunting for steelhead. November is quickly approaching and we still have some great dates available for guide trips and/or lodging. If you have never experienced a hot chrome fall steelhead on the Pere Marquette River; give us a call 231-745-3529. It’s our guides favorite fish to chase and the most challenging to catch.
Here is are a few clips from last weeks highlight reel:
We will be hosting our fall River Clean-Up on Saturday October 21…Please save the date and stay tuned for more details
PSA-
If you are parking at a state landing (M-37, Sulak, Walhalla or Twin Bridges) you will need a “Recreational Passport” parking permit. If you are a Michigan resident, you can apply when renewing your License plate tabs or it can be purchased at a state park (NOT ON SITE….major problem!). Unfortunately, there are very few State Parks near by and if you are a non-resident you will get a ticket. The sites do NOT have a pay at the site box. This is just a PSA to give you a “heads up” and hopefully avoid a unwanted ticket. Even licensed guides with their “State Land Use Permit” are getting tickets/warnings. Just a heads-up!
Good luck out there!!! Enjoy what we have and please do what you can to preserve and protect it!
Later,
John Karakashian