Shop Hours are 7am – 7pm Daily
Here we are in the third week of September and we are officially in the thick of “Salmon season”! Hard to believe how time flies, but the kings are making their way home and fulfilling their main objective in life; returning to their natal waters to spawn. One of natures mysteries and marvels! It is truly amazing and we are lucky to have such a healthy Lake Michigan salmon and steelhead population….not to mention a wild and scenic river like the Pere Marquette that sustains natural reproduction for kings, coho and steelhead!!!
Thank you for your continued support of our Shop, Motel and Guides!!! We appreciate the business and friendships. It’s a competitive industry and easy to shop on-line, but walking into a local shop with “boots on the ground” is one of our biggest assets! We have guides on the river everyday…a shop staff that fishes on their days off…honest and recent fishing reports…a friendly shop atmosphere that welcomes new anglers to seasoned veterans…fly fishing or spin fishing – we do it all!!! If you haven’t fished with us or stopped into the shop…please do!!! We are currently a bit “short-handed” in the shop, so please be patient…Thank You!
The river is getting very, very busy in certain sections. Please respect one another and their space. The best policy is “ask before you cast” and everything will work out….plus, you might just meet a new fishing buddy?!? We are all out there to have fun and have a couple fish pull us around, so make the most out of a day on the water! Better to have some friendly chatter while you’re out there….at least in my boat there will be!
We did get a few shots of rain last week and over the weekend, but not enough to move the water level. The river is still running low and clear. The weather has turned to more “fall-like” mornings and afternoons and it feels great! Thus far it has been a slow and steady migration of fish with plenty more to come up-stream. The lower river has been fishing well with fish holding down there and moving through daily. Same story in the middle river…but the upper river is still thin with fish (but that could change anyway?). There are plenty of fish starting to spawn up and down the river.
The shop WAS loaded up with inventory for the season (we are re-loading on some items) and we are running extended hours (7am – 7pm daily). We pride ourselves in having “the right tools for the job”. Everything you need (or might just want) to fish our area is available at the shop. If there is something you think we should carry, let us know! Plus, we can always special order products for you if we don’t have your size or it’s something you want to try. It feels good to be grinding everyday and in the thick of the season. Catching up with long time clients, meeting new ones and seeing all the familiar faces on the river, at the shop and Motel.
It is NEVER not too early to start thinking and planning your fall/winter steelhead fishing trips. Typically, we start targeting steelhead around the middle of October and that is only 4 weeks out (but who’s counting?!)!!! I love the fall fishing on the Pere Marquette River. The best is yet to come!!!! We offer all techniques…fly fishing, tossing hardware, bobbers and beads…we got you covered! Please call the shop to lock in your guide trips and/or lodging…231-745-3529.
PSA….save the date!!! The River Clean-Up is scheduled for October 24th…more detail to follow. River Karma is a great thing to have in your back pocket!
Thank you to all our clients and guests over the last week. It was an awesome week and great having you around…without you we would not be doing what we love!!! Guiding the Pere Marquette River is an honor and a privilege…At least to me it is!!! I am running short on time and energy…so, here are a couple fish that did not get away! Fun week and I really appreciate it….we all do….THANK YOU!!!!
It feels really good to be out on the river guiding everyday! I love my office and spending time on such an amazing resource. The river “owes” me nothing…it’s given me everything!
Good luck and be safe out there!
John
