Below are descriptions of various W. Michigan fisheries that are available to the fly fisher in pursuit of both cold and warm water species.

   The ** at the bottom of each river description is current river information as of December, 2007.

Grand river
Spring brings both warm and cold water migratory fish up the Grand river. Steelhead, walleye, bass, carp, pike and many other species of fish use the Grand river system for their annual spawning run. In general, the fishing during late spring and into summer is rather spread out on the Grand, contrary to March and April when fish will congregate below the fish ladder system in downtown Grand Rapids. Bass fishing can be very good in summer months, from the Portland/Ionia area just west of Lansing, to the flats & shallows in the port town of Grand Haven where carp can be targeted and sight fished to.

**The Grand is low and clear, although recent precipitation with be sure to bring it up some.  Fishing by the 6th Street Fish Ladder has been the best.    Floating line with indicator rigs doing best, multiple egg patterns as well as dark nymphs producing the best.


Rogue river
The Rogue river below the dam in the town of Rockford just north of Grand Rapids is a tributary to the Grand and does get a run of steelhead each spring and salmon each fall. Aside for the migratory fish, it's stocked each spring with both rainbow and brown trout and can provide a nice day of fly fishing. The hatches on the Rogue start in mid/late spring with caddis flies and will get numerous hatches throughout the summer including stones, sulphurs, efrons and even hex's above the Rockford dam in mid-late summer. Most often waded, but also floatable in drift boat from late fall through spring, water levels pending.

** The Rogue is rather low and clear, as most small rivers are.  That said, our recent rain/sleet/snow will bring levels up, but water temps still cold, holding in the upper 30's.  Floating line/indicator rigs most common technique for the Rogue, although chuck-n-duck and swinging streamers an option as well.


Flat river
Known for the bass and rather large carp that call it home, the Flat river runs through the town of Lowell, just east of Grand Rapids. Smallmouth bass are the primary quarry, from early spring streamer fishing through summer fly hatches that will bring bass to the surface for flies at dusk. Best fished early spring through mid-summer, the Flat flows from a 30-40 yard wide river with good structure and current flow, into a marsh before it's directed through a dam in Lowell and shortly after, feeds directly into the Grand river. Can be waded in many spots, best accessed from a boat near the headwaters of the marsh.
 
** The Flat slows down in colder months, as do most smaller, warm water species fisheries.  Some activity below the dam in Lowell has produced fall/winter steelhead.

 
White river
A small and intimate river, the White is best known for its migratory salmon, steelhead and walleye. It also produces respectable trout given its size and in recent years has yielded 15+" brown trout. With water temps in the White climbing fast during spring and early summer, hatches are sporadic, but can be significant at times. With the river running more narrow and swift above the dam in the town of Hesperia, water temps stay cooler and insect hatches can be a bit more reliable. Weather and related precipitation can and does affect flows and related insect activity both above and below the Hesperia dam.
 
** The White is low, clear and as of a few days ago, pretty much void of steelhead.  Need water levels to rise to bring fish in.

Muskegon river
A traditional tailwater fishery, this insect rich river system is host to numerous insects & hatches. The spring month of May finds steelhead wrapping up their annual spawning run and both resident and migratory suckers soon to follow, it fishes best for trout in/around these spawning areas. An early stone fly hatch which typically starts around mid/late March brings both rainbow and brown trout to the surface for their first flies of the new spring. Following, migratory fish are the source of high protein eggs which the trout gorge on through May and into early June. Caddis hatches soon follow and are accompanied by sulphurs shortly after, then drakes and blue winged olives, just to name a few. The ever changing conditions of the Muskegon river is due to the presence and growth of invasive zebra mussels, which filter water for the same micro-plankton that some Caddis larva used to thrive on. Now the caddis hatches aren't what they used to be, but still provide trout with early season surface food options. With such length to it and numerous dams in the 200+ miles that make up the Muskegon, water temps rise significantly come mid-summer and can peak in the upper 70's around late July/early August.

**The Muskegon is fishing ok, with steelhead in all sections, but few concentrated in any given part of the river.  VERY clear and far too low for December......trout bite slowing a bit as well as temps creep towards the mid 30's.  It too will improve with a rise in level and even a couple degree temperature jump.

Pere Marquette river
The "PM", as it's known, is home to the famous "hex" fly, which hatches at dusk, in June and traditionally brings the largest trout to the surface for their once a year feast on these giant mayflies. Spring finds this beautiful tributary to lake Michigan with migratory steelhead on their annual spawning run. Designated a "National Scenic river" and a "flies only - catch & release" stretch, the PM draws both anglers and outdoor enthusiasts from across the country. Early hatch activity includes hendrickson, march brown, caddis and sulphurs, followed by others including the famed "hexagenia limbata".

** The PM is fishing very "slow" right now, with many colleagues of mine canceling guided trips due to lack of fish.  Again, with  water this too will change and I believe we'll get that before the new year.

Manistee river
Another Michigan tailwater, the Manistee river flows through Tippy dam, which is operated by our regional electric company and are considerably different rivers above and below the dam. Above Tippy the river plays host to a number of hatches, most notably the "hex" of June. Below Tippy dam we find caddis, stones and other popular tailwater hatches. As spring winds down, caddis will appear more frequently below the dam, streamer fishing dominates above the dam until the arrival of the hex.

** The Manistee had been fishing good for steelhead the first few miles below Tippy dam, however that changed in the last week or so with temps dropping.  Pretty good fishing being found further down river, by high bridge and so forth.