Pere Marquette River Salmon Guided Trips
Salmon (late August through October) – This is the most popular season on the river. The weather is beautiful, and the fish are big and powerful.
The salmon season breaks down in kind of a neat way. When the run starts, water temps are at their warmest, and the salmon are freshest. When you hook into one, it’s like getting slapped in the face. However, the run is often weather and water level dependent. So, fish numbers can be undependable.
As the season progresses, fish numbers become more consistent, but as fall creeps in, the water temp starts to drop. Therefore the fish fight a little softer each day. Salmon numbers usually peak between early to mid-October. An October salmon is still very impressive. They’re both big and powerful, but an early salmon is like nothing else. They have speed and power unmatched by anything else in the Great Lakes. If you’ve ever hooked into a hot saltwater fish, it is just like that but in a river.
So when booking a salmon trip, you’ve got the choice of quality versus quantity.
The salmon season breaks down in kind of a neat way. When the run starts, water temps are at their warmest, and the salmon are freshest. When you hook into one, it’s like getting slapped in the face. However, the run is often weather and water level dependent. So, fish numbers can be undependable.
As the season progresses, fish numbers become more consistent, but as fall creeps in, the water temp starts to drop. Therefore the fish fight a little softer each day. Salmon numbers usually peak between early to mid-October. An October salmon is still very impressive. They’re both big and powerful, but an early salmon is like nothing else. They have speed and power unmatched by anything else in the Great Lakes. If you’ve ever hooked into a hot saltwater fish, it is just like that but in a river.
So when booking a salmon trip, you’ve got the choice of quality versus quantity.
While some strip or swing large, flashy steamers for salmon, but most drift eggs and other wet flies.
For the non-fly fishers – We offer casting trips with crankbaits and spinners. This is a fun, action-packed day with big fish that hit like a ton of bricks and then keep on fighting like crazy.
Reminder: All fishing gear is provided on all of our trips at no additional charge. This includes leaders, flies, and lures. Only bring gear if it will add something to your trip.
What to wear: Salmon run in the transition from summer to fall. I’ve caught salmon in 90 degree heat and on days when the temp never got above freezing. Always plan for the worst weather possible and be happy if you don’t need all the clothing you’ve brought.
There is great gear available, if you want to be warm, dry and comfortable all day don’t settle for less. A pair of cotton jeans and a sweatshirt are perfect for watching a baseball game but worthless on a fishing trip. Cotton will fully saturate with water, dries slowly and retains no warmth when wet.
Every fishing trip should include rain gear, if you have waders then you only need a jacket. I would also put polarized sunglasses, baseball or other brimmed hat and Buff on the must bring list. Always plan for the worst weather possible on a trip. It is always better to have a pile of unused clothes in the boat on a beautiful day versus not having enough to put on when things turn cold.
These guidelines are for the worst possible weather, if the forecast is calling for hot, then you’ll want to adjust. For most salmon trips:
Bottom - synthetic long underwear, synthetic fleece or puffy pants and breathable chest waders (boot foot waders are much warmer then stocking foot but stocking foot are more comfortable) or bibs and warm waterproof boots. Synthetic or wool blend socks but leave some air space and wiggle room.
Top – synthetic long underwear, synthetic flats hoody, synthetic fleece jacket, puffy jacket and breathable rain jacket. A warm hat that covers your ears is mandatory. I like to pull a stocking cap over my baseball hat so that I still have a large bill to block the sun for better visibility.
Gearing Up: Salmon are big and powerful. We usually use 12-pound leaders with tight drags. Anything less than a 9 weight has a high chance of getting broke.
Possibly add diagrams of different rigs.
You always want to have a chuck-n-duck line for salmon or steelhead in west Michigan. If the rivers are running high and fast and would be considered unfishable with standard gear. A chuck-n-duck line is a trip saver. A chuck-n-duck line is a specialty shooting line that is cast with a big chunk of lead, this allows you to shoot the entire cast, just like a spinning rod. The advantage with this outfit is that you are unlimited in the amount of lead you can toss, allowing you to bounce-bottom, even when the river is ripping.
This is probably the most common technique used in our area because, even with normal water levels, it is very effective. Salmon and steelhead set on the bottom, and this is a bottom bouncing method. Chuck-n-duck is also popular because it is straight forward and easy to learn. Non-fly fishers and beginners can effectively fish this method their first time out.
These lines go by several brand names, including Sunset Amnesia and Rio SlickShooter.
A floating line with a strike indicator (indy rig) is an excellent option in normal to low water. In fact, I’d say under these conditions that it is a better choice than chuck-n-duck, as long as you’re good at roll casting and mending. Most like a slightly longer rod for roll casting, like a 10 footer and it should be overlined by one or two weights.
Using two-handed rods like a Spey or switch rod are often excellent options, and I always have one in the boat. You can fish with or without an indicator and can do almost everything you can with a chuck-n-duck or single hand indy rig. I like an old fashioned “long belly” line versus a Skagit head. The long head of these lines allows for better mending and line control at a greater distance.
Michigan Fishing License: You’ll need a valid Michigan fishing license, here is the link to purchase a license on-line, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79146_82448---,00.html
For the non-fly fishers – We offer casting trips with crankbaits and spinners. This is a fun, action-packed day with big fish that hit like a ton of bricks and then keep on fighting like crazy.
Reminder: All fishing gear is provided on all of our trips at no additional charge. This includes leaders, flies, and lures. Only bring gear if it will add something to your trip.
What to wear: Salmon run in the transition from summer to fall. I’ve caught salmon in 90 degree heat and on days when the temp never got above freezing. Always plan for the worst weather possible and be happy if you don’t need all the clothing you’ve brought.
There is great gear available, if you want to be warm, dry and comfortable all day don’t settle for less. A pair of cotton jeans and a sweatshirt are perfect for watching a baseball game but worthless on a fishing trip. Cotton will fully saturate with water, dries slowly and retains no warmth when wet.
Every fishing trip should include rain gear, if you have waders then you only need a jacket. I would also put polarized sunglasses, baseball or other brimmed hat and Buff on the must bring list. Always plan for the worst weather possible on a trip. It is always better to have a pile of unused clothes in the boat on a beautiful day versus not having enough to put on when things turn cold.
These guidelines are for the worst possible weather, if the forecast is calling for hot, then you’ll want to adjust. For most salmon trips:
Bottom - synthetic long underwear, synthetic fleece or puffy pants and breathable chest waders (boot foot waders are much warmer then stocking foot but stocking foot are more comfortable) or bibs and warm waterproof boots. Synthetic or wool blend socks but leave some air space and wiggle room.
Top – synthetic long underwear, synthetic flats hoody, synthetic fleece jacket, puffy jacket and breathable rain jacket. A warm hat that covers your ears is mandatory. I like to pull a stocking cap over my baseball hat so that I still have a large bill to block the sun for better visibility.
Gearing Up: Salmon are big and powerful. We usually use 12-pound leaders with tight drags. Anything less than a 9 weight has a high chance of getting broke.
Possibly add diagrams of different rigs.
You always want to have a chuck-n-duck line for salmon or steelhead in west Michigan. If the rivers are running high and fast and would be considered unfishable with standard gear. A chuck-n-duck line is a trip saver. A chuck-n-duck line is a specialty shooting line that is cast with a big chunk of lead, this allows you to shoot the entire cast, just like a spinning rod. The advantage with this outfit is that you are unlimited in the amount of lead you can toss, allowing you to bounce-bottom, even when the river is ripping.
This is probably the most common technique used in our area because, even with normal water levels, it is very effective. Salmon and steelhead set on the bottom, and this is a bottom bouncing method. Chuck-n-duck is also popular because it is straight forward and easy to learn. Non-fly fishers and beginners can effectively fish this method their first time out.
These lines go by several brand names, including Sunset Amnesia and Rio SlickShooter.
A floating line with a strike indicator (indy rig) is an excellent option in normal to low water. In fact, I’d say under these conditions that it is a better choice than chuck-n-duck, as long as you’re good at roll casting and mending. Most like a slightly longer rod for roll casting, like a 10 footer and it should be overlined by one or two weights.
Using two-handed rods like a Spey or switch rod are often excellent options, and I always have one in the boat. You can fish with or without an indicator and can do almost everything you can with a chuck-n-duck or single hand indy rig. I like an old fashioned “long belly” line versus a Skagit head. The long head of these lines allows for better mending and line control at a greater distance.
Michigan Fishing License: You’ll need a valid Michigan fishing license, here is the link to purchase a license on-line, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79146_82448---,00.html