Fishing has been tough on the Pere Marquette for the past week. Despite the moderate warm up, steelhead are not exactly aggressive this time of year. On top of that, they are holding in very specific areas and can be hard to find.
To better increase our chances, Steve and I set out on a plugging mission this weekend. Back plugging is one of the most effective ways to catch winter steelhead. By fishing three plugs and moving them slowly down through likely holding water, it’s hard for even the most lethargic fish to say no. It’s also a great way to thoroughly cover water. While it’s not the same as catching one on the long rod, it is a good way to learn where steelhead are holding this time of year and to put fish in the boat.
Also, be warned that there is a large tree across the river at the bottom of Barnet’s Rapids, just above Lower Branch Bridge. It’s going to be a tough one to cut out. Steve and I barely managed to squeeze under it on the far right side in his low profile boat. A taller boat, particularly one with casting braces, will have a tough time and probably could not make it through. As for the ramps we’ve been to recently, Green Cottage is in good shape, Sulak is finally plowed and Upper Branch is clear. And while the ice around Custer opened up a good bit last week, there is still very significant shelf ice. The ramp and lower area of the parking lot are in rough shape and with these colder temps Custer is probably frozen over again.
We’re working on a short video about plugging on the Pere Marquette. You can see a preview below. I was having some trouble last night with Vimeo and consequently the video may be a little jittery. I’ll fix it as soon as possible. Fixed. Apparently Vimeo doesn’t like AVIs from Premiere.
Untitled from Third Coast Fly on Vimeo.