LAST MINUTE SPECIAL at end of post.
The Pere Marquette has been fishing well for steelhead and trout. With the rain and snow melt last week the river came up and conditions were tough in the middle river, but the fly water stayed in good shape. Water temps are back down into the low to mid 40s.
Steve was out with Tim and Jay yesterday and they did well in the upper river. Steelhead are thinning out, but so are the crowds and there are still plenty of fish in the river including lots of fresh chrome fish, as you can see below. We’re also expecting another push of fish from the lake with the high water. It’s a great time to fish steelhead on the Pere Marquette. Fish were taken on tangerine glo bugs, bigger stonefly patterns, and smolt patterns. Seems that smolt patterns with more pronounced parr marks (distinctive barring patterns) are more effective for both steelhead and trout right now.
The trout fishing is also really taking off. Steve and I scouted the fly water on Friday and there was the perfect stain for fishing streamers. We rolled a lot of fish including a couple very nice ones. One of them in particular has been giving me fits for a year now. I know where he lives and we’ve even hooked him a few times, but can’t seem to get him into the boat. On Friday he came almost completely out of the water as soon as my streamer touched down. Unfortunately he didn’t commit. One of these days.
Trout were responding well to a white Zoo Cougar with a natural deer hair head fished slowly and erratically on inside bends. They’re also wailing on the smolt. Dropping a heavily barred smolt pattern off the back of a big white streamer will probably get you bit in the fly water right now.
The crowds are letting up and the fishing is good. Come on up. And I’m offering a last minute special for this Thursday, April 28th – 1/2 day, one person, $150. Drop me a line if you’re interested – matt AT thirdcoastfly DOT com
