Lots of spawners throughout the river. There are some fresher fish in the holes but you need to cover water to find them. Reports are good from the lower river, indicating that more fish are on the way.
The water is getting pretty low and clear. Remember, with low and clear conditions you need to stay further off the fish. The salmon bite turns cold fast after they know your there.
Not much steelhead action over the past week, hopefully that changes soon.
Salmon numbers were on the light side before last weeks rain, with the rain a big push of salmon headed upstream and the river, from top to bottom, now has good numbers. While there are spawners everywhere, you can still find pre-spawn fish in the holes.
Nuke and crystal egg combinations that include shades of orange to peach and black buggers have been the ticket for me.
The water level is low but there is some color.
The PM has had some steelhead show up around the spawning salmon the last week and wow are they hot.
Steve sends the following:
Fishing continues to be good with a big push of fish finally filling up the holes. Pere Marquette Lake is consistently getting new fish, so it’s fair to say that the run has now solidly started. I expect consistent fishing from here out.
While recent rains have helped the river is still low and clear.
When the weather was cool, like the frost at our house in early August, the salmon fishing was fairly good. Well, the last week has turned hot and as it always does, the salmon fishing in turn has went cold.
That isn’t to say that fish are not ending up in the net but it takes some effort to put one there. Lower PM River water temps are in the 60’s, levels are good and there is good color.
Whatever is happening in the big lake off Ludington is a good look at what will soon be happening on the PM. Steve talked to Sean from Katch Me Charters yesterday and Sean said that while they haven’t been seeing big numbers, they are seeing big fish. Below is a picture from Sean’s web sit of a 35 pound king from a few weeks ago.
My prediction is for a big push of salmon as soon as this heat wave breaks.
