Muskegon River Fishing Report – Newaygo, MI – September 18, 2016

Muskegon River Fishing Report – Newaygo, MI – September 18, 2016

Byron, from KY holds a nice Pere Marquette river Chinook salmon caught while fishing with Eddie, also from KY.

The Muskegon river fishing report for the Newaygo, MI region is still all about Smallmouth bass and other warm water species of fish available to anglers prior to the arrival of our fall Chinook salmon run.

As water temperatures stay above 70, we’re not going to see much salmon activity, but warm water fish such as Smallmouth bass, Walleye and even Northern Pike in the lower stretches of the river are still active.

With both fly fishing and light spin tackle setups, one can entice Smallmouth with both topwater poppers and waking flies/lures, as well as subsurface, with imitations of baitfish and crayfish.

Water levels remain at or near average flows for this time of year and with our next good dose or rain and pending cooler weather, we should see levels come up, temperatures drop and the first of our fall migratory fish enter the river system.  First will be the Chinook salmon, followed by fall Steelhead and shortly after, we should see some lake run Brown trout arrive from lake Michigan as well.

I’m returning to the Pere Marquette river for a series of trips in the lower river closer to Ludington than Baldwin, where we’re fishing salmon with conventional gear for the most part, but trying large, gaudy flies when conditions are right.

Present water temperature in the Muskegon river is in the 70-71 degree range.