Muskegon River Fishing Report – September 9, 2018 – Newaygo, Michigan

Muskegon River Fishing Report – September 9, 2018 – Newaygo, Michigan

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 September 9, 2018 in the Newaygo, Michigan area is focused on the change on “seasons” for the river and the fish we will pursue in it over the next several months.

After a solid week+ of erratic weather that brought a lot of rain, the river levels have some up and river temperatures appear to be starting their downward trend.  Click HERE for current weather information and forecasts.

As fall “finally” appears to be on its way, we’ll see a number of great lakes big game fish migrate out of lake Michigan an into the Muskegon river starting now and going well into early winter, possibly even into the new year.

Starting with the powerful Chinook Salmon, which make their annual spawning run in fall, these beasts of the big lake will be found in the greatest numbers in October, but will be coming into the river soon and their run goes into early November.  Click HERE to view a short article on salmon fishing in the Muskegon river.

Next will be fall Steelhead, arguably one of the most acrobatic freshwater fish found on the planet.  These fish enter the river in the fall and can be found feasting on salmon eggs and insects that get kicked up during the salmon spawn.  

The last of the “Great Lakes Big 3” to enter rivers in the fall are lake run Brown trout, who also make their way into the Muskegon river and eventually find their own spawning grounds later in the fall season.

Not to be left out are resident Brown and Rainbow trout, who will be quick to find a feeding lane behind the salmon and also gobble up easy meals, much like the steelhead will be doing. 

With the salmon spawn going through much of October and into early November, we will target both resident trout and the mighty Steelhead for a solid month+ close to spawning salmon.

This falls salmon run will surely test the skills of anglers and integrity of equipment, as there are some BIG ones swimming around and they’re sure to break more than a few rods and certainly a few hearts along the way !

Present water levels are running above normal flows, but we’ll take it due to the low water month+ we had to endure in late July and August.  Click HERE for current flow data on the Muskegon river near Croton dam.

On a closing note, I am now guiding on the Pere Marquette river – PM – between Ludington and Baldwin and will be for the better part of September.  Following the PM, it will be off to the Manistee river in the Wellston area for more salmon and possibly some early fall Steelhead.  Come the first week of October, I will be switching to the Muskegon river for the rest of fall and early winter.