Manistee River Salmon fishing - "Thundersticks for Kings!"

No doubt, Salmon are bigger this year! There are now good numbers of salmon in both the Big Manistee River and the Pere Marquette River. Cooler water temperatures with Northeast winds have brought lots of kings into the lower Pere Marquette River.

Manistee Lake and lower Manistee River are beginning to fish well. Rainbow Bend down to Insta-Launch has good numbers. Pine Creek area also starting to fill in. Our best choice at this time is casting Thundersticks in the lower Pere Marquette River and Manistee River below Matson's Campground. This should kick off the beginning of our Fall fishing season! I'm excited to see some chrome fish in the River.


Salmon are healthy and much larger this season. With great numbers alewives, salmon are 5-10lbs larger than normal making for some great fishing of BIG Kings Salmon!




Fly Fishing the Pere Marquette River. For those of you that are interested in fly fishing for early Kings, this year is the exception to the rule. The Lower "Flies Only" water is loaded with salmon. It's safe to say there are good numbers of fish in the holes. Fly fishing should be good for the rest of the season now that the fish are parked and captive in the holes. Gravel fishing should start in a week or so.

Muskegon River Steelhead

Muskegon River Fly Fishing

Pere Marquette River Salmon - Thundersticks and Salmon

The action is heating up as September offers cooler evenings, shorter days, and Chinook Salmon fishing on the Pere Marquette and Manistte Rivers. The Fall months offer the best in Salmon fishing in Michigan with the Big Manistee River being first on the list. Chrome Kings enter the river in late August - September. Fly Fishing, casting thundersticks, or floats/skein are the prefered methods for these big fish.
October offers the best in fly fishing the Manistee River below Tippy Dam in later September and October.



The Pere Marquette River also offers great salmon fishing. Often incredible crowded in the famed "Flies Only" section, anglers can escape to the lower PM river for salmon. The Pere Marquette River also has great trout fishing.



The Muskegon River offers a great mix of Fall Steelhead, Salmon, and excellent trout fishing during the Fall. Salmon ascend the Muskegon Later in October and November. Muskegon River Fly fishing is best in November and December for Fall Steelhead and Trout.

How to catch more salmon on the Pere Marquette & Manistee Rivers.

The action is heating up as September offers cooler evenings, shorter days, and Chinook Salmon fishing on the Pere Marquette and Manistte Rivers. The Fall months offer the best in Salmon fishing in Michigan with the Big Manistee River being first on the list. Chrome Kings enter the river in late August - September. Fly Fishing, casting thundersticks, or floats/skein are the prefered methods for these big fish.
October offers the best in fly fishing the Manistee River below Tippy Dam in later September and October.

The Pere Marquette River also offers great salmon fishing. Often incredible crowded in the famed "Flies Only" section, anglers can escape to the lower PM river for salmon. The Pere Marquette River also has great trout fishing.



The Muskegon River offers a great mix of Fall Steelhead, Salmon, and excellent trout fishing during the Fall. Salmon ascend the Muskegon Later in October and November. Muskegon River Fly fishing is best in November and December for Fall Steelhead and Trout.