Epic Fall Steelie Season In Michigan Going On Now

[watermen]

Some good fisherman up north have described this year as the perfect storm of chromer fishing. A couple reliable buddies are having 100 hookup days on several michigan streams for fall Steelies. Perfect turnover winds, lots of rain (not enough to blow the rivers) and less salmon competition has led to serious numbers of big fish in the rogue, grand, little, muskegon and more. If you have the time go. Fall fish are 3 times the fight of spring fish and they are the 5 yr olds that will spawn in March before the main run. There are lots of 13-15 lb. fish being caught. For all you fly guys a single egg pattern behind the salmon is killer as well as a bead. I wish I could go this is the best it gets in the midwest. If you have the ability go before the water cools and hang on with 12 lb. tippet and watch chromers flip against a cold blue sky. Good luck if you get the chance.

[Jeff Tief]

Fished the PM in September and the Milwaukee in October for kings and am still trying to get the time to go back for some steelhead.Folks in Michigan were patiently awaiting the steelhead run considering the kings were super-sized this year.Got to get wife and I both healthy before we go back.Thanks for the report

[Guest]

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[Quillback]

I need to go one of these years. It sounds like early November is prime time on those rivers mentioned by the OP?

What is bank access like? If I ever go, I'd be bank/wade fishing.

[cnr]

In Michigan they have similar stream regulations as we do in Missouri. Keep your feet wet and off the banks and there won't be any problems. You do have the legal right to by-pass a dangerous obstruction and exit the water to do so, but in some instances just like here in Missouri the landowners can be a little protective of their property. Being polite and asking permission always helps, even though you may not get the answer you want. Sometimes after a few years of asking you get the official OK and a new friend to boot.

[watermen]

The grand is urban fishing below the dam, the rogue has park access in town the others run heavily through national forest like much of the ozarks. Access is seldom a problem if you stay away from the PM and the club and flys only water. The big (Manistee) is hard to wade much below the dam but is full of chromers below the salmon beds. I'm telling you it's on this year. The only problem with the big is crowds nad the canucks with their spey rods and palm reels. The best fishing happens now till the first hard snow, takes the water awhile to cool off.

[West Fork Jason]

I need to go one of these years. It sounds like early November is prime time on those rivers mentioned by the OP?

What is bank access like? If I ever go, I'd be bank/wade fishing.

if you want to wade fish, the Brule is pretty darn good! Miles of river, and it's all public with lots of parking/access areas.

[Quillback]

if you want to wade fish, the Brule is pretty darn good! Miles of river, and it's all public with lots of parking/access areas.

Where is the Brule? Does it get salmon and steelhead runs?

[watermen]

The Brule is in the far norhtern Wisconsin almost to Daloot, The Muskegon in MI is 10 hours from my house here in central MO. The Brule is 41/2 from my folks so probably 15 hours from here. The fastest way would be to go up 35 but o straight shot. It's classic shield trout water less gravel and faster than lower rivers. The fish are smaller coming out of a colder lake but it's a pretty river and used to have a good run of coasters in the fall. It fishes well in the summer on dries as well. Lot's of people there on the opener if the regs are still the same, WI is more fond of regulations, but theyve lost alot of trout water in recent years. I fished last summer at home and there are no wild trout left in creeks I grew up riding my bike to in NE WI. I've got a 2lb brookie mounted I caught in my front yard and nobody's caught a trout out of the little peshtigo in years.