12-7-2012 Fishing Report

Today I had the opportunity to take renouned spey casting instructor Michael Mauri fishing along with his wife Emily and my friend Dennis Klien of Mystic Rods. We had a number of good pulls on the line and a couple steelhead hung on long enough to get a photo. Michael and Emily each landed their first Muskegon River steelhead on a swung fly!

12-3-12 Fishing Report

The smile says it all! Today was a great day as I was able to take my old high school buddy fishing after not seeing him in 24 years! Though it was his first time with a spey rod and he only had a couple hours to fish, Chad managed to hook this beauty of a hen in the first run we tried. It was so nice to catch up with my long lost bud... the steelhead was just a bonus. A couple other good pulls on the line as well. Water level finally back to how I like it and a decent number of steelhead around.

11-29-12 Fishing Report

Bite was good in the morning hours but tougher this afternoon with bright sunshine. Perry holds his first swung fly steelhead... a great way to break in the spey rod!

11-24-12 Fishing Report

Had a great day fishing with my good friend Matt Erny from Streamers Fly Fishing. The weather was cold but the bite was good. Pictured are Matt and myself with a couple nice steelhead from today.

11-21-2012 Fishing Report

They called for sun, we got clouds... and we were thankful for it! Pretty good bite in the morning hours, but tougher in the afternoon. I even got to make a few casts myself and hooked a very bright steelhead. Pictured is Dan with a couple fine steelhead from yesterday. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I currently have this coming Monday (26th) and Wednesday (28th) available if anyone is interested. Be blessed. -Z

11-16-12 Fishing Report

Man are these fishing getting smart... sure could use a few chrome fish to fool. We had multiple bites in every run we fished today but very few fish that committed to the swung fly all the way. Pictured are Sid and Larry with a couple fine steelhead from this afternoon.

11-16-12 Fishing Report

Tough, tough, tough! It is tough out there, especially on these sunny days with lots of fishing pressure. Sure could use a little water to bring in some more fish... these fish that have been here for a couple weeks are getting wiser each day. Pictured is Tom with a nice buck from this morning... hard to hide where we were:)  -Z

11-14-12 Fishing Report

Fishing remains on the tough side with low water. Many fish have become well educated and will bite at the fly but not enough to get hooked. Pictured are John and Lou with a couple bright fish from today. Smaller flies and longer dangle time have helped.

11-12-12 Fishing Report

Fishing has been tougher than usual the last few days with very low water and few new fish arriving. We sure could use some rain! Would like to see some more chrome ones like the fish pictured here from today with Bill. This fished rolled on the surface just before the fly swung in front of her and she crushed it! We've been getting lots of good pulls and plucks from the more educated fish, but they have not been as committed to it as this fish was.

11-7-2012 Fishing Report

Bright sunshine and a strange (but short) spike in the water level made for a tougher than normal bite in our experience today. Pictured is Ed with a great steelhead that hammered a sculpin.

11-5-12 Fishing Report

I was able to take my dad fishing today and truly enjoyed watching him land a couple chrome steelhead on the swing!

10-29-12 Fishing Report

After enjoying some time away from the river and working in my shop I am happy to be running swung fly steelhead trips for the month of November! Most of my steelhead trips are still booked through Feenstra Guide Service and I do have Nov. 5, 12 and 23 still available as of today. Please contact me or Kevin Feenstra if you are interested.

Today the wind was blowing, the rain was pelting and it was cold. It was all o.k. though as my client Tom was hooking steelhead on the swing in every run we fished! I wish swung fly trips were always this easy, but days like this seem too rare. Here are a few of the fish from today.

9-16-12 Fishing Report

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I was turning down most trips for the last couple weeks because of huge projects in my studio that needed my attention. Anyway, I guided the last two days for bass and although the bass fishing has slowed quite a bit we were still getting fish on poppers.... virtually unheard of for mid September on the Muskegon!
The water is still almost 70 degrees, and as low as I've seen it. Despite the low warm water I did see about a dozen salmon making their way upstream yesterday as we floated croton dam to henning park. I'm afraid that finishes up my bass trips for the year and I can't wait for next summer already.
Stay tuned for swung fly steelhead reports! -Z

8-22-12 Fishing Report

I was able to fish with friends Matt and John today. Fishing was very good, especially considering the water is quite a bit cooler than just a week ago. Poppers and streamers were both productive. Pictured is Matt with one of the best looking smallies I've seen! This bass hit his streamer the second it hit the water!

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8-17-12 Fishing Report

Unusual fall like weather has made the bite a little off the last couple days. The river is at a nice level, but it is dirtier than normal because of recent rains. The water temp has dropped to below 70 in the last couple days as well, making the bass a bit more unwilling to bite on the surface. Pictured are John and Rod with a couple nice bass from the last 2 days.

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8-11-12 Fishing Report

I had to fish tuber water today because of the heavy rainfall during the last two days. I dread Saturdays in tuber filled water, and it was everything I don't like about humanity wrapped into one afternoon.... but God loves them and so do I... by His grace anyway:) Pictured is 15 year old JP from Kentucky with a couple bass that ate his popper during the evening hours.

8-9-12 Fishing Report

Despite the nearly all day rain today the bass fishing was really great. Popper bite was about as good as I've seen it this year! Pictured are a few of the nicer bass from today.

8-8-12 Fishing Report

Fishing started off pretty slow this afternoon but built momentum with each passing hour. The last couple hours we had a terrific popper bite! Thanks Steven for a great day! Pictured are a few of the nicer bass from today.

8-7-12 Fishing Report

I had the opportunity to take my friend Matt fishing tonight for a few hours. What a beautiful evening to be on the water. This whopper that Matt caught on a Zudbubbler was a bonus!

8-6-12 Fishing Report

The bite was good today on both poppers and streamers. Thanks to Chuck and Gary for a great day on the water. Pictured are a few of the nicer bass from today. The Pike were also biting well today!