The long gravel runs that alternate with deep pools and classic tailouts give the Muskegon a Western river look and also make it popular with fly-anglers. Guide Kevin Feenstra (231-652-3528) likes to swing streamers in February when the water is low and clear. He recommends patterns that imitate the chinook fry that are very common in the Muskegon due to the tremendous natural reproduction of these salmon in the river. Feenstra continues to swing flies in the spring but cautions that you really need a good anchor system to hold your boat in the right position when the water is up. The deep sand holes downstream from Newaygo also hold winter steelhead, but ice can be a problem during cold spells.

Moving north, the free-flowing Pere Marquette River hosts a very strong run of wild steelhead and many of them migrate in the late fall resulting in a fine winter fishery. The P.M. is also one of the few rivers that can get a shot of fresh steelhead from the lake when we experience a thaw and rise in the river. The prime area for wading anglers is between M-37, the upstream limit near Baldwin and the Upper Branch Bridge. Many anglers also float this area in drift boats and personal watercraft.

The stretch of river between the Rainbow Rapids access site and Upper Branch Bridge almost never freezes and is my favorite for winter steelhead. The flies-only section below M-37 is a bit more prone to icing but holds many fish, and since it is catch-and-release, some steelhead get exercised more than once. With the best spawning habitat of the whole river, the flies-only section is also the place to be when spring finally arrives. While the whole lower river fills with steelhead in the fall, ice can be a problem even with just normal winter weather. Floating a stretch of the lower river just after a thaw that removes the ice can result in outstanding fishing.

During most autumns, large number of wild and hatchery steelhead run up the Manistee River. Tippy Dam near Wellston blocks the run and concentrates the fish. There is access for wading anglers on each side of the river at the dam and also at Suicide Bend, about a half-mile downstream on the northeast side of the river. The river stays free of ice down to High Bridge and many anglers launch boats at the dam and float down to the ramp there. Most of the river is better fished from a boat, and you can also launch near the Bear Creek juncture with the main river and at Rainbow Bend. The lower river will freeze, but in most years, you can fish down as far as Bear Creek.

Because the Manistee River receives plenty of angling pressure, fishing can get tough in the late winter if no new fish move upstream. Guide Dave Kane (231/510-2527) suggests you spend a fair amount of time fishing the smaller runs and pockets that aren’t fished hard every day like the main holes. He also related that in February steelhead tend to hold at the head of the hole rather than the tail. Snags often abound, so Kane suggests using floats to suspend your eggs or other offerings above the bottom.

If the Manistee is too busy or too high, Bear Creek can be a good backup. The negative here is that its fall run of wild steelhead is quite variable and the stream can be pretty empty some winters. For sure, it is a good option when spring arrives, however. Check with fisheries biologists at (231) 775-9727 for the latest scoop on what’s happening on these rivers.