The quality of Muskegon River steelhead fly fishing is of the highest caliber. Not only does one cast in beautiful, natural surroundings, but with miles of river to run in our jet boats, we RiverQuest guides are able to put our clients on steelhead consistently. Running to 18 pounds, Muskegon River steelhead readily take the fly. With the typically higher water levels of spring, we fish from the boats, only to spot wade the river when the lower water levels of May allow.

Most spring Muskegon River steelhead float trips see us deep nymphing with two fly combinations, typically with small dark nymphs and egg flies. As the spring run progresses, we sight fish as well as drift runs and glides. We fish single-handed and two-handed fly rods with shooting, sink tip, floating, and Skagit lines. Our choice of tackle is determined by conditions of the river, the stage of the steelhead run, and the client's preference. River Quest guides take pride in the fact that our clients' success rates run high. Fishermen for whom steelhead have been an elusive quarry find success with us - much to our mutual delight. Fly casting to steelhead moving to and fro over bright gravel on a warming Spring day excites like nothing else; all of nature coming alive while the client, rod bent and reel spinning, grins ear-to-ear.

Fall and winter Muskegon River steelhead fly fishing is a particularly memorable experience because the steelhead, hard and chrome, fight even more spectacularly than the spring fish, which are challenging enough in their own right. Multiple water clearing leaps are common. Freed of the rigors of spring spawning, fall steelhead are among the best conditioned fish we hook. We fish light rods with floating fly lines, strike indicators, and two flies as conditions allow. Deep nymphing and swinging Spey flies on floating and sink tip lines round out our fly fishing approaches. Strikes on large streamers are sudden and violent, making for exciting action. Although the weather can sometimes test the mettle of guide and clients alike, the high quality of the fish and fight they bring makes fall Muskegon River steelhead fly fishing one of our guides' personal fly fishing favorites.