Hittin’ it with the kids. Fun–every time, and the only way this sport continues into the future!

Take your kids fishing!

Capt. Steven Kuieck

Scott and Norma joined me yesterday afternoon for an evening smallmouth trip. River conditions remained identical to the day prior however the smallmouth took a hiatus! Fortunately for us the river pike and even a walleye gave us some love. Pictured is Norma with a respectable pike.

Capt. Steven Kuieck

Smallmouth continue to take center stage, however river trout are selectively taking floating green caddis pupa and adults upstream. Baitfish patterns as well as crawfish are keeping the smallmouth’s interest. Look for things to remain about the same until the next cold front. Pictured is Mike with his best from yesterday.

Capt. Steven Kuieck

Streamer fishing for smallies with Rob and Jamie on the Muskegon river, pictured is Rob with one of his smallies.

Capt. Don Graham

“Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

No, neither fellow RiverQuest guide and best fishing bud, Don Graham, or I have read our obituaries as Mark Twain found himself doing one day in the New York Journal,ˆbut those of you who might have thought the high temps the Muskegon River posted this summer did in our resident rainbow and brown trout, we’re happy to relay that reports of their death are also “greatly exaggerated.”  Surely, some didn’t make it, but we found trout are in very good supply over the five miles or so of water we floated today.  To be sure, most were stocked this year, but not all, as the brown I’m holding attests.  All of which means, September on MO will give us some great fly fishing options:  brown and rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and Chinook salmon.  Can’t wait!

Wish we could have posted some smallies, too, since that’s the species we were targeting, but the two or three photo fish we had on eluded our best attempts to bring them to hand.  Nonetheless, Don and I lost count of the trout and bass we boated.  The bald eagle that swooped to the water to snare a fish Alaska-style, the pair of ospreys, and the two mink, one of which sported a crayfish back to its lair, were right there, though, photo-ready. Too bad we were too busy fishing to pull out the long lens for you, except for the long distance shot of a single osprey.  Just so hard to focus on photos when the fish want to play.

But a great day:  very few people on the river, gorgeous atmospherics, no untoward scar-producing hookups to our heads or other body parts as we’ve heard tell of lately… Just cooperative bass and trout packaged in Nature’s finest.

Captain Tom Kuieck

Chris and Sue celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary today on the Muskegon river fly fishing for small mouth bass. Thanks Chris and Sue for a great day. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Capt. Don Graham

Sunny afternoon streamer fishing for smallies with Gary. Fishing with 6wt. fly rods for smallies is a lot of fun.

Capt. Don Graham

Fishing with Bill, light rain, streamers and smallies, a great time on the water.

Capt. Don Graham

Michael and Alex, first time fly fishing for bass today, we started out with poppers, but no luck. When we switched over to streamers the action picked up with good number of  hookups and some nice bass landed.

Capt. Don Graham