Fresh Chinook Still!

Mike's Fresh 10:18 Hen Chinook

Third week in October and fresh Kings on the Muskegon River? Uh, huh!

Don's Fresh 10:18:13 Buck

Mike and good buddy Don fished for steelhead in the dark water behind spawning salmon only to say “Howdy Do” to fresh run Chinook lurking in the depths unseen. Mike’s hen, packed with eggs, could be held horizontally because the eggs were still tight in the skein, and the buck that Don holds, while having been in the river longer than the hen, also was pretty darn fresh.  A fair number of hens are turning gravel even at this late date in the run. Experienced MO clients, such as Mike and Don, like others we’ve had in our boats the last couple of days, state flat-out they’ve stunned at the great numbers (and size) of Chinook in the MO—for sure, significantly more than in the last five years or so. It’s surprised us all and made for some memorable days on the water.

As for chrome, two on, two off. Tougher bite the last two days, but a few steelhead are beginning to show interest in swung Spey flies with the Spey guys now reporting pulls here and there.  Won’t be long, and we’ll be waving the long sticks.

Captain Tom Kuieck