Pere Marquette, Michigan

I'm thinking to throw the canoe on the car and drive up
to the Pere Marquette next week to fish for fall steelhead.
I've fished the Muskegon before but never the Pere Marquette.

Anybody ever fished the Pere Marquette this time of year and
have any advice ? (Other than you only need three flies, eggs,
eggs and more eggs. ;-) Any good watering holes/restaurants
in the Baldwin area ?

--
Ken Fortenberry

On Oct 22, 5:45*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Sorting
Mussolini

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote ...
I'm thinking to throw the canoe on the car and drive up
to the Pere Marquette next week to fish for fall steelhead.
I've fished the Muskegon before but never the Pere Marquette.

Anybody ever fished the Pere Marquette this time of year and
have any advice ? (Other than you only need three flies, eggs,
eggs and more eggs. ;-) Any good watering holes/restaurants
in the Baldwin area ?



Most of the zombies (and those who chase them) should be out of there by
now. You'll probably step on a carcass or two, at least. Browns are likely
still active feeding on eggs (usually orange), but you may have luck with
stone nymphs and bigger caddis nymphs. Little to no dry action, but you may
stumble into a BWO hatch. Steelies are likely in, if not, they will be quite
soon. Same "bugs", plus streamers. Mickey Finns, bunny leeches, and some
brighter salmon patterns (coal cars and hair wing green butts) have brought
luck in the past.

For more recent info (mine's last year's model) see
http://www.fishbaldwin.com/ Good message board there, too. Stop by the shop
(Baldwin Bait and Tackle) when you get there -- they'll have up to the
minute advice, and a nice selection of stuff. Nice people. The Orvi$ store
at the Pere Marquette Lodge is a good source of info, too, but they'll try
to push you into hiring a guide.

food...all I've ever done is camp, so the food was made at home and
heated over the Coleman. And served with an extra side of booze.

If you do camp, Claybanks is nice this time of year. Wood can be pricey, and
with the beetle problems, "importing" from elsewhere is verboten. Bring a
saw or be ready to shell out cash. Or stay in a hotel, I guess. Don't
neglect the stop at the office to get your parking permit -- it's only 5
bucks for a week (10 days??) but the fine is pretty high. Don't ask how I
know....

Have fun... I'm jealous. The PM in the fall is a very nice place to be.

-Dan
(rotting in the library....)

Daniel-San wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote ...
I'm thinking to throw the canoe on the car and drive up
to the Pere Marquette next week to fish for fall steelhead.
I've fished the Muskegon before but never the Pere Marquette.

Anybody ever fished the Pere Marquette this time of year and
have any advice ? (Other than you only need three flies, eggs,
eggs and more eggs. ;-) Any good watering holes/restaurants
in the Baldwin area ?

Most of the zombies (and those who chase them) should be out of there by
now. You'll probably step on a carcass or two, at least. ...

I talked to a ranger at the Baldwin Ranger Station, (Forest Service
rangers can be a great source of info), and he confirmed that the
King run is done, nothing left but corpses. He said he saw a few
steelies in the river and it's supposed to rain this weekend which
should bring in a few more.

For more recent info (mine's last year's model) see
http://www.fishbaldwin.com/ Good message board there, too. Stop by the shop
(Baldwin Bait and Tackle) when you get there -- they'll have up to the
minute advice, and a nice selection of stuff. Nice people. The Orvi$ store
at the Pere Marquette Lodge is a good source of info, too, but they'll try
to push you into hiring a guide.

I probably will hire a guide for a half day on the first day since
I've never fished the PM. A guide on the first day makes the rest
of the trip much more fun. I learn more from a good guide in half
a day than I could figure out for myself in several years of annual
five day trips.

... Or stay in a hotel, I guess. Don't
neglect the stop at the office to get your parking permit -- it's only 5
bucks for a week (10 days??) but the fine is pretty high. Don't ask how I
know....

Yeah, it's a motel for me and the puppy dog. Most of my car camping
gear is in a garage in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin along with the
18 foot Grumman lean, mean muskie chasing machine. I won't forget
to stop at the Ranger Station for a permit, I just hope I can find
a shuttle so I can use the canoe to get away from the crowds.

Have fun... I'm jealous. The PM in the fall is a very nice place to be.

Thanks, I've heard great things about the PM but despite its being
only six hours from here I've never been there.

Thanks for the good info and the link to the fly shop, it's
much appreciated.

--
Ken Fortenberry

On Oct 22, 2:36*pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Daniel-San wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" *wrote ...
I'm thinking to throw the canoe on the car and drive up
to the Pere Marquette next week to fish for fall steelhead.
I've fished the Muskegon before but never the Pere Marquette.

Anybody ever fished the Pere Marquette this time of year and
have any advice ? (Other than you only need three flies, eggs,
eggs and more eggs. ;-) Any good watering holes/restaurants
in the Baldwin area ?

Most of the zombies (and those who chase them) should be out of there by
now. You'll probably step on a carcass or two, at least. ...

I talked to a ranger at the Baldwin Ranger Station, (Forest Service
rangers can be a great source of info), and he confirmed that the
King run is done, nothing left but corpses. He said he saw a few
steelies in the river and it's supposed to rain this weekend which
should bring in a few more.

For more recent info (mine's last year's model) see
http://www.fishbaldwin.com/Good message board there, too. Stop by the shop
(Baldwin Bait and Tackle) when you get there -- they'll have up to the
minute advice, and a nice selection of stuff. Nice people. The Orvi$ store
at the Pere Marquette Lodge is a good source of info, too, but they'll try
to push you into hiring a guide.

I probably will hire a guide for a half day on the first day since
I've never fished the PM. A guide on the first day makes the rest
of the trip much more fun. I learn more from a good guide in half
a day than I could figure out for myself in several years of annual
five day trips.

... Or stay in a hotel, I guess. Don't
neglect the stop at the office to get your parking permit -- it's only 5
bucks for a week (10 days??) but the fine is pretty high. Don't ask how I
know....

Yeah, it's a motel for me and the puppy dog. Most of my car camping
gear is in a garage in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin along with the
18 foot Grumman lean, mean muskie chasing machine. I won't forget
to stop at the Ranger Station for a permit, I just hope I can find
a shuttle so I can use the canoe to get away from the crowds.

Have fun... I'm jealous. The PM in the fall is a very nice place to be.

Thanks, I've heard great things about the PM but despite its being
only six hours from here I've never been there.

Thanks for the good info and the link to the fly shop, it's
much appreciated.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Sorting
Dave

On Oct 22, 2:36*pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Snip
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Benito