May 2014
ISSUE 43
 

Consider this one huge "Thanks much!" to our customers and friends who have so graciously been willing to reschedule steelhead dates to trout and smallmouth trips due to the historic flooding of the Muskegon River this spring. Naturally, everyone wants to fly fish steelhead, but when Mother Nature says "Not today!", it's time to consider other options.  For those who were able to fish with us once the river flows abated, the MO rewarded them with the best steelhead run, qualitatively and quantitively, we've seen in years. Even now, steelhead course the river, finishing their spawning chores.

But for those who rescheduled to fly fish for trout in May and June or smallmouth in the summer, it's a great opportunity to grow one's fly fishing skills and enjoy fine fishing to boot. Consider May, for example: we guides will carry sinkitip and streamer rigged seven or eight weight rods; nymphing rigs on four weight sticks; dry fly setups on four, five, or six weight rods; and maybe a couple of Spey rods loaded with large streamers swung in hopes of connecting with drop-back steelhead.  We might start our float stripping streamers or drifting nymphs under an indicator only to switch dry flies as caddis and mayfly emergences occur later in the day.

Here's the point: with each method/rod setup comes personal instruction and coaching from your RiverQuest guide. You may have missed the steelhead run, but your gain will be new fly fishing skills, knowledge, and appreciation of the rich world that is fly fishing.

So, here's to our loyal clients, some of whom will experience fly fishing methods new to them and to those of you who, for the first time will book a trout or smallmouth bass float.  Your love for fly fishing is about to pop, even as surely will the Muskegon River's caddis and mayflies.

Contact RiverQuest Charters: 616-293-0501
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