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The Pere Marquette River is one of the finest trout,
steelhead, and salmon fisheries in the Great Lakes region.
It is a tributary of Lake Michigan located on its east
shore. The regular trout season on this river is superb
for resident browns. Acrobatic steelhead enter the creek
from Lake Michigan in early fall and provide excellent
fly fishing throughout the winter till early spring.
Salmon enter the creek in late summer and provide good
angling through mid-fall. Quality hatches of mayflies,
caddis, and stoneflies exist which provide tremendous
dry fly angling for the river's resident trout.
The Little South and Middle Branch meet to form the
main Pere Marquette in Marlborough near James Road.
A couple of miles below this junction the Baldwin River
flows in on the north side of the river while the Big
South Branch flows in several miles downstream on the
south side of the river. Kinney and Waldon creeks are
a couple of other tributaries that feed the Pere Marquette.
The river has an overall length of approximately 30
miles from the junction of the Little South and Middle
Branch to the mouth at Lake Michigan. |
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The main river is larger averaging approximately 50-60
feet below James Road and larger yet below the junction
of the Baldwin River. The upper Pere Marquette has a
special regulations area approximately 8 miles long that
is designated artificial flies only, catch-and-release.
This area extends from M-37 to Gleason's Landing. Check
the Special Regulations for
details on this section and others located on the Pere
Marquette. The regulations area is popular stretch of
river with good reason. The water in this section has
classic pools, riffles, and runs that hold large trout
and steelhead extremely well. The upper regulations area
is easily waded while the lower section near Gleason's
Landing is deeper and much faster.
Gleason's Landing to the mouth is a long and extremely
productive section of river. Here the river has very
deep pools, strong runs and riffles which hold steelhead
and large resident trout very well. Drifting a black
stonefly nymph or egg pattern behind a fallen tree
or in deep run here could produce a fifteen pound steelhead
or a twenty four inch resident brown! The potential
of this river is enormous. Below Gleason's Landing
the river gains more volume and depth. The river's
speed increases and wading becomes even more difficult.
Most anglers float fish this section of river. If you
choose to wade be careful and be sure to heed the warnings
of other anglers on the stream. It can be a dangerous
and very deceptive river. However, careful wading here
will put you on some of the most productive trout and
steelhead water in Michigan. There is approximately
twenty miles of superb water from Gleason's Landing
to the lake.
Access to the river is fairly easy to find and is
located in many areas. The upper river and especially
the upper regulations area has several access points.
Route 10, MI37, and other side roads will lead you
to the river and its access points. A few access points
include Switzer Bridge (Middle Branch), Ledge Hole,
and Gleason's Landing.
Hatches are exceptional and bring up some very sizable
trout through the spring and summer. Late May through
early July is usually the peak of the dry fly fishing.
Mayflies on the river include Hendricksons, Sulphurs, Blue-winged
Olive, Gray Drakes, Brown Drakes, and Hexagenia
Limbata ("Michigan Caddis", one of the largest mayflies)
along with a few other less significant ones. Stoneflies
include a variety of species with Little Black Stones
being most popular especially as nymphs for steelhead.
Caddis are abundant and include a variety of species
as well. Large brown trout can be found gorging themselves
on any of these insects. The "Hex" hatch is one of
the most popular for big fish especially on the lower
river below . Terrestrials are also an important part
of the summertime fishing.
Steelhead can be caught on a variety of different
flies. Nymphs are usually the most popular and productive
from eggs patterns to little black stones. Hares ears,
zug bugs, and other generic nymphs will work as well.
Wet and spey flies in various colors and patterns are
also very effective when conditions allow. Never leave
home without some woolly buggers in your box too. Steelhead
flies are tied in multitude of colors some of which
include black and brown to shades of pink and chartreuse.
The Pere Marquette is a dynamic fishery for trout,
steelhead, and salmon. The size of the fish this river
holds is outstanding. Many anglers come to this river
each season to try for either its first class trout
fishing during the spring and summer or its steelhead
fishing during the fall, winter, and early spring. |
