Jun
26
2008
Click here to visit the In-Fisherman site, it has an endless amount of top-notch information.
Timely Strategies For Salmon & Steelhead — Great Lakes Rivermouths by Jason Daley and Kevin Morlock can out in the summer of 2008.
Jun
01
2008
The article "The Best…" by Kevin Morlock appeared on the Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau web site in 2008.
The Best . . . by Kevin Morlock
It’s the best. How else could you describe fly-fishing in Mason County?
West Michigan, long recognized as a top fly-fishing destination, combines many classic elements of outdoor adventure: solitude, serenity, space, and, of course, steelhead.
Clean, cool water through every corner of the county, highlighted by the legendary Pere Marquette. Flowing across Mason County on its westward journey to Lake Michigan, the PM alone, draws scores of anglers to its pristine waters every year.
Neighboring rivers; Big Manistee, Little Manistee, Sable, Pentwater, White and Muskegon also add to the sensational charisma of this nationally recognized outdoor destination.
Fly-fishing opportunities aren’t limited to the region’s world class rivers. Within an hour’s drive, anglers have opportunity to fish several river mouths, Lake Michigan and its harbors, and numerous inland lakes. Pike, bass and pan-fish perfectly compliment their cold water cousins. Inland lakes provide choice environs for a lazy days on the water or teaching children to fly fish.
Mason County is so much more than just fishing. The area abounds in family vacation ambiance. Nearly any type of accommodations one could desire, from primitive camping to luxury log cabins on the river, are available in the area. Excellent restaurants, downtown shopping, endless beaches, challenging golf courses, wonderful parks, and vibrant night life combine to create the perfect place for keeping the non-fishing members of your party gleefully entertained while you search for your fish of a lifetime.
If you’re looking for a fast paced, high energy salmon or steelhead trip, or longing for a serene experience casting dries with bamboo to browns, Mason County is the perfect place for a long weekend or extended get-a-way.
| Peak Fly Fishing in West Michigan | |
| Winter Steelhead… | Mid-December – February |
| Pre-Spawn Steelhead… | Late February – March |
| Spawning Steelhead… | April-Early May |
| Fall Steelhead… | Late October – Mid-December |
| Trout on Streamers… | Late April – June |
| Mousing for Trout… | Mid-June – August |
| Trout on Hex Mayfly… | Mid-June – First Part of July |
| Trout with Hoppers… | July – August |
| Dependable Hatches for Trout… | June – Early August |
| Pre-Spawn Salmon… | Mid-August – September |
| Spawning Salmon… | Late September – Early November |
| River & Lake Smallmouth… | Late May – Late July |
| River & Lake Pike… | Late April – August |
| Great Lakes Smallmouth & Carp… | Late May – Early August |
Provided by Kevin Morlock, a writer, photographer and fishing guide who works and lives in Mason County. Kevin has written for or been featured in many prominent publications including: In-Fisherman, Jeep Magazine, Midwest Fly Fishing and the Detroit Free Press. He also finished the Iditarod Sled Dog Race across Alaska in 2007.
To see the article on the Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau site click here…
Jun
01
2008
The article "Step Into Endless Fly Fishing Opportunities in Michigan" by Kevin Morlock appeared in Pure Michigan in 2008.
Step Into Endless Fly Fishing Opportunities in Michigan by Kevin Morlock
Many areas of the country and the world have excellent fly fishing, but possibly none offers the fly fishing opportunities and diversity of Michigan. Our state is blessed with 3,300 miles of shoreline on four of the five Great Lakes and boasts more than 11,000 smaller inland lakes. As if that weren’t enough, more than 35,000 miles of navigable streams streak across the state, 12,000 miles of them prime coldwater trout territory. If you tried a new spot every day for the rest of your life, you would scarcely make a dent in Michigan’s abundant fishing resources.
Legendary rivers such as the Pere Marquette, Au Sable, Manistee and Muskegon are prized by fly anglers from coast to coast and around the globe. One of the country’s premier coldwater conservation organizations, Trout Unlimited (TU), was founded on the banks of the Au Sable River near Grayling by sixteen fishermen who championed healthy fisheries for future generations. Now almost fifty years later TU’s membership numbers more than 150,000 spread out in 400 or so chapters all across the country.
You might take in some world-class fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye and musky in Lake St. Clair, within miles of downtown Detroit. Or spend the day in nature’s wilderness, hiking 
to remote beaver ponds in the Upper Peninsula, fishing for fat brookies that haven’t seen an angler all year. A ferry waits to carry you through magnificent scenery to Beaver Island, where you can sight-cast to smallmouth bass and carp from a flats skiff in the crystal clear waters of Northern Lake Michigan. Or maybe you want to chase trout, steelhead and salmon as they make the run up Michigan’s many trout streams. And don’t forget the thousands of warm water inland lakes. Almost anywhere in Michigan, you need to travel only a few miles to find a peaceful lake brimming with feisty panfish, bass and pike.
Whatever your personal tastes or your appetite for adventure, Michigan has a fly fishing experience for you. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, so to speak, you’re sure to come back for more.
Kevin Morlock owns and operates Indigo Guide Service, west Michigan with his wife Joan. He is a frequent contributor for In-Fisherman magazine and television and is a veteran of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
