Fly Fishing the Muskegon River, Michigan: Sections, Seasons and Trip Plan
Location Details / Michigan / Muskegon River
Fly Fishing the Muskegon River, Michigan: Sections, Seasons and Trip Plan
The Muskegon River is a big Lake Michigan tributary that becomes a tailwater below Croton Dam near Newaygo. Wade the dam pool and Pine Street, float Pine Street to Newaygo for steelhead and salmon, and fish the deeper water below Newaygo from a boat. September and October bring Chinook; steelhead run late October through spring.
Our Muskegon guest is Cody Kowitz, who guided Alaska for 12 seasons. On our October 29, 2024 episode he told me the Muskegon system is where he learned to fly fish, swing for steelhead and chase salmon, and where he still guides. His read on the Michigan fall: one big push of fish in October, another when a November rain lifts the river, and water that falls from about 75 to 38 degrees in roughly six weeks. At around 50 degrees, he said, fresh fish will chase a streamer 20 feet. His spring surprise is the one I remember: in April, when salmon fry migrate, trout bust fry in two inches of water and anglers tie on a caddis by mistake.
Species
Steelhead, Chinook salmon, stocked brown and rainbow trout, smallmouth bass; walleye and pike in the lower river and impoundments
Best months
September and October for Chinook; late October through spring for steelhead; trout all year
Character
Large tailwater below Croton Dam, a Lake Michigan tributary down to Muskegon Lake
Nearest towns
Newaygo, Croton, Big Rapids, Muskegon
Nearest airports
Grand Rapids (GRR); Muskegon County Airport (MKG)
Rule to know
Croton Dam to M-120: Type 3 trout stream, open all year, no more than one rainbow 20 inches or greater per day
Muskegon River Section by Section
Croton Dam Tailwater: Besemer Park to Pine Street
The first 1.3 river miles below the dam. Charles Besemer Muskegon River Park has a paved ramp, bank fishing on both sides of Croton Drive, a barrier-free platform and a pier; the North Country Trail adds about three quarters of a mile of public bank (DNR site guide). Chinook in September and October, steelhead late October through June, trout all year.
Pine Street to High Rollaway
Pine Street has a ramp and a small wading area; the High Rollaway ramp is 6.7 river miles down, with walk-ins at 72nd Street and Thornapple Street (quarter-mile walks on two-tracks that flood when wet). DNR calls the river from Croton Dam to Newaygo shallow and swift: the classic drift boat stretch for steelhead.
High Rollaway to Newaygo
It is 6.4 river miles to Henning Park (ramp and good bank access), then 1.5 miles to the Bridge Street ramp in Newaygo. The riverfront walkway from Bridge Street to the M-37 bridge is the easiest walk-in water on the river.
Newaygo to Maple Island
Below town the river deepens: Felch Street at Anderson Flats (3.7 miles, concrete ramp), Warner Road 10.3 miles farther, then Maple Island 6.4 miles below. DNR flags submerged wood; fish it from a boat for steelhead, salmon and summer smallmouth.
Lower River and Muskegon Lake
Holton-Duck Lake Road, Mill Iron Road and Sheridan Road give ramps in the Muskegon State Game Area, about 5 river miles above Muskegon Lake, whose channel and piers DNR rates good for fall and spring salmon and steelhead (DNR Muskegon River access guide).
Above the Dams: Evart and Big Rapids
Above Rogers, Hardy and Croton dams the Muskegon is a sandy canoe river; DNR rates 12 Mile Road to M-66 good for smallmouth, with walleye and pike.
Reading the Muskegon's Flows
Live USGS gauges: near Croton, Bridge Street at Newaygo, Bridgeton and, above the dams, Evart. USGS daily statistics for the Croton gauge (1996-2025) put the median flow near 2,900 cfs in mid-April and 1,100 to 1,300 cfs from mid-July through mid-September.
Our reading: near that summer band, Pine Street and the bank below Croton Dam are at their friendliest on foot; as spring flows push toward 3,000 cfs, stay tight to the edges or get in a boat. Below Newaygo, treat it as boat water at any level.
When to Fly Fish the Muskegon River
| Target | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelhead | ||||||||||||
| Chinook salmon | ||||||||||||
| Brown and rainbow trout | ||||||||||||
| Hex hatch (night) | ||||||||||||
| Smallmouth bass |
Intensity:LightModerateHeavy
Our reading, built from DNR run timing at Croton Dam, the 1950 Michigan Hexagenia study and our guests; blank cells mean not worth planning around.
Muskegon River Rules to Know
- Croton Dam to M-120: Type 3 trout stream, open all year; daily limit of 5 fish, no more than 3 trout 15 inches or greater, and no more than one rainbow 20 inches or greater (Michigan inland trout and salmon regulations).
- Croton Dam to M-120, August 1 to November 15: special artificial lure regulations apply during the salmon run; read the terminal gear rules before you rig (Michigan digest).
- Smallmouth bass: catch and immediate release all year, possession from the Saturday before Memorial Day through December 31 with a 14-inch minimum (Michigan DNR regulations).
Plan a 3-Day Muskegon River Trip
Day 1: Wade
Croton Dam and Pine Street
Base in Newaygo. Walk the bank below Croton Dam, then wade Pine Street, fishing inside bends and soft seams the way Kowitz does.
Day 2: Float
Pine Street to High Rollaway
Float the shallow, swift water with a guide: streamers and swung flies in fall and spring, eggs and nymphs in winter.
Day 3: Pick by season
Below Newaygo or the Upper River
Steelhead months: float Bridge Street to Felch Street. Summer: chase smallmouth below Newaygo or above the dams near Big Rapids.
What to bring: a 7- or 8-weight with sink tips for steelhead and salmon, a 5-weight for trout, studded boots, a wading staff, warm layers from October on, and a Michigan fishing license.
Want it planned for you?
Book a Local Pro on the Muskegon River
Guide, lodge or outfitter on the Muskegon? Get listed. No FFIP Certified pro is listed on the Muskegon yet.
Market Your ServicesCustom flies from the river: Zudbubbler (Matt Zudweg), a fly tyer in Newaygo. See all pros in the FFIP directory.
Plan a Muskegon River Trip with Frontiers
No Muskegon River lodge is on our Frontiers list yet. We represent many great lodges through Frontiers International Travel, roughly 250 worldwide. If the Muskegon is your water, ask anyway.
Muskegon River Tips from Podcast Guests
The first two are from Cody Kowitz; the other three are transferable.
-
Change fish, not flies, when nothing's working
Cody Kowitz, Muskegon and Alaska migratory fish guide -
Use a heavier sink tip to manage streamer depth
Cody Kowitz, Muskegon and Alaska migratory fish guide -
Let the fly hang at the end of the swing
Transferable: Great Lakes steelhead water.
Roger Hinchcliff, Great Lakes steelhead angler, on Episode 88 -
Bounce and strip your line to keep streamers in the strike zone
Transferable: for summer smallmouth.
Alan Campbell, Grand Rapids smallmouth and pike guide -
Match your tippet, leader length and depth to the day's tactic
Transferable: Michigan river smallmouth.
Jon Ray, Michigan smallmouth guide, on Guided EP #15
Browse every tip in the Fly Fishing Tips Library.
Hear the Muskegon River on the Podcast
How to Streamer Fish for Migratory Fish: Cody Kowitz on seasonal steelhead lies and jigging streamers. Listen to the audio episode or read the episode notes.
Shop the Water: Flies for the Muskegon River
Dolly Llama Streamer Collection, 4 Flies
Mini Sex Dungeon, Black, Size 6
Circus Peanut Envy, Black, Size 6
Hot Pink Jig Egg, 6 Flies
Jigged Pat's Rubber Legs, 14 Flies
Black Elk Hair Caddis, Size 16
Bass Bug Collection, 12 Flies
Deer Hair Diver, White, Size 4
Muskegon River Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
When is the best time to fly fish the Muskegon River?
September and October are best for Chinook salmon on the Muskegon River, and Michigan DNR lists steelhead from late October through June below Croton Dam. Guest Cody Kowitz says the hottest fall fishing comes when the water sits near 50 degrees. Summer is for trout, Hex nights and smallmouth.
Can you wade the Muskegon River?
Yes, in places. The Muskegon River is wadeable below Croton Dam at Besemer Park, along the North Country Trail, at the Pine Street wading area and from the Newaygo riverfront walkway. Below Newaygo, DNR flags deep water and submerged wood, so fish it from a drift boat.
Muskegon or Pere Marquette: which Michigan river should you fish?
Choose the Muskegon River for big tailwater flows, drift boat steelhead and salmon water and easy access from Grand Rapids. Choose the Pere Marquette for a smaller river with an 8.5-mile flies-only reach from M-37 to Gleason's Landing. Both get Lake Michigan steelhead and Chinook in fall.
Go on a fly fishing trip you'll never forget
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Tight lines, everyone!
By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed November 2026.
Prices, availability, flight routing and entry requirements change. Every figure on this page is the starting rate published by the lodge or by Frontiers International Travel at the time of writing, per angler, and is a starting point for a quote, not a quote. Seasons, lodge capacity, charter schedules, visa and passport rules and license requirements can all change without notice. Confirm current pricing, availability and entry requirements with your Frontiers specialist before you book anything.
Sources: access sites and river character: Michigan DNR Muskegon River angler access information and DNR Croton Dam site guide. Regulations: 2026 Michigan inland trout and salmon regulations. Flows: USGS.