 Wild Waters Guide Services, LLC Captain Mike Willsey, Lic# 2779071 USCG/US Merchant Marine Officer. 20335 White Oak Ct. Lake Ann, MI 49650 Office Phone 231-275-3021 Cell: 231-944-9521 E-mail address mwillsey@charter.net  Click here for Lake Ann Weather  Click here for E-licenses Get a free hit counter here. |
Guided trips for Michigan Steelhead, Salmon and Trout as well as Inland lakes for Walleyes and Bass. Reasonably priced, well trained guides for your fishing experience in Northwestern Lower Michigan. Whether wading or by boat, we can put you on some of the finest fishing Michigan has to offer.
April 2008 April has finally arrived and the weather has started a slow change into spring. The season of madness in a few selective people in the world, a season of ice cold water, melting snow and slightly warmer temperatures bring steelhead into the river systems along Lake Michigan. Some folks like long line trolling, some like beach fishing and the true diehard's are in the river with waders with 35 degree water waiting for the warmer 42-45 degree water from snow and rain runoff. When conditions are correct the river will get its first push of steelhead up from Lake Michigan. Such is the case on the Betsie and Manistee Rivers as of April 7th. The first few runners will take micro jigs tipped with wax worms or mousies. The water warms slightly and runoff a little stronger, the next step will be caddis pupa flies or a wiggler pupa. The next stage will come from 42-45 water and the migration will begin in much larger numbers. This makes the spawn rollers happy. The steelhead will feed on eggs freshly released by females in there attempt to spawn. Now the run is in full force with occasional interruptions of runs of suckers and some walleyes. Back in 1979 I took a 17.5lb walleye casting homemade spinners on the first bend down from Homestead Dam. The gentleman I was fishing with had a pocket weight scale of some reasonable accuracy and weighting and measuring the fish. 17.5LBS!!! That's right, a record fish out of season, and counts for nothing. Guy's used to try to sneak these walleyes out in their wader's only to have the top fin spines poke holes in there legs and waders and eventually get caught by the DNR with out of season fish stuck in there pants. APRIL 18th The steelhead fishing has picked up dramatically. The Betsie at Homestead Dam has been producing good numbers as well as Tippy Dam on the Manistee. The fish are pushing the rivers to holding areas or upstream limits. Beach fishing with pier fishing with floating spawn bags in orange, pink and green floats in the bags working well. From the mouth of the Boardman down past the Maritime Academy docks has been giving up nice rainbows on the floating bags also. Floating bags are strung with 2' leaders of 6lb attached to the main line with a swivel and the sinker of your choice sliding on the main line. Hook size no larger than a number 6. Flies in egg imitations, Michigan wigglers in black, brown, green and purple along with yarn bugs tipped with spawn bags in green or pink. I have been using moss yarn bugs tipped with red single eggs with bobbers or bottom bouncing. The 20' SeaArk is complete except inspection by the DNR. I have purchased a business from a fellow guide with a tag available for the lower Manistee River. The approval process is ongoing and we should be set for late spring or at least by summer. The application/approval time is lengthy, but worth the wait. I've been testing the jet pump on the Manistee near High Bridge launch and with some minor tweaks will have the unit performing at maximum potential. 32mph going upstream and almost 36mph downstream, those are max speeds under ideal conditions at this point. Counted 6 eagles last Wednesday afternoon. With that I wish you well and full creels till May, Thank you, Capt Mike... Charter trips start in May: • $400.00 for half day, 4-6 hours or limit • $750.00 for 6am to 5pm or limit • $275.00 for after work specials, 6pm - 10pm Drift boat drips are $300.00 for 1 or 2 people all day or limit. October, November and December then again March through April. Inland waters for Bass, Walleye and Northern Pike, May through October, $300.00 for 2 people. Charter trips are aboard a 24ft Crestliner cuddy with 4 downriggers, 2 planer boards and 2 dipsy rods. The boat is DNR licensed and inspected and the Captain is a US Coast Guard / Merchant Marine Captain licensed to 50 tons. The boat has a cell phone for emergency use only plus ship to shore radio. The Captain is required to be Red Cross trained and certified in first aid and CPR. Drift trips are aboard a 16ft Hyde drift boat. All rods and baits are provided. The drift boat is designed and built for river use and sits on the water more than in the water. The boat is generally rowed from hole to hole and set up for fly casting or drift style fishing with live baits or spawn. The guide has 30 plus years of experience at steelhead fishing and has been a licensed inland pilot in the State of Michigan for 15 years. As I have expressed before, drift fishing is almost an angelic experience if you don't get out much. It is very peaceful. The setting of being out on river with all the wildlife and then hooking up to a 10 plus pound steelhead gets your blood pumping. The inland / river boat is a 20ft aluminum boat made for bass, walleye, northern pike and steelhead fishing. Long and wide it is very stable can travel up to 60 mph from hole to hole but also trolls nicely. All rod's and equipment are provide. |
