Return to the Manistee

Near Record temps, Crisp Blue skies, Hungry Brown Trout, and winding country roads. It's so easy to fall in love with Michigan's west side. And I have...



This past weekend was to by my first kick at the 2009 Fall Steelhead season and what better place to kick it off than the Mighty Manistee river. I had not set my hopes too high for this trip. I was more so banking on a few quality fish coupled with stellar accommodations, much needed family time, peaceful walks in the forest and good food and drink. My steelheading success was limited to two brief encounters with willing players early on Saturday morning. The fishing was tough to say the least but there were no shortage of 12" browns and resident Rainbows to pass the time. I quickly discovered this trip was not as much about chasing steelhead as it was about escaping the past couple of months. The distraction was nice.