Pere Marquette River Fishing Report

Here's what's happening in Northern Michigan

MARCH 28, 2026

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

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PERE MARQUETTE RIVER FISHING REPORT:
I hope everyone is doing well!  Hopefully, you had a chance to get outside and enjoy the first week of spring. Spring is bursting with life here on the Pere Marquette River. I’m seeing and hearing all the signs—Red Wing Black Birds, Robins, and even the “Cheeseburger Bird” (Chickadee) 😁 Just the other morning, we witnessed a Woodcock starting their funky mating dance right in the road on our way to the river. Spring is here!
Fishing this past week was excellent. The river finally began to drop but still had a nice tea stain making it a prime time for Steelhead anglers. The bite was consistent all week, not only for Steelhead but also for resident Trout. Things improved even more as the river came down and water temperatures warmed up. You can find fish scattered throughout the entire river system—fresher fish are in the pools and runs, while older fish are holding in pockets around gravel areas.
For those looking for fly recommendations, here’s what worked well last week: Alevin, Fry, and Salmon Parr patterns, along with Egg-Sucking Leaches and Stoneflies. The egg bite has been on small Estaz and Nuke Eggs in Chartreuse, Steelhead Orange, or Apricot.
Thank you to everyone who joined me for another great week on the river.  👍
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(Above) Last week, Greg and Bob joined me for a few days of exceptional fishing. Greg landed a fresher fish that fell for my PM Parr.
On a sad note, I lost a good friend and client, John Dekker recently.  Some of you may have bumped into John on the river over the years. He loved to fish the PM!  John was one of my first regular clients back in the late 90’s at the Orvis Lodge.  John was a great Angler, Fly Tier, and most of all, a good friend. He became more like the older brother I never had!  He was such a great guy.  He was there to lend a hand or just an ear.  He will be missed dearly. RIP JD! I hope you’re swinging up some big chrome Steelhead up there. We’re sending our deepest sympathies to John’s family and friends.
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Check out my YouTube page for an awesome Fry pattern my good friend and guide of many years, Walt Grau tied up. Walt is one of the most creative Fly Tyers you will ever meet. Please don’t forget to subscribe.
YOUTUBE: I’ve started a new YouTube page! Click on the link for some new videos and click the subscribe button. https://www.youtube.com/@OutfittersNorthJeffHubbard
LIVE FLY TYING WITH THE NORTHERN ANGLER:  If you missed it – I had the opportunity to head up to Traverse City to visit good friends Brian and Matt at The Northern Angler Fly Shop. Thanks to all who joined us on YouTube for the Live event. If you missed the live event, you can still watch the full video on the Northern Angler’s YouTube Page.
If you are ever in Northern Michigan stop by their shop and say “hi!” They have a great assortment of gear, tackle and fly tying materials. You can find them online at The Northern Angler

FLY OF THE MONTH

HUB'S P.M. PARR

PERE MARQUETTE RIVER STEELHEAD FLY
Spring on the Pere Marquette River sees one of the biggest hatches of the season.  This hatch is not a MayFly or Stonefly a trout would rise to and sip off the surface.  This hatch happens below the surface along the banks of the river.  As water temperatures warm, baby King Salmon begin to hatch.  These little Salmon become a huge food source for resident Trout in the river and also the migratory Steelhead.  Salmon eggs sit on the bottom of the river all winter long waiting for river temperatures to warm in the spring. When the water temps warm, these eggs become an Alevin and then a Fry. Quickly, they turn into a Parr which is what we see in the river.  You will see thousands and thousands of small minnows everywhere.  These little minnows are baby King Salmon.
A great fly I developed over the years, is my PM Parr.  If you have tied my “Hub’s Hex,” this follows those same tying steps.  This fly works great fished under a Strike Indicator.  The key to effectively fishing this fly is to let the fly swing out at the end of the drift, before you bring in to re-cast.  Trout and Steelhead will focus on it as it begins to swing and lift off the bottom.  At this stage, the fly resembles a life-like, wounded Parr. You can also tie this fly a little bigger and swing it for Steelhead or Trout.  I prefer using a 30 or 35mm shank with a size 2 stinger hook.
Be sure to tie a few of these up for the spring Season! Good luck and tight lines!
HUB’S PM PARR
  • Hook: Tiemco 3761 Size 6
  • Tail: White ( Natural) Grizzly Marabou (Don’t Cut)
  • Body: Caddis Green Ice Dub
  • Collar: Small Mallard Flank palmer to front
  • Head: Med Red Plastic Eyes, dubbed with Orange or Shrimp Pink Ice Dub (EGG)
  • Wing: Pull over Marabou and tie off
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I am Jeff Hubbard. I grew up in West Michigan with a real love for the outdoors. After guiding in Alaska for a few years, I returned to my favorite rivers and streams, here in Michigan. Among these, the Pere Marquette River is my favorite by far. I have spent many years next to this great river in the town of Baldwin and have a great love for this great natural scenic river. I became a professional guide in 1998, and fishing still remains a real passion to me.

I’m a licensed USFS Special Use Permit holder and State of Michigan Permit holder.  This allows me to fish the whole water shed of the Pere Marquette River.  I am fully insured and CPR Certified. I run Full and Half Day Trips, Instructional, walk and wade, or float trips.

Always feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions or ideas!  Thank you for stopping by!