Pere Marquette River Fishing Report

Here's what's happening in Northern Michigan

APRIL 4, 2026

RIVER IS ON THE RISE . . . AGAIN

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PERE MARQUETTE RIVER FISHING REPORT:
The Pere Marquette River is on the rise again.  We saw a significant amount of rain on Thursday which started to bring the river back up throughout the day on Friday.  Steelhead fishing was still surprisingly good in the high water. By the weekend it was a different story as the river was starting to go over its banks in some sections.  The rain we are seeing now will probably push it over the banks in most places. Please use caution when water levels are this high.
We are still riding this crazy Michigan Roller Coaster of weather.   The beginning of the week we saw air temps in the high 50’s and 60’s. We were fishing fat lines with Indicators and even Swinging some flies. By the end of the week we had to get down and dirty.  Steelhead fishing once again was pretty good last week.   We saw some new fish show up with the last little bump in water.  With the warmer air and water temps last week, the steelhead were really on the bite. Now with the water on the rise, it will be interesting to see what the Steelhead numbers are as levels start to drop.  The deck is getting re-stacked once again.
Flies last week: 
On the swing we managed to get a nice chrome hen on my Olive Yellow Belly Sculpin.  Egg Flies were bigger, brighter Clown and Estaz Eggs worked well. For Nymphs it was the Alevin, Fry, and Salmon Parr patterns along with Black Stonefly Nymphs and Steelhead Buggers.
Picture:
(Above) Matt and Nick joined me for a day of fishing pools with the Swing and Indicator methods. Despite the bright sun and heavy fishing pressure, they did great. Nick got to feel a rip from this bright hen Steelhead on the swing. Matt brought a few fish in on the Indy rig with this one being especially bright. Nice job guys, that was a fun day!
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!