FEATURE: THE PERE MARQUETTE RIVER

 

The Pere Marquette River is one of the finest Trout, Salmon, and Steelhead Rivers in the country. It runs 60 -70 miles across the North West side of Michigan. Anglers come from all over the country in search of the trophy fish of their dreams. There are several species of fish to be caught, depending on the seasonal runs. A fishermen�s paradise awaits in the waters of the Pere Marquette.

 

 

 

The Pere Marquette River was first occupied by North American Native Indians who relocated in northern Michigan because of the many natural resources available such as fruit, vegetables, and wild game. Later the river was used for logging drives. Log companies would roll large logs down the hills into the river then were floated down to where they could be shipped out on Lake Michigan or carried away in wagons. 

 

 

In the fall large Chinook Salmon enter the mouth of the Pere Marquette swimming up stream from Lake Michigan to spawn and die. This takes place from September to November. These large salmon are tough to angle because of their unbelievable strength and acrobatic ability to jump out of the water. Chinook can run in size anywhere from 10 lbs. to 50 lbs.

 

The Salmon die when the reach the river because it is a natural cycle that occurs every year and keeps the ecosystem stable.

 

Once the Salmon runs end the trout and season begins in the end of the fall, this is the best time to catch a nice large Brown Trout.

 

 

 

They tend to come out of their holes more because the salmon are not overrunning them in their holes and beds. During the winter the fishing slows down for a short while but it is not uncommon to hook into a nice Brown or Rainbow Trout if you�re lucky. The Steelhead begin to run in late winter and early spring.

 

 

Steelheads are just a larger version of the Rainbow Trout and are an amazing catch.  In the summer you can catch your limit of trout on any given day. The Pere Marquette River is an amazing experience for a novice fisherman or an advanced professional. Michigan�s outdoor experience is one of the most rewarding things the state has to offer. Any serious angler should make time to fish the great waters of the Pere Marquette River.

 

 

The information contained here are from the personal experiences of the author and supplemented with information on the PMlodge.com website.

 

Page created by Nick Anderson, a GEO 333 student           

 

This material has been compiled for educational use only, and may not be reproduced without permission.  One copy may be printed for personal use.  Please contact Randall Schaetzl (soils@msu.edu) for more information or permissions.