# Rifle River 2019



## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Went 2 for 3 in my back yard today. Lost a tank at the last hole I hit. Another guy got a good 7-8 pounder in the same spot moments after floating Spawn. I got my first on a 3" gold and black rapala and the second on a all nickel Cleo. The one I lost was on a DHJ-10 Purple Decent. 

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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Only one pic. Wont upload video. I messed up..lol









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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

Pikewhisperer said:


> Only one pic. Wont upload video. I messed up..lol
> View attachment 444717
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Looks like you whisper to more than just pike. Way to go!


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## damkeeper (Feb 25, 2015)

What's the current river condition up around M-55. Heading that way for a funeral this week. Hope to brighten the mood with a Rifle river steelhead. That river is beautiful man.


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## wallyduckman (Nov 4, 2017)

damkeeper said:


> What's the current river condition up around M-55. Heading that way for a funeral this week. Hope to brighten the mood with a Rifle river steelhead. That river is beautiful man.


How did u do?


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## damkeeper (Feb 25, 2015)

Skipperville


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## damkeeper (Feb 25, 2015)

Skipperville


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## wallyduckman (Nov 4, 2017)

N


damkeeper said:


> View attachment 487305
> Skipperville


nice fish I’ll be hitting the river in the next few days trying beads and streamers on 9 weight


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## averagejoefisherman (Apr 1, 2020)

Was surprised to see so many people fishing last weekend. Like a crazy amount of people. Buddy of mine was telling me that three spots on a stretch I fish regularly have averaged almost 8 cars a day for over the last two weeks. There's a lot of people out of work with a bunch of time on their hands I guess.


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## june bugger (Oct 28, 2015)

Yeah, people thinks their on a paid vacation and with the gas prices so low its bound to happen


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## Moon dog (Mar 25, 2016)

averagejoefisherman said:


> Was surprised to see so many people fishing last weekend. Like a crazy amount of people. Buddy of mine was telling me that three spots on a stretch I fish regularly have averaged almost 8 cars a day for over the last two weeks. There's a lot of people out of work with a bunch of time on their hands I guess.


I spoke to a gentleman on Monday that said the exact same thing. Monday was a nice day though, no crowds. I did manage 1 nice male for pics and released.


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## Scratchy87 (Jan 11, 2019)

0-1 on steelhead Tuesday on the rifle. Caught a few walleye even yesterday. Water was down but a little dirty. Wanted to try again today but after last nights rain I’m expecting it to be high and dirty? Anybody know if it’s still fishable or should I wait a couple days. Thanks.


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## big davee (Mar 13, 2012)

Ok looking for guidance, I went fishing today in a hole I caught my first steelhead 2 yrs ago trying for the first time. No steel but caught 6 suckers and lost 4 more in that same hole. My question is do steelhead occupy those holes when suckers are in? Or did I miss out? My second trip trying for them so I am still learning. My first ever trip I caught 2 that were 10pounds and 12 pounds and lost 2 so i got hooked bad for these bad boys.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

big davee said:


> Ok looking for guidance, I went fishing today in a hole I caught my first steelhead 2 yrs ago trying for the first time. No steel but caught 6 suckers and lost 4 more in that same hole. My question is do steelhead occupy those holes when suckers are in? Or did I miss out? My second trip trying for them so I am still learning. My first ever trip I caught 2 that were 10pounds and 12 pounds and lost 2 so i got hooked bad for these bad boys.


They will occupy the same holes. Over here on my home river the sucker run is usually the warm up for the fat lady as far as steelhead. I have seen steelhead in a trib sitting behind sucker beds though. 

Not sure about the rifle, but I would guess there are still some steelhead in the river.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

They will stay in the same hole/pool, but probably won't hang out in the same place. The Suckers will congregate, and the Steelhead will congregate in a different part of the hole. Steelhead love tailouts.....


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## cdacker (Jan 10, 2011)

Floated from sage lake RD to M-55 Friday and Saturday. Sage lake rd to state RD is a mess.... ash trees across the river everywhere. Was a real pain dragging around all of them.
Lots of suckers in the river, only saw two steelhead the entire way.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Nature doing its thing.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

More places for the fish to hide.


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## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

Martin Looker said:


> More places for the fish to hide.


All the dead ash are actually causing a ton of erosion and cause a lot of gravel to load with sand. Something needs to be done on a lot of streams.


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## the rapids (Nov 17, 2005)

A lot of that would have probably been cleared out by liveries by now but without any guarantee of business as usual this summer I doubt they want to pay staff to do the clearing work.

In additon to the banks collapsing, another unfortunate side effect of all the dead ash is the proliferation of understory shrubs most of which are invasive


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

SJC said:


> All the dead ash are actually causing a ton of erosion and cause a lot of gravel to load with sand. Something needs to be done on a lot of streams.


This is a massive problem on ever river, creek and stream in this state. Those ash have been dead for over 5 years now and are all falling into the rivers. The damage is mind blowing. 


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

South of M55 the Ash are giants, but the river is bigger also. Still jammed up downstream of lake Ogemaw. My camp is on a "bedrock bottom" section, some call it the rapids. Its fairly clean as the trees breakup and go down stream, due to elevation drop and hard bottom. I do have white pine and Hemlock that rival some of the trees at Hartwick pines, when if they go down I think the river will re route itself. Like the big Ox bow south of lake Ogemaw.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

If the liveries clear trees, they should take trash bags with them, but they won't. Boy Scout camp in Skidway has over the years done right by our river. The river will be quieter and cleaner without beer floatillas.


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

One of the liveries downstream of m55 is a joke no respect for other people useing the river had one threaten to call the cops on me while I was wadeing "their" section of river.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Fishfighter said:


> One of the liveries downstream of m55 is a joke no respect for other people useing the river had one threaten to call the cops on me while I was wadeing "their" section of river.


The big livery north of Sterling at the bridge runs old school buses through Skidway every weekend hauling kayaks, tubes, and canoes along with as much trash as each customer can carry, to put in sights along the Rifle every weekend during summer. So Skidway gets the loud buses and the river gets the loud customers inside the buses. MDOT is supposed to start checking some buses, I heard towns folks saying at a township meeting.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Fishfighter said:


> One of the liveries downstream of m55 is a joke no respect for other people useing the river had one threaten to call the cops on me while I was wadeing "their" section of river.


Did they "Troll" you? Lol


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

feedinggrounds said:


> Did they "Troll" you? Lol


Yes they did. Haha


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