# St. Joe Steelhead trip help



## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

Last year I went on a charter trip for salmon out of Benton Harbor. The charter also did St. Joe steelhead runs. Early spring I bought a 16.5' boat for fishing inland lakes, Detroit River, and Erie for walleye on calm days. Now that I have a boat I would like to try St. Joe River for Steelhead. 

I don't know where to start. When is the best time of year to go? Can I anchor or do I troll? What type of bait to use, jets and spoons? Good launches, hotels in the area.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

You can check out the link below for Shamrock Park, in Barrien Springs, they have cabins for rent and sites available for campers. It is located on the St. Joe just below the dam about 1/2 mile. They have a launch site available at the campgrounds. Another launch site is at Jasper Dairy Farms road which is about half way between Berrien and the lake. As with all rivers in Mi. Nov. thru Apr. are the times to be fishing, take your pick and hope the fish are in at that time. Can't help you much on tackle as I fish mostly fly rods, and CP gear.

D

www.shamrockpark.net


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

I have been watching some videos for fall and winter steelhead fishing in the river. Most of the boats look to be flat bottom boats. I have a 16.5' Spectrum deep V...its not really that deep though...will my boat be able to navigate the river ok? Are there areas in the river that boats cannot make it through?









Thanks,
Mark


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

Sure you can. If u don't know the water be careful. Use your common sense.


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## woodlander (May 21, 2006)

*If you are local, why dont you consider coming to this event.
A couple of the local guides will be there with their boats doing a demo. Plus some of the midwest hard core Steelhead guys.

Fly Casting on the Joe.* 

Single to Switch to Spey, All in a day.
For the full event please visit us at http://flycastingonthejoe.com/

Meet with us at 9 AM on August 2nd at Shamrock Park, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Last year was well attended, so we decided to do it again, but with additional demonstrators and exhibitors.

A new demonstrator this year is Jen Ripple, Editor of Dun Magazine. Jen spends her time teaching women's fly tying and fly casting.

Phil Cook from Scientific Anglers, will be giving an on-the-water demo on how their lines apply to fishing in Michigan waters.

Wildcat Creek Outfitters will bring fishing Kayaks for you to trial on the river. 

Greg Senyo will show how he ties his effective and beautiful steelhead flies. He will be tying throughout the day.

Your favorites, Peter Humphreys and Jeff Liskay, will demo Single to Switch to Spey casting. 
Plus if you have a mismatched line to rod outfit that you're not getting along with, you can approach them to sort it out and give you some casting help as well.
Peter and Jeff are also offering a private lesson on Friday the 1st. See the website for more details

Gary Kalinka aka Voodoofly, will represent Nextcast lines and will help budding long line casters.

Jay Anglin and Kory Boozer will give a demo on fly fishing for Smallmouth from a drift boat.

Both Great Lakes Spey Shop and Heritage Angling Products will be returning, plus Schultz Outfitters from Ypsilanti, Michigan.

St Joe Valley Fly Fishers will be on hand to discuss the St Joe River, its eco system and fishing opportunities.

The catering again will be done by Duneland Fly Fishers
The only cost is $5.00 admission to the park. Please, please, please park where the guy taking your money asks you to to park.
Don't just throw your car down and walk away from it. 

This year we are setting aside some parking spaces for those people who are not quite as mobile as they once were. These spaces will be clearly marked and will be next to the 3 cabins.Downstream of the Boat Ramp

For more info please check out the website or visit our Facebook page.

Hope to see you at the event.


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

I have a cabin booked at Shamrock Park campground in Berrin Springs at the end of October. I will be launching from there and try my hand at river fishing. I plan to pick up some crank style baits like Lindy's River Rocker to fish down stream behind the boat. What other baits will be productive that time of the year? Should I also look into egg sacks?


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Orange and gold hot and tot's are deadly in the fall/early winter for steelhead. Don't see too many boats without at least one out in that time period.


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

I will need to add that color to my shopping list. I see a lot of the charter boats for the river are flat bottom boats. Does anyone know if they run jet's on the outboard or regular props? I looked on the Michigan website to see what the pole regulation is for the River but I could not find anything. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks,
Mark


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Mark100 said:


> I will need to add that color to my shopping list. I see a lot of the charter boats for the river are flat bottom boats. Does anyone know if they run jet's on the outboard or regular props? I looked on the Michigan website to see what the pole regulation is for the River but I could not find anything. Can someone point me in the right direction?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark


It depends on the year and the flow. Most the charters at Shamrock park are all props. I have been using a 14' deep V with a prop run on shallow drive. 

What do you mean pole regulation? You can use three rods per person on all Michigan waters.


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

**Multispeciestamer** I'm sure your boat is not much different that mine then. Do you fish St. Joe regularly? If so I would like to ask you a few more questions if you don't mind.

You're exactly correct. I wanted to know how many rods per person. Thank you for that info.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The Upper Joe is classic hole and run river. Deep pools with shallows between them. 

You can troll the shallows and skirt the edges of the pools. You can anchor at the top of a pull and slowly let out line to work your plugs through it. You can set up at the top of a pool, let out your plugs, and slowly back through it leaving the plugs at a set distance. You can also set up at the top of a pool and "walk" spawn back through it.

The lower Joe is easier to just set up plugs and troll slowly upstream. A couple winters ago the big lake was open in February and we spent four brutally cold hours catching one (1) coho. On the way back in we dropped plugs at a train bridge and trolled up to the DNR launch, catching two steel and a lake trout and losing another steel. 

I would run 2-4 rods at first as there are lots of things in the river that like to tangle your stuff.

I fish from a 14' deep V.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Mark100 said:


> **Multispeciestamer** I'm sure your boat is not much different that mine then. Do you fish St. Joe regularly? If so I would like to ask you a few more questions if you don't mind.
> 
> You're exactly correct. I wanted to know how many rods per person. Thank you for that info.


I fish the St. Joseph river at Berrien Springs all year long. (5 miles from my house). Ask away and ill answer the best I can. Or send me a private message. 

Far beyond driven brought up good points about the number or rods to run 2-4 to start with.


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

We'll be heading to Berrien Springs Friday morning to fish St. Joe. Any updates on the fishing would be greatly appreciated! 

Thanks,
Mark


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

We had a great time at Shamrock Park in Berrien Springs fishing on the river. We fished Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a total of about 20 hours on the water. I was prepared to fish plugs but with no hits the first half of Friday we changed to spawn. I have never fished spawn so Friday night and Saturday was a bit of a learning curve. We landed our one and only fish Saturday Afternoon.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

And it begins!!! COngratulations! You put in the effort to target a certain species, put your time and knowledge in and low and behold completed the task of catching what you were after! Nice job and nice fish!!


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## Benny23 (Nov 21, 2009)

Nice fish hope that a sign of things to come


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Seen you out there today. We fared considerably better. Boat traffic was extremely nutz this morning. Up until noon we had only 1 fish on a plug. But found some good action there after. I was out Sat. as well for a short time from the shore, and it was one of the better shore days ive had all season. Again the amount of foot traffic was stupid. I had the spot all to myself hooked my first three fish landing one, stop to retie on the bank and 4 people move in on me. I just picked up and moved down river and caught more. That will show em hahaha. 

Cant wait till the opener of gun season to cut down the number of people and hopefully more fish. Most the fish I have been seeing and have held in hand appear to be fish that have been holding in the river for a while, probably been sitting in the lower river for a week or two.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

No need to wake up Mr. Steelhead.... particularly on sunny days....


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

Multispeciestamer said:


> Seen you out there today. We fared considerably better. Boat traffic was extremely nutz this morning. Up until noon we had only 1 fish on a plug. But found some good action there after. I was out Sat. as well for a short time from the shore, and it was one of the better shore days ive had all season. Again the amount of foot traffic was stupid. I had the spot all to myself hooked my first three fish landing one, stop to retie on the bank and 4 people move in on me. I just picked up and moved down river and caught more. That will show em hahaha.
> 
> Cant wait till the opener of gun season to cut down the number of people and hopefully more fish. Most the fish I have been seeing and have held in hand appear to be fish that have been holding in the river for a while, probably been sitting in the lower river for a week or two.
> 
> Were you fishing all plugs? I'm still not sure I was doing anything right. Hopefully I can pick up a few more tips and maybe make it out that way again.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Mark100 said:


> Multispeciestamer said:
> 
> 
> > Seen you out there today. We fared considerably better. Boat traffic was extremely nutz this morning. Up until noon we had only 1 fish on a plug. But found some good action there after. I was out Sat. as well for a short time from the shore, and it was one of the better shore days ive had all season. Again the amount of foot traffic was stupid. I had the spot all to myself hooked my first three fish landing one, stop to retie on the bank and 4 people move in on me. I just picked up and moved down river and caught more. That will show em hahaha.
> ...


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## Mark100 (Mar 7, 2014)

What size walleye are usually caught in the river?


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Mark100 said:


> What size walleye are usually caught in the river?


Depends if they are resident or lake run. Walleyes up to 15lbs can be caught from any West Michigan river that flows into Lake Michigan. As for average size to many factors to list. Walleye are a slow growing species, and as a trophy hunter I release 95% of the ones I catch on the Joe. Its important to release the large fish to become bigger, and the medium fish to breed. The Joe used to have a limit where only one 23"+ walleye could be kept per limit. The reason behind removing the law was because natural reproduction was low. So in my opinion that makes releasing the ones that are there that much more important, not because they will breed, but because they will live to become even bigger, and someone else may get the chance to catch it again. 

There are plenty of other rivers with bountiful natural reproducing walleye for harvest purposes where you can catch a limit in 30 mins. The Joe is not one of these rivers.


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