# drift boat parade!



## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

does anyone else get very annoyed with the drift boat parade on the pere marquette every morning. when fishing flies only its like you have to be there at first light and get your fish because after 8 am there is a steady stream of guides in drift boats. kinda wish they would put a tighter limit on the amount of guides allowed in each section. i am not one to like any more regulation but dang.


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## milanmark (Apr 10, 2012)

My spring steelhead trip I use a guide who always wants to be first or last.... he doesn't like that crowd either!


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

It can be frustrating. All the talk about wild and scenic and instead you just watch boats all day. Drift or two. Boat. Drift or two. Boat lol. Just my little rant.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

How come I never hear you complain in the summer when the bikini parade is in full swing?


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

Haha that's a different story now. Ladies are always welcome. Plus the best fish in the summer don't bite until after11 p.m. the freaks come out at night!


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## chromer101 (Oct 21, 2011)

Yes it can be irritating, but one thing we figured out is to map out the section you're fishing. Figure out what section you want to fish the night before. Highlight the areas that you want to concentrate on... I know I am ADD too but this works. Then either wait it out for people to float down and fish the upper river section hard or just row through a lot of the section down to the spot you want to fish. This first off relaxes the section you are fishing. Also it makes you fish a smaller area much harder. Many times we find fish outside the "money" areas doing this. Hope this helps, tight lines.


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## Nikotav1 (Feb 21, 2017)

During salmon season I got out 2 hours before light


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## brian0013 (Feb 11, 2011)

I floated the flies only section for the first time in salmon season this year. I found it best to party hard the night before,sleep in and go at ten .all the boats are down river .or there’s tons of good water to fish that hold steel down river if I get up early I go that route start seeing boat bout 9


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## Steeladdict (Aug 14, 2017)

Must be on the weekend? Im lucky enough to be able to fish midweek. most times i see 1 or two other people.


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## Perchdog (Oct 23, 2005)

Waiting at Batcke's for the bad guy captian to show up, that's right I will be part of the Veterans Day parade.


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

:Welcome:


Steeladdict said:


> Must be on the weekend? Im lucky enough to be able to fish midweek. most times i see 1 or two other people.


:Welcome:to mich sprtsmn steela:Welcome:


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## Nikotav1 (Feb 21, 2017)

Anyone fish by cluster recently has it been any good should be heading to a river tm


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

i agree brian0013. i have a cabin by flies only so i usually get up before dawn, go get one, let the parade pass, then back on the water by noon or so. and ya i have had good luck the past two weeks floating the lower river running plugs. my profile pic was one i caught just last saturday near sulac. just its nice to get the old 7wt out and get a few from the bank too. and yah steeladdict it is weekends i fish mostly. unfortunately.


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## Black Ghost (Jul 3, 2002)

Yes sadly since the 90s. River is much to small for all that traffic IMHO. Started fishing it in 1980 when perhaps there would be one canoe all day. Then the DB’s started in late 80s as I recall. So now I only go in off seasons beginning and end of peak runs. Fish early a few hours, take a rest till mid afternoon, let DB parade complete. Then fish till dark although there usually is a few late drifters. Still one of my favorite rivers.
BG











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

I know what you mean black ghost. I have been going there since about 95 with my dad. And I too have seen an increase since then. Most guides are fairly respectful and try to stay in the wading side and out of your holes. But man those dudes sure do have a different attitude when your out there with your own drift boat. Last weekend we were running plugs and a guide came up behind. Assumed we were trying to stay ahead and says "no reason to hurry were just fly fishing here". Then procedures to row right through the hole we are fishing. Nice! Sorry you choose to make your living this way but the river is here for everyone.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

BMARKS said:


> I know what you mean black ghost. I have been going there since about 95 with my dad. And I too have seen an increase since then. Most guides are fairly respectful and try to stay in the wading side and out of your holes. But man those dudes sure do have a different attitude when your out there with your own drift boat. Last weekend we were running plugs and a guide came up behind. Assumed we were trying to stay ahead and says "no reason to hurry were just fly fishing here". Then procedures to row right through the hole we are fishing. Nice! Sorry you choose to make your living this way but the river is here for everyone.


I might have followed them down, and pulled plugs through a hole they were fishing with flies. Fair is far, and the rivers are for everyone.


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

Haha that would've been epic. We did end up passing them back. They were stopped at a productive spot but client was inexperienced and they were struggling. We took the high road. Stayed in the soft water and put in just below them. Caught a nice 6# and a jack. We were just around the bend tho so they couldn't see the action. We made sure they heard tho Haha.


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

Black Ghost said:


> Yes sadly since the 90s. River is much to small for all that traffic IMHO. Started fishing it in 1980 when perhaps there would be one canoe all day. Then the DB’s started in late 80s as I recall. So now I only go in off seasons beginning and end of peak runs. Fish early a few hours, take a rest till mid afternoon, let DB parade complete. Then fish till dark although there usually is a few late drifters. Still one of my favorite rivers.
> BG
> 
> 
> ...



This is weird, but I read the "DB" reference in your post as "Douche Bag" in my head, instead of drift boat... crazy coincidence, ain't it!?!


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## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

Some of the guides are very professional but a few are total aholes. Was wading last year and came upon a drift boat tied up and three guys fishing a hole from the bank. Went around them on the bank to avoid messing up their hole by wading through it and the guide gives me a snarky "you're trespassing on private property". I looked and he and his clients were all on the same bank. I told him "and so are you"! The guy mumbles something under his breath and so do I.


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

They think they own the river. I appreciate that they clean up trash and put money into local econ. But that doesn't give you exclusive rights. Not guide bashing here by any means. Just bashing the bad ones haha.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

Treven said:


> This is weird, but I read the "DB" reference in your post as "Douche Bag" in my head, instead of drift boat... crazy coincidence, ain't it!?!


Funny you mention that. I did the exact same thing


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