Wade the shallows around each island, and use polarized sunglasses to spot boulders. Cast a small wiggling plug, jig-spinner rig or a night crawler to the rocky cover. Look for bass on the dark side of rocks. This river begins in Houghton Lake before flowing southwest to Lake Michigan. The Muskegon River has a reputation of being a walleye factory.
Walleyes are favorites here, although smallmouth bass are a close second.
An exciting technique is to slowly troll upstream with a minnow-imitating lure. Let out 50 feet of line, and slowly troll just fast enough to make the lure wiggle. Cast with small jigs, Rapalas, River Runts or other diving-sinking lures, and work them slowly along gravel bars or through deep holes. Write to Dave Richey at 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit 48226.