Come join us for an incredible fly fishing experience on the world-class Pere Marquette River or the Big Manistee River.
This is Michigan’s premiere fly fishing experience! Fishing for salmon, steelhead, and brown trout on the Big Manistee River and Michigan’s blue ribbon trout stream the Pere Marquette River. Our expert Pere Marquette river guides will take you on an a fishing adventure that you will never forget.
Meet Our Pere Marquette River Guides
Mike Whittle – Owner/Guide
Mike Whittle has been fishing the rivers of northwest Michigan for over the past 25 years. Mike has traveled in and out of the country in search of the best trout, steelhead and salmon fishing. Mike only works with the best Pere Marquette River guides available.
John Hunter – Former Owner & Guide
John Hunter is still guiding for J&J River Guides. John is a legend in this part of the country. He has been fishing these rivers for over 35 years. He is very talented and has great knowledge of the rivers in northwest Michigan. John is one of the best Pere Marquette river guides out there!
David Bonn – Guide
At a very young age I was fishing and by age 7 found myself in a trout stream in the U.P. of Michigan fishing for Brook trout and loving it! I did a lot of inland lake fishing growing up also, but I was always drawn to the river and trout fishing the most.
In 1975 my father purchased land northeast of Baldwin and put a cabin on it. It has been the fishing and hunting spot ever since. The last Saturday in April and November 15th were always considered holidays in our family and times spent in Lake County! Nothing in Michigan compared to the variety of small feeder streams with nice Brook trout and Rainbows, to the bigger rivers like the Pere Marquette full of fat German Browns, Salmon and Steelhead.
I have learned many different methods to catch fish. I was introduced to fly fishing for salmon, steelhead and trout in 1989 and tying my own flies by 1991. It has been my technique of choice since. Don’t get me wrong, other methods have their time and place, but there’s just something about catching a fish on a fly that you tied yourself. It just hits you in a different spot.
I started floating the Pere Marquette in a 12’ flat bottom pram for ten years. That taught me alot about rowing a boat on a river. I acquired my first drift boat in Y2K. I figured what the heck, seeing as though the world didn’t end as predicted. I performed my first guided trip for J&J River Guides in the fall of 2004 and I haven’t looked back since. All the jobs I have had since the age of twelve, I find that for this one I don’t use the snooze button… ever!
Rod Baker – Guide
Being raised in a small rural community, hunting and fishing was a way of life. I spent many days in, or around, the water. So it was only natural for me, as an adult, to spend a lot of my time fishing. Ive been a fishing guide for 24 years. I’ve fished the White, Muskegon and Manistee Rivers. But the Pere Marquette is my favorite. Being a resident of Baldwin and living near the Pere Marquette has afforded me the opportunity to fish this wonderful river. We invite you to come and do the same.
Leo Cook – Guide
I started fly fishing on the Pere Marquette River when I was 8 years old. It started as an addiction and has evolved into a passion to share with others through becoming a guide.
