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MUSKEGON
Shore angler options include two breakwaters and two inner piers with seawalls, all of which have public access.
North Breakwater
Description
The rubble mound structure is about 3,150 feet long and features a walkway surface that is barrier-free. However, heavy riprap makes fishing difficult.
Access
Anglers drive to the day-use parking lot at Mus-kegon State Park and walk 1/4 mile over sand to the breakwater. They can also fish along 2 miles of Lake Michigan shore and about 1 mile of combined Muskegon Lake/Muskegon River Channel. Visitors must affix a valid state park sticker to their vehicle windshield.
Amenities
The parking lot is paved and offers spaces for 720 vehicles, including 28 barrier-free spaces. There is a barrier-free restroom. Also, a fishermens parking lot, located about 1 mile from the park entrance, lies adjacent to the channel. This paved lot provides parking for 40 vehicles, including two handicap-only spaces. Open year-round, the site has a unisex, barrier-free pit toilet.
North Inner Pier
Description
A seawall/pier runs about 4,250 feet along the channel connecting Muskegon Lake to Lake Michigan Featuring heavy riprap on both sides and the end, this structure has a 5-foot-wide cement walk with a 6-inch-high curb on the land side and 42-inch-high railings on the channel side. Extending over the riprap are a pair of fishing platforms, each of which is about 190 feet long and 6 feet wide. Fully accessible, one platform is located next to the fishermens parking lot; the other lies at the east end of the seawall/pier.
Access
A short concrete walkway, which is barrier-free, leads from the lot.
South Breakwater
Description
The structure is about 2,850 feet long and contains a large amount of riprap on both sides, which makes fishing a challenge. The first 1,350 feet features a 9 1/2-foot-wide paved surface with steel cable railings 31¼2 feet high. The surface is rough in spots but otherwise barrier-free. The walkway then becomes smoother, bends and continues without rails for 1,500 feet to the end.
Access
A paved walkway leads about 200 feet from City-owned Pere Marquette Park to the structure.
Amenities
The park has 450 parking spaces, 18 of which are barrier-free. There is a barrier-free restroom.
South Inner Pier
Description
A combined seawall/pier is 750 feet long. The seawall has a 66-inch-wide cement walkway and 42-inch-high railings. The pier has no railings but features a concrete cap 33 feet wide. Located midway and extending over some of the riprap is a fishing platform that is about 13 feet wide and 96 feet long.
Access
The structure is located on NOAA property. Anglers drive along Lake Shore Dr. and park in a separate lot east of the NOAA Station, then walk about 1,800 feet along a barrier-free paved walkway. Able-bodied anglers wanting to access the fishing platform should consider parallel parking along the entrance to Margaret Drake Elliott Park, also located off Lake Shore Dr.
Amenities
The paved lot can accommodate 64 vehicles, including four with handicap-only permits. Margaret Drake Elliott Park has a barrier-free restroom.
What's Hot?
- Brown Trout
- Chinook Salmon
- Smallmouth Bass
- Steelhead
- Walleye
- Yellow Perch
The channel and its mouth are action zones for fish moving in and out of the Muskegon River. Spring
angling is good for brown trout, steelhead and chinook salmon. Anglers also target walleye, when the smelt arrive, and yellow perch and smallmouth bass in late spring, summer and fall. From mid August to mid September, action switches over to salmon again, followed by browns in late October and steelhead from November to freeze-up.
Tactics
Hot hardware for steelhead and brown trout is Little Cleos in orange, green, or glow-in-the-dark colors. Surf and break-water anglers also fish spawn sacs or skein containing Styrofoam chips to keep bait off bottom where they anchor offerings on a heavy pyramid sinker dropped below a 3-way swivel. Toss Countdown Rapalas in blue-and-silver, clown, or Tennessee Shad colors for walleye. For perch, pin a shiner minnow to a Hildebrandt Flicker spinner with gold blades, or fish a wiggler clean. Around July 4, smallmouth gather in the channel near Muskegon Lake. Catch them on live leeches or crayfish, or cast diving crankbaits such as Hot n Tots or Wiggle Warts. Top colors are crayfish or chartreuse. Muskegon State Park (231-744-3480) has a boat launch. Another launch is located near the channels south side. For bait, tackle, and updated fishing information, contact Angler Archer Sporting Goods, 2008 Lake Ave. in North Muskegon (231-744-5992), or Shoreline Service, 2080 Lakeshore Dr. in Muskegon (231-759-7254). The Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce is at 230 Terrace Plaza (231-722-3751), and the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau is at 610 W. Western Ave. (800-250-9283).
Stocking
The DNR annually releases an average of 100,000 chinook fingerlings from a net pen in the river and 10,000 steelhead yearlings. Managers also stock upstream locations of the Muskegon River.
Additional Information
Shore angler options include two breakwaters and two inner piers with seawalls, all of which have public access.
Area Accommodations
Camping is available at Muskegon State Park (231-744-3480).
Map of Access Area & Driving Directions
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North Breakwater
From downtown Muskegon, take US-31 North to the Business North US-31 Exit and cross the causeway to Lake Ave. (first light). Turn left 1/4 mile to Ruddiman (yellow flashing light), which becomes Memorial Dr. en route to Muskegon State Park.
From US-31 North or South, exit at North Muskegon (Holton Rd.), and drive 3 1/2 miles to Whitehall Rd. Turn right 1 block to Ruddiman and proceed as above.
Anglers drive to the day-use parking lot at Mus-kegon State Park and walk 1/4 mile over sand to the breakwater. They can also fish along 2 miles of Lake Michigan shore and about 1 mile of combined Muskegon Lake/Muskegon River Channel. Visitors must affix a valid state park sticker to their vehicle windshield.
North Inner Pier
Follow Memorial Dr. to the park entrance, then follow signs 1 mile to the campground.
A short concrete walkway, which is barrier-free, leads from the lot.
South Breakwater
From I-96 or US-31 North, follow Business US-31 (Seaway Dr.) to Sherman St. Turn west to Beach St., turn north to Lake Shore Dr., and then go left to Pere Marquette Park. From US-31 South, follow Business US-31 (Webster) to Laketon Ave., turn west and continue to the park.
A paved walkway leads about 200 feet from City-owned Pere Marquette Park to the structure.
South Inner Pier
Take Lake Shore Dr. to Margaret Drake Elliott Park or the NOAA Station.
The structure is located on NOAA property. Anglers drive along Lake Shore Dr. and park in a separate lot east of the NOAA Station, then walk about 1,800 feet along a barrier-free paved walkway. Able-bodied anglers wanting to access the fishing platform should consider parallel parking along the entrance to Margaret Drake Elliott Park, also located off Lake Shore Dr.
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