I'd like to do a fishing trip this summer. I was considering taking my boat or hiring a guide somewhere. We really like smallmouth. I wouldn't be opposed to musky either. Out of state is ok as well. Anyone have recommendation within say 6 hours of Indy?

20 hours ago, jitterbug127 said:

I'd like to do a fishing trip this summer. I was considering taking my boat or hiring a guide somewhere. We really like smallmouth. I wouldn't be opposed to musky either. Out of state is ok as well. Anyone have recommendation within say 6 hours of Indy?

If Muskies is your goal, I think I would look for a guide on Lake St. Clair, it's also a great option for Smallies so could do a combo trip of sorts...

If you are just going for a day or two, that would be by far your best bet to ensure you actually see a Muskie...

I used to guide a lot of Indy folks on the St. Joseph River, Jay Anglin would be the guide I would reach out to if that system interests you, pretty sure he still runs trips and could put you on some river Smallies... The Joe gets looked over often as it largely runs through a bunch of farm land, maybe not quite as scenic as rivers to the North, but as someone that was literally born and raised on that river and made a living off it for years, it's an incredible fishery. It can be a bit of a pain as lot of dams that change flows often to the newcomer, there are nuances to that, but the fish are there, very fertile watershed...

If you wanted to go further North, bit more scenery, some cool river fisheries on the Muskegon River, several guides that operate on that...

or head South, fishing the mountains is never a dull moment... Dale Hollow is likely within 6 hours of you...

There is a guy not all too far from you too, Chad Miller that runs Smallie trips too, in Indiana, don't know a lot about him personally, but sold him one of his boats and seemed like a really nice guy, been doing it for years which likely means he is a good guide.

Lot of these guides will be listed as fly fishing guides, but the bulk of them will glady run gear trips, man it was always a welcome occasion when someone wanted to throw gear with me, crankbaits are super easy for the client to fish effectively which always resulted in some really nice fish that you may not have caught if the client was fly fishing... If you go in the Summer, can throw topwaters too!

34 minutes ago, Peninsular said:

If Muskies is your goal, I think I would look for a guide on Lake St. Clair, it's also a great option for Smallies so could do a combo trip of sorts...

If you are just going for a day or two, that would be by far your best bet to ensure you actually see a Muskie...

I used to guide a lot of Indy folks on the St. Joseph River, Jay Anglin would be the guide I would reach out to if that system interests you, pretty sure he still runs trips and could put you on some river Smallies... The Joe gets looked over often as it largely runs through a bunch of farm land, maybe not quite as scenic as rivers to the North, but as someone that was literally born and raised on that river and made a living off it for years, it's an incredible fishery. It can be a bit of a pain as lot of dams that change flows often to the newcomer, there are nuances to that, but the fish are there, very fertile watershed...

If you wanted to go further North, bit more scenery, some cool river fisheries on the Muskegon River, several guides that operate on that...

or head South, fishing the mountains is never a dull moment... Dale Hollow is likely within 6 hours of you...

There is a guy not all too far from you too, Chad Miller that runs Smallie trips too, in Indiana, don't know a lot about him personally, but sold him one of his boats and seemed like a really nice guy, been doing it for years which likely means he is a good guide.

Lot of these guides will be listed as fly fishing guides, but the bulk of them will glady run gear trips, man it was always a welcome occasion when someone wanted to throw gear with me, crankbaits are super easy for the client to fish effectively which always resulted in some really nice fish that you may not have caught if the client was fly fishing... If you go in the Summer, can throw topwaters too!

We Love to fish the Joe! Friend of mine and I have taken a couple day trips up to South bend and South West Michigan the last 2 years and fished with Dustan (Ripple Guide Services...I'm spacing on his last name right now) out of South Bend. Its a great fishery. We did a steelhead this fall.

Thank you for the response! I knew this post would be fruitful. St. Clair/ The Joe/Lake Erie were the first three things that came to my mind. Glad to know I was already on the right track. Let me check out some of these names you've listed and see what they've got available.

10 minutes ago, jitterbug127 said:

We Love to fish the Joe! Friend of mine and I have taken a couple day trips up to South bend and South West Michigan the last 2 years and fished with Dustan (Ripple Guide Services...I'm spacing on his last name right now) out of South Bend. Its a great fishery. We did a steelhead this fall.

Thank you for the response! I knew this post would be fruitful. St. Clair/ The Joe/Lake Erie were the first three things that came to my mind. Glad to know I was already on the right track. Let me check out some of these names you've listed and see what they've got available.

I know Dustan well, good dude, just wasn't sure if he would do gear trips at all so didn't suggest him, have never known him to do much else than fly fishing. He would be a great option too...

9 minutes ago, Peninsular said:

I know Dustan well, good dude, just wasn't sure if he would do gear trips at all so didn't suggest him, have never known him to do much else than fly fishing. He would be a great option too...

He told me we were the only gear trip he had done in 2024 when we went. We did a Steelhead fly rod trip this fall. I had never picked up a fly rod before that day. That was a learning experience for sure. Dude is a great teacher. That being said I'm 50/50 on picking up a fly rod again.

I did message my buddy last night and asked him about booking Dustan for a few days this summer (if has has availability) so its pretty near that came up here in this thread the next day.

I am really thinking lake St. Clair would be phenomenal. I thought doing like 2 smallmouth days and 2 Muskie days. I have 100% settled into getting a guide vs bringing my boat and going in blind wherever we decide to go.

2 minutes ago, jitterbug127 said:

He told me we were the only gear trip he had done in 2024 when we went. We did a Steelhead fly rod trip this fall. I had never picked up a fly rod before that day. That was a learning experience for sure. Dude is a great teacher. That being said I'm 50/50 on picking up a fly rod again.

I did message my buddy last night and asked him about booking Dustan for a few days this summer (if has has availability) so its pretty near that came up here in this thread the next day.

I am really thinking lake St. Clair would be phenomenal. I thought doing like 2 smallmouth days and 2 Muskie days. I have 100% settled into getting a guide vs bringing my boat and going in blind wherever we decide to go.

I spent most of my adult life fly fishing most of the time, as a kid I mostly fished gear, the past few years I have been doing a lot less fly fishing and a lot more gear fishing. I honestly prefer to gear fish for Bass, think it's more fun, especially on lakes.

If you hit St. Clair, this is whom I would reach out to: https://www.greatlakesflyfishing.com/

Jeff is legitimately one of the best anglers to ever live, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the fishing industry that would say otherwise... Might be tough to get 4 days of openings in a row with him though... Just First Class in every way... Zero ego, just a great human being that is crazy fishy and a great teacher. He will do gear and fly trips. I am sure there are many great guides there, but any time spent on the water with Jeff is something you won't forget, many guides that are great teachers, but so so anglers and many guides that are great anglers but so so at teaching, he is the total package and then some.

13 minutes ago, Peninsular said:

I spent most of my adult life fly fishing most of the time, as a kid I mostly fished gear, the past few years I have been doing a lot less fly fishing and a lot more gear fishing. I honestly prefer to gear fish for Bass, think it's more fun, especially on lakes.

If you hit St. Clair, this is whom I would reach out to: https://www.greatlakesflyfishing.com/

Jeff is legitimately one of the best anglers to ever live, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the fishing industry that would say otherwise... Might be tough to get 4 days of openings in a row with him though... Just First Class in every way... Zero ego, just a great human being that is crazy fishy and a great teacher. He will do gear and fly trips. I am sure there are many great guides there, but any time spent on the water with Jeff is something you won't forget, many guides that are great teachers, but so so anglers and many guides that are great anglers but so so at teaching, he is the total package and then some.

Awesome! thank you so much. I will talk to my buddy and see what he's thinking of places to go. I really appreciate all of your help.

I was going to suggest Erie or Lake Michigan as well.

Update

Indiana friendos, is the water soft around the Purdue University/Lafayette area? I will be traveling down that way for a day or two next week.

Down Bloomington way it just opened up this week. Farther north may still be icy.

AnyHoosiers getting out yet? Lakes are now open but man, have we had some crappy weather!

Doing a repaint on the bottom of the canoe so hopefully gonna get out week after next.

GRBY tournaments start at the end of the month so gotta get ready.