Camping/fishing the Pigeon

[brmara]

Has anyone ever camped/fished the Pigeon? I am looking to head up there (in a few weeks) for my vacation (and post-divorce soul-searching) for some fishing, flytying, and introspection. I have only hunted the state land up there. Are there places to camp along the river? Is there a lot of fishing pressure? PM me if you feel more comfortable.

Thanks in advance.

Brian :confused:

p.s. I already have the two main Michigan trout stream books - I was going to use those as guides.

[wetn flies]

I have seen many camping areas on the pigeon I stayed at on round lake rd take sturgeon vally rd (Vanderbilt) follow to round lake rd. & go north there will be 2 off that rd Pigion river, elk hill campground (watch for signs) keep in mind these are right on the river and are primitive sites no water hook ups but its cheap!! and the pigion has become one om my personal favorite spots dont forget your hoppers they work great there !!!!!!

[brmara]

Thanks for the reply, Wet'n. Just what I was looking for!

Brian

[SALMONATOR]

Spent four or five days up there, I think it was two years ago this week, with Truotbum64 and his old man. We stayed at one of the campgrounds on the river, but I can't remember wich one (there are a few). We fished the sturgon, pigion and the black. This was during the week mind you, but I think I ran into two other fishermen the entire time. Fishin' was tough, but I saw some elk and that was cool. All three rivers are beautifull, but the sturgon was the real stand-out. You have to check it out when you're up there. Maybe the clearest water I've ever seen in a river. It was stunning. The old man caught the only nice fish (of course), but there were a few monsters rising around dusk. Most of our fish came on nymphs, but I'm sure those rivers get decent hatches later in the year. Anyway, check out a map of the area, there are several campgrounds scattered over all three of those rivers. At least thre that I saw on the Pigion (all rustic). Good luck!!

Al

[brmara]

Thanks, SALMONATOR, for the advice and the story. I'll let you know how it goes if I decide to head up there.

Brian

[skinne]

theres a state forest camp ground east of wolverine on webb road that sits on the river my family has a cabin up there and ive spent many hours drowing crawlers on that river and theres is also a camp ground if memory serves me might just north of wolverine on old 27 that sits on the sturgeon and if you dont want the camp grounds theres lots of 2 tracts to sleep at feel free to e-mail me or p.m. for some directions and if you go let us know how you due.

[WILDCATWICK]

Haakwood Campground! It is primative with a ton of sites but no one ever seems to be there. Not much pressure as a result. It is just north of Wolverine. I found that using a large attractor works great in the faster runs. Yellow Humphies and Royal Coachmans. Otherwise we had sucesses on nymphs. So maybe a dropper system would be the ticket.:D There are also great overhangs and deep holes where the bigger boys hang out throw a streamer in and have fun!!!;)

[ZobZob]

I tried it out myself at Haakwood. It is a nice area. I would have to believe the large amount of canoes during the summer is what deters there from being more fisherman.

Zob

[troutbum64]

It was two years ago, the campgroung is on old vanderbilt road and the river, go up or down from there. lots of opprotunities but like SALMONATOR said we got skunked. It did rain quite a bit when we where up there. suppossed to be some monster browns in that river. There is a campground downstream from the one we stayed at, it was packed when we went, mostly horse riders. some nice water around that area also.
Good luck if you go, it's fairly easy to wade the entire river as I recal.