The Muskegon's Salmon Came Late This Fall, and Now They Share the River With Steelhead

As of mid-September 2026, there were still no salmon reported in the Muskegon River below Croton Dam. By mid-October they were being caught from the dam all the way down to Muskegon Lake. A local guide report from Oct. 16 says steelhead are now in the river with them. The season's two big fall runs started weeks apart on paper, but this year they're running through the stretch above downtown Newaygo at the same time.

That timing changes the last two weeks of October for anyone who lives along this stretch of river.

Four DNR Reports, One Late Arrival

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources puts out a weekly fishing report. Read in order, this fall's reports show when the run finally arrived.

1. Sept. 2, 2026. The DNR's weekly report said anglers had success "targeting smallmouth bass on the Muskegon River downstream from Croton Dam." The only salmon it mentioned in its Muskegon entry were caught offshore.
2. Sept. 9, 2026. The next report again reported salmon offshore but none in the river below the dam.
3. Sept. 16, 2026. The DNR said it directly: "Chinook salmon were not yet reported on the Muskegon River due to warm water temperatures."
4. Oct. 14, 2026. The salmon had arrived. Here's how the DNR's Oct. 14 report put it under Newaygo County:

"Salmon entered the Muskegon River and were caught from Croton Dam downstream to Muskegon Lake. Deep-diver minnow plugs in the lower Muskegon River served as the primary lure."

That's a long reach of river, and Newaygo sits on it. The fish were caught from the dam itself all the way down to the lake, and the city's riverfront lies in between.

In a typical year, salmon would already have been in the river by mid-September. Fly Fire River Guide Service, which guides out of Newaygo, describes king salmon season on the Muskegon as running from mid-September through early November. In 2026, the first half of that window passed with warm water and smallmouth bass.

What Changed in October

Rain brought the river up. In its Oct. 16, 2026 Muskegon River report, Feenstra Guide Service wrote that "the Muskegon has risen to 1500 CFS after recent rains," with water temperatures "fluctuating in the 60s." The same report said, "Salmon are available in the system," and trout fishing was getting more productive as the water cooled. It added one more line: "There are some steelhead available."

The U.S. Geological Survey's gauge on the Muskegon River near Croton gives that rise some context. The gauge read 1,430 cubic feet per second on the evening of Oct. 17, 2026. Here's how that compares with the gauge's history for the same calendar date. USGS labels the current readings provisional.

So the river was running a little above its typical mid-October level, but nowhere near high water. The same gauge put the water temperature at 15.8°C, a little over 60°F, which lines up with the "in the 60s" in the Feenstra report.

Where the Two Runs Meet This Year

Steelhead follow their own calendar. Fly Fire River Guide Service says fall steelhead start entering the Muskegon "around the second week of October" and stay through the following spring. Newaygo County's tourism office, Newaygo County Exploring, calls fall the peak season for steelhead, with anglers "flocking to the areas below to Croton Dam."

In a normal year, salmon have about a month in the river before the first steelhead show up. In 2026, the salmon reports and the arrival of fall steelhead came in the same week. The salmon window usually closes in early November, and the steelhead window opens in mid-October. That puts the late October and early November weeks of 2026 in the middle of both runs, and those weeks are just ahead.

Feenstra's report shows a third piece of the picture: trout feeding near the salmon. "Trout can be taken on eggs around the salmon," the guide service wrote. It said steelhead could be caught the same way.

From the Dam Down to Downtown

You don't need a boat or a rod to see this stretch of river. Here are several public places along it, listed from upstream to downstream.

• Conklin Park and the Croton Dam overlook. Newaygo County Exploring's fall color guide recommends walking the trail at Conklin Park "for a high view of Croton Dam." The DNR reports place this fall's salmon catches as starting at that dam.
• Pine Street access site. In a March 2026 release, the DNR named Pine Street as the downstream end of its spring walleye egg-collection zone below Croton Dam. Newaygo County Exploring lists Pine Street as one of the two most recommended launches on the river.
• High Rollaway and the Thornapple access. This roadside park in Brooks Township, off M-82, is less than 10 minutes from downtown Newaygo, according to Newaygo County Exploring. From the top you look out over the Muskegon. A staircase of 234 steps leads down the steep bank to the water.
• Riverfront Park Phase 1, off River Street. The City of Newaygo describes this park as having lookout decks over the river and paved walking paths, along with picnic tables and grills.
• Riverfront Park Phase 2, off Water Street. This park has a deck with picnic tables overlooking the river. Its paved path connects to Phase 1, so you can walk the two parks as one stretch of riverbank.

Newaygo County Exploring also notes that some launch points require a Michigan Recreation Passport for parking. If you plan to cast from any of these spots, check the DNR's fishing regulations for the Muskegon before you go.

The Same River in April

These sites looked very different six months ago. On April 16, 2026, WOOD-TV reported that six of Croton Dam's eight gates were open. Community members told the station that usually only one or two are. The river near Croton had reached 12.07 feet, a level the station said is considered major flooding. Authorities closed every public access site along the Muskegon below the dam. That morning, a News 8 crew watched the water at Newaygo River Front Park rising toward the park entrance.

Local authorities and Consumers Energy said at the time that the dams themselves were sound and that the danger came from the rising river. The October river is a calmer one, running only modestly above its median for the date. Since the spring closures, call ahead or check with Newaygo County or the DNR about current conditions before heading to a launch or a staircase you haven't visited this year.

The Overlap Weekends in Town

The weeks when both runs are in the river also fall on two of downtown Newaygo's fall weekends.

Saturday, Oct. 24, noon to 2 p.m. The River Country Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Newaygo Scarecrow Stroll is free. It starts at the Newaygo Library, where kids pick up a Halloween treat bag before walking to participating businesses to trick-or-treat. Costumes are encouraged.

Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 to 9 p.m. The city calendar lists the Haunted Museum at the Heritage Museum of Newaygo County, 12 Quarterline St. The Newaygo Area District Library at 44 N. State Road is also running a Spider Scavenger Hunt that week.

You can spend a Saturday morning at Conklin Park or on the High Rollaway steps and still be back downtown for the stroll by noon. Salmon season on the Muskegon usually winds down in early November, so the next two weekends are this year's best chance to see salmon and steelhead in the river together.

At Big Rapids Realty, we've worked with Newaygo County homeowners for a long time, including many whose properties sit along or near the Muskegon. If you have questions about riverfront land, a cottage near Croton, or anything about living along this water, our team is glad to talk it through. Contact us anytime.