Pink salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Pink salmon reached the Great Lakes by accident in 1955 when about 20,000 fingerlings were released into a Lake Superior tributary near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and within a decade they were spawning in the St. Marys rapids. They now run Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron and Lake Michigan tributaries from late August through September, with the St. Marys, the Carp River and the Chocolay the best Michigan water. Runs are largest in odd-numbered years, though even-year fish have been present since the late 1970s and local reports conflict about which year is stronger. Adults are small at 2 to 3 pounds, so everything scales down: size 8 buggers, size 10 to 14 pink or chartreuse eggs and size 12 to 20 nymphs. Their eggs are a short-lived early-fall food source for steelhead and resident trout in Upper Peninsula rivers.

aggression striker

Find flies for pink salmon

Pink salmon, adult — © Alexis Godin · CC BY · iNaturalist · Bulkley-Nechako, CA-BC · 2023

Pink salmon, juvenile — © Matt Muir · CC BY · iNaturalist · Valdez-Cordova, Alaska · 2021

Ben Keen · CC0 · iNaturalist · Bowen Island, BC · 2026
Adam Summers · CC0 · iNaturalist · Eagle Cove, WA · 2018

What they eat in the river

In the lake, Great Lakes pinks eat a variety of fish and other aquatic animals. On the run they behave like the other Pacific salmon and are taken on small bright flies rather than imitations: size 8 beadhead Woolly Buggers in black, olive or pink, size 12 to 20 nymphs (Frenchies, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, scuds, zebra midges) in clear water, and small pink or chartreuse eggs and beadheads with flash. Streamers and nymphs account for most of the pinks taken in the St. Marys rapids.

does not feed in the river; strikes at small bright flies
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Evidence
S
small pink and chartreuse eggs and beadheads, size 8 Woolly Buggers (black, olive, pink), size 12 to 20 nymphs and scuds in clear water
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Evidence
A

Food	Months	Evidence
does not feed in the river; strikes at small bright flies	J F M A M J J A S O N D	S
small pink and chartreuse eggs and beadheads, size 8 Woolly Buggers (black, olive, pink), size 12 to 20 nymphs and scuds in clear water	J F M A M J J A S O N D	A

Runs and spawn

fall run

Late August through September, fish remaining in the St. Marys rapids until mid-October. The St. Marys is the most outstanding pink fishery this side of Alaska; the Carp River (Mackinac County), Chocolay and other Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron tributaries also see runs. Odd-year runs are largest, but even-year runs have existed since 1976 and both now occur. Adults are 2 to 3 lb.

Spawning

August, September · eggs 6–8 mm

Egg colors: Pink Lady, Shrimp Pink, Salmon Egg

DNR: pink salmon spawning runs begin in the summer; spawning runs late August to September and peaks in the latter part of September; eggs hatch late December to late February and fry leave the gravel in late April to early May. No spawning temperature was found. The 6 to 8 mm size is a bead-vendor figure and the fresh egg color names are inferred from the pink-and-orange fly palette guides use for them.

No pink-specific regulations; general Great Lakes tributary rules apply. The one-ounce lure limit on streams from August 1 to May 31 does not apply on the St. Marys River.

Staple flies

Reference photo

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Nymph#10–20NaturalBeadheadFlashback

Old Au Sable Fly Shop names a #12 to #14 Pheasant Tail as the Hendrickson nymph, and it covers every Michigan Ephemerella and Baetis nymph before and during a hatch. A beadhead #10 is a standard trailer fly in U.P. steelhead rigs, and #12 to #20 versions take pink salmon in clear water. Fish it dead-drifted under an indicator or on a tight line in the weeks before each mayfly hatch.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75

Reference photo

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

Nymph#8–18NaturalOliveBeadhead

The generalist buggy nymph for Michigan's clinger mayflies and caddis pupae, and MidCurrent lists a #10 to #14 Hare's Ear among winter steelhead nymphs. Dead-drift it under an indicator all season for trout, and as a trailer behind an egg or stonefly for steelhead.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75

Reference photo

Zebra Midge

Nymph#18–24Black with silver ribRedOlive

Black-bodied #20 to #24 midges are the main winter food on the Muskegon tailwater from November through April, with heavy hatches near springs on warm afternoons. Fish a Zebra Midge as a dropper under a small indicator or behind a scud; it also takes pink salmon in clear water and St. Marys Atlantics feeding on midges in late summer.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75

Reference photo

Nuke Egg

Egg#6–12Oregon Cheese over Steelhead OrangeApricot Supreme over Steelhead OrangeEgg over Sockeye+4

A McFly Foam or Glo Bug yarn core under a yarn veil that goes translucent when wet, imitating the milky, non-viable eggs that make up most of the drift. Tied on a Gamakatsu C14S or TMC 2457 #8 to #12 (TMC 105 #6 to #10 for salmon); natural combinations for clear water, Chartreuse over Flame and Flame over Cerise for high or stained flows. Fish it behind spawning salmon from September through November, with aging-egg colors through winter, and natural steelhead-egg shades in March and April on the Manistee, Betsie, PM, Muskegon and Au Sable.

Indicator nymphing · Chuck and duck · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.25

Reference photo

Glo Bug

Egg#6–16Oregon CheeseApricotPeach+6

The original yarn egg, still in every Michigan steelhead box in Oregon Cheese, Golden and Chartreuse per Current Works, with a #12 short-shank scud hook the all-around Pere Marquette size and #14 to #16 for low clear water. For salmon, Trails to Trout advises blue, black and chartreuse pre-spawn and red, pink and orange during the spawn, in #6 to #8. Cream and pale yellow versions carry through the winter and the April to May sucker spawn.

Indicator nymphing · Chuck and duck · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.25

Reference photo

Egg-Sucking Leech

Streamer#2–8Black with chartreuse headBlack with orange headPurple with pink head+2

A leech profile with an egg hot spot, recognized as one of the most effective flies on Great Lakes tributary steelhead streams and, per Current Works, less intrusive than most patterns for selective fish. Betts fishes it for Pere Marquette fall salmon, and Michigan coho anglers swing it through runs and tailouts. Dead-drift or swing black, purple or olive bodies with chartreuse, orange, red or pink heads from September through April; #8 versions take pink salmon.

Swinging flies (spey / switch) · Indicator nymphing · Chuck and duck · Streamers

Reserve · $6.50

Reference photo

Woolly Bugger

Streamer#2–12BlackOlivePurple+5

The most-cited Michigan salmon fly: black, olive and purple buggers for Chinook and coho, 'essential' on the Pere Marquette, swung or dead-drifted into staged fish from September through October, especially in off-color water. A #8 beadhead in black, olive or pink is the standard pink salmon fly on the St. Marys and Carp in September, and #8 to #12 buggers serve brook trout and small browns all season. Downsize and slow down for trout, upsize and add a hot head for salmon.

Streamers · Swinging flies (spey / switch) · Indicator nymphing · Chuck and duck

Reserve · $6.50

Reference photo

Muddler Minnow

Streamer#2–12NaturalBlackWhite+1

The deer-hair-head sculpin archetype that every Michigan articulated streamer descends from. Slimy and mottled sculpins are the most available forage in Michigan trout streams (about 90 percent of prey in the Anna River), so a #4 to #8 Muddler fished dead-drift and stripped along the bottom works year-round; small Muddlers #8 to #12 serve brook trout, and a weighted #8 takes pink salmon.

Streamers · Swinging flies (spey / switch)

Reserve · $6.50

All pink salmon flies