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Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Outfitter in Traverse City, Michigan
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Hawkins Outfitters, MI
Hawkins Outfitters is a catch-and-release fly fishing guide service based near Traverse City, Michigan. We have been in business 30+ years, fishing our local lakes and streams. We are fully licensed and permitted by both the State of Michigan and the United States Forest Service to use all the area's lakes, rivers, and streams.
Hawkins Outfitters was founded on the principle that a guide can't control the weather or the fish, so he/she is responsible for controlling everything else. Our boats and equipment are first-rate, meals are fresh and tasty, and my guides arrive excited to go to work and help our customers reach their fly fishing dreams. Our skill at that was one reason we are a past Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide Service of the Year.
We guide beginners to advanced anglers—young and old alike—with a great attitude and a desire to have a wonderful day on the water.
We are not a shop or a lodge, but rather a group of guides that love to guide and wish to take you fishing on "Any River... Anytime."
Orvis is pleased to offer our travel customers access to two valuable services: Global Rescue travel membership and IMG Signature Travel Insurance℠.
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Hawkins Outfitters generally offers full day trips with some half-day trips available depending upon the time of year. All or our trips are from a boat. You are typically with our guides for 7-8 hours after meeting him at an easy-to-identify location.
Except for midsummer and evening trips, we start early in the morning and stop midday for lunch. Many times, the clients can fish while we prepare lunch and then we get after it again the afternoon and are generally back to the ramp by 2-3 PM.
We provide rods and reels, a meal on full-day trips, plus beverages.
The customer needs to secure a Michigan fishing license. Additionally, they should dress for the weather and bring sunglasses and a hat for safety. Sunscreen and any other personal items needed should be brought on the boat as many times we won’t be back to the ramp until the end of the trip.
Hawkins Outfitters fishes within a 90-mile radius around Traverse City, Michigan. We fish the Manistee, Boardman, Betsie, and Pine rivers, along with some other smaller creeks. In fact, we are one of only two outfitters licensed to fish the Pine River.
Additionally, the Lake Michigan bays in our area, and many inland lakes give us ample opportunity to fish for all species available.
The weather is typical northern Michigan. Winter starts around Thanksgiving and ends in April. Temps can run from low 30s down to zero. Storms are always possible, but winter on a decent day is a great time to fish.
Spring is May, with summer starting in mid-June. The temps/weather can be unpredictable, with temperatures from freezing all the way up to 80 degrees. The leaves start changing in October, signaling the arrival of fall—a beautiful and busy time of year. Cool to cold mornings give way to nice afternoons.
Michigan has fish that can be caught by fly anglers 12 months a year. Steelhead are available most years from late September until the following April, with prime time being October and November, followed closely by December through March.
Resident trout fishing runs from late April through November with May and June being prime time. Salmon start showing in August most years and hang around through October.
Small and largemouth bass, bluegills, pike, and other warm water species are pursued successfully from May to October in both lakes and rivers. Smallmouth on the Lake Michigan bays are prime in early to mid-June, depending upon water temperatures.
As of 2026, trips generally start at $575 per boat for up to two anglers. Depending upon time of year and location, this price may vary.
It is possible to fish year around in Michigan. Therefore, subject to our winter weather, we fish the same 12-month period.
Spring fishing starts in March with steelhead and continues through April. May is the preview to summer, with bugs beginning to hatch and the lakes and streams begin to wake up from winter. Our big bugs hatches begin in June and ultimately end with the Hexagenia limbata (Hex) hatch of late June/early July. Summer fishing is best for warm water species on the river and our inland lakes but some days we can chase trout on the rivers subject to water temperatures being safe for the fish.
Fall fishing starts in September as the nights begin to cool. October brings the peak of our leaf colors and December starts the long, northern winter. My guides fish every day in winter that the temperatures allow.
Most kids can pick up casting very early (around age 5). However, to adequately fish from a boat, we generally like to have them be around 8 years old. We recommend giving us a call and we can discuss options, especially for bluegill and younger children.
Prime trout trips for the big bug months of June and up to around July 4th generally are booked by late spring. Prime-time steelhead trips for the Fall need to be booked by June most years. If you are date-specific in a prime time, earlier is better. To book online, visit our booking website.
Yes, we have single-handed rod techniques that will get you hooked up on steelhead.
No, we like to move around and fish a variety of waters depending on species and time of year. We do provide you with a list of housing options when you book a trip with us.
That depends on your schedule, ability, and desire. We suggest a minimum of two days if you are traveling a distance or learning a new technique.