Today
Wednesday, Aug 19
7.6/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
78°51°
Wind4 mph NNWRain9%Clouds43%Moon40%
Michigan · River fishing forecast
Muskegon River near Croton fishing forecast today
Current conditions plus a 7-day fishing outlook for Muskegon River near Croton, including Fishing Score, wind, pressure, clouds, rain chance and moon phase, with live USGS water observations, recent trends and long-term seasonal context where available.
8.4/10
Good
Current Fishing Score
Weather-based index with a long-term USGS river-flow check. Current water adjustment: 0.0.
100% weather data coverageFull inputsUSGS flow adjustment 0.0
Air temperature
67°F
Wind
2 mph N
Pressure
29.95 inHg
Nearby NWS observation
Cloud cover
33%
Rain chance
0%
Moon
Waxing Crescent
Water temp
71.8°F
USGS observation
Gusts
8 mph
Humidity
90%
Weather data updated: Aug 19, 2026, 10:03 AM EDT
Live water data
Muskegon River near Croton water temperature and USGS river conditions
Current observations with 24-hour, 7-day, recent 30-day and long-term seasonal context from the verified reference station.
Muskegon River near Croton, MIUSGS-04121970 · about 0.0 mi from forecast point
Water temperature71.8°FUSGS 00010
24hSteady-0.2°F7 daysSteady-0.2°F30-day contextNear 30-day median72.1°F medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median71.3°F median · 30 years
Streamflow970 cfsUSGS 00060
24hStable0%7 daysFalling-22%30-day contextBelow 30-day median1,170 cfs medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median1,145 cfs median · 30 years
Gage height4.36 ftUSGS 00065
24hStable0.00 ft7 daysFalling-0.33 ft
Fishing Score water checkCurrent streamflow is about 15% from the long-term seasonal median based on 30 approved same-day observations. No score penalty applied.
Latest supported observation: Aug 19, 10:15 AM EDTSeasonal baseline uses approved USGS day-of-year statistics; 30-day context remains a separate recent median. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to the same-calendar-day streamflow baseline, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow can only reduce the current score; it never adds bonus points.
Plan the week
Muskegon River near Croton 7-day fishing forecast
Compare day-level Fishing Scores with wind, rain risk, pressure and temperatures for the next seven days.
Forecast data coverageDaily weather-score coverage is 72%. NWS forecast pressure is unavailable for these periods, so the daily scores are partial.
Best available weather score · partialTuesday, Aug 25 · 8.3/10
Thu
Thursday, Aug 20
6.9/10
Partial
Sunny
80°56°
Wind3 mph NRain1%Clouds11%Moon50%
Fri
Friday, Aug 21
7.7/10
Partial
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
78°60°
Wind6 mph SRain44%Clouds54%Moon61%
Sat
Saturday, Aug 22
7.7/10
Partial
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
77°54°
Wind7 mph WRain38%Clouds53%Moon71%
Sun
Sunday, Aug 23
7.8/10
Partial
Sunny
75°51°
Wind8 mph NWRain8%Clouds20%Moon80%
Mon
Monday, Aug 24
7.9/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
76°54°
Wind5 mph NWRain4%Clouds31%Moon88%
Tue
Tuesday, Aug 25
8.3/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
79°57°
Wind5 mph SWRain22%Clouds41%Moon94%
The large Current Fishing Score above uses current conditions and, on eligible river pages, can include a conservative USGS streamflow penalty. The seven daily cards remain weather-only because this site does not predict future river flow. Cards marked “Partial” use less than 90% of the weighted weather inputs.
Muskegon River near Croton fishing conditions overview
The current weather inputs produce a good weather-based Fishing Score. Very light wind may leave clear, calm water more demanding.
Estimated activity windows: 6:08 AM–8:23 AM and 7:12 PM–9:27 PM local time. These are dawn/dusk windows, not guaranteed bite times.
Best fishing time today: estimated windows
The first estimated window runs from 6:08 AM–8:23 AM, around sunrise at 6:53 AM. The second runs from 7:12 PM–9:27 PM, around sunset at 8:42 PM. Lower light can change visibility and fish positioning, but actual feeding periods vary by species, season and water conditions.
Muskegon River near Croton fishing: structure, seasons and local conditions
Lower Muskegon River fishery below Croton Dam with runs, pools and seasonal salmonid migrations. For fishing decisions, useful local reference areas include pools, runs and current seams. Those features are more informative than treating the whole forecast area as one uniform piece of water. Muskegon River near Croton has tailwater influence. Dam releases can change current speed, depth and water temperature independently of local air weather, which is why fresh flow data deserves more weight than a generic seasonal assumption.
Michigan has a pronounced warm-up and cool-down cycle. Spring can pull activity toward warming shallows or current edges; midsummer often increases the value of depth, shade, current or cooler water; and fall cooling can broaden the usable zone again. Those shifts matter differently to Steelhead and Chinook salmon, so recent conditions are more useful than assuming the same pattern all season. The practical decision on Muskegon River near Croton is not only whether the score is high; it is whether pools, runs and current seams remain fishable at the current flow and water level.
Common targets at Muskegon River near Croton include Steelhead, Chinook salmon, and Brown trout. They do not use depth, current and cover in exactly the same way, so the Fishing Score remains a conditions index rather than a species-specific bite prediction. This page also has a manually mapped USGS reference station, so fresh water temperature, flow or level can be shown when that station reports a supported sensor.
What to watch in today's conditions
Wind
Current wind is about 2 mph from N, with gusts near 8 mph. Crosswind and gusts can change boat control and presentation, while bends and protected banks may remain much calmer.
Barometric pressure
Barometric pressure is about 29.95 inHg. Pressure is one part of the Fishing Score and is read together with wind, cloud cover and precipitation.
Moon phase and light
The moon is currently in the Waxing Crescent phase with approximately 38% illumination. Lunar illumination has a smaller weight than the main weather factors.
Target species
SteelheadChinook salmonBrown trout
Always verify current state fishing regulations, seasons, bag limits, licensing requirements and location-specific closures before fishing.
How this forecast is calculated
The Fishing Score starts with National Weather Service weather data: pressure 28%, wind 24%, cloud cover 18%, precipitation probability 18% and lunar illumination 12%. Missing weather factors are never treated as zero; partial weather results are pulled toward a neutral 5/10 according to the missing weight. On eligible river pages, a separate conservative USGS flow check can only reduce the current score when streamflow is unusually far from the long-term seasonal median or changing rapidly. It never increases the score.
Quick answers
Muskegon River near Croton fishing forecast FAQ
What is the Fishing Score for Muskegon River near Croton today?
The current Fishing Score is 8.4 out of 10 with 100% weighted data coverage. The weather inputs used by the score are currently complete.
What is the best fishing time at Muskegon River near Croton today?
The page highlights estimated low-light windows of 6:08 AM–8:23 AM and 7:12 PM–9:27 PM local time, centered around sunrise and sunset. They are planning windows, not guaranteed bite times.
What fish are commonly targeted at Muskegon River near Croton?
Common target species listed for Muskegon River near Croton include Steelhead, Chinook salmon, Brown trout. Seasons, legal limits and local closures can change, so always verify current regulations before fishing.
What weather factors are used for Muskegon River near Croton?
The Fishing Score uses barometric pressure and trend, wind, cloud cover, precipitation probability and moon illumination. Missing inputs are excluded rather than treated as zero.
Does this page include USGS water conditions for Muskegon River near Croton?
Yes. This page uses the manually mapped Muskegon River near Croton, MI reference station when fresh supported observations are available. Water temperature, streamflow or water level can appear depending on the station sensors. When approved long-term statistics are available, the page can compare the current reading with the seasonal median for the same calendar day. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to that calendar day, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow may conservatively reduce the Fishing Score; water data never adds bonus points.
What is the water temperature at Muskegon River near Croton?
The latest supported USGS water-temperature observation shown on this page is 71.8°F from Muskegon River near Croton, MI. Readings older than 48 hours are not presented as current.