Buckingham Guide Service

With my Grandparents living on 10-mile road in Rockford, Michigan, I was first introduced to the Rogue River at the age of seven.  As I got older, the love for fishing continued to grow.  My Grandfather mentored my brother and I on how to use spinning gear effectively on the Rogue River catching Rainbow and Brown Trout. As the years have gone by, my love for fishing has progressed from a passion to an obsession.  Through my 20’s, 30’s, and now into my forties I have been persistently chasing after Salmon, Trout and Steelhead that swim on the west side of Michigan.  Whether it’s at the 6th street dam on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, the Rogue River up in Rockford, the Muskegon River in Newaygo or off the South Pier in Grand Haven, there is no shortage of great places to catch fish.  As a young man I have had the privilege of having these natural resources literally in my backyard to use and enjoy.  And enjoyed I have!  Over the years I have logged in more hours on the various rivers than my wife probably cared for me to, but with all that time invested into something, you are going to learn what works and what doesn’t.
    My Grandfather always had a saying that I believe to be true: “Ten percent of the fisherman catch ninety percent of the fish.”  I also believe that the ten percent of the fisherman that are catching the ninety percent of the fish are the ones that are not only putting the time in on the water, but are also very observant of the conditions in which they are fishing.  In other words the weather is key!  Water temperature, clarity, wind direction, wind speed, cold and warm fronts are all pieces of the puzzle that have to be factored into the fishing equation every time you hit the water.  I have done my homework; I know what works, when it works, and why it works.

    Through the years I have had great success targeting Salmon, Trout and Steelhead using 9.5 and 10.5 ft. Lamiglas light action spinning rods, coupled with Shimano Reels with only four lb. test.  The light line gives you great casting ability, which is needed when you’re using minimal weight.  This method has proven time and time again to catch fish.   Be careful after you’ve hooked a king Salmon, Steelhead or big Trout; you're only halfway home.  It is no easy task to land some of these big fish, using light line even for a seasoned veteran.  That is why I use the long light action rods to act as a long shock absorber when these fish make violent runs.  I’m telling you, if you were to try it you would agree with me that it is not only an effective way to catch fish, but it’s also extremely fun.  If any of this sounds appealing to you, please e-mail me or simply call me and I would love to talk with you in greater detail about this.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

John Buckingham
 

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              6th. Street Dam Downtown Grand Rapids

Chrome Bullet Hen Upstream of Pine Street Access 

Older Brother Todd and me off the South Pier Grand Haven, MI.