Carp

Golden Bones / Carp

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 8, 2023

Nice Mouth

Okay, admit it, you’re curious about the buzz these fish have brought to the sport of fly fishing, aren’t you?

Once considered a trash fish, anglers who have pursued them with the fly and fly rod have developed a respect for these brutes. While not exactly like a bonefish as some have claimed, I like to compare them to Redfish. When hooked, it’s similar to being attached to a big truck — they pull hard and steadily while showing you what color your backing is, often a few times before landing them. But the fight is only part of getting your “carp on a fly” fix.

Getting these fish to eat is not what you might think. They demand well-presented flies and the right fly pattern. Like most species of fish, you can have days when they are “on,” but more often than not, you need to get them to eat. This is where the fun and challenge is, and knowing when and where pays off.

As Featured in Simms Midwest Tour

RA Beattie hooked up with Current Works guide Ted Kraimer and The Northern Angler‘s Brian Pitser to fish the flats of Grand Traverse Bay for Simms Midwest Tour video series. Watch this short clip for a first-hand look at Traverse City area carp fishing.

When & Where

The season for carp on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan ranges from mid-May through mid-July. Weather and hence water temperature are a big factors determining success in finding fish; you might find them happily eating on a flat one day and few fish there the next day not eating. You must get to know their idiosyncrasies to be successful with carp fishing day after day. Since the carp season tends to overlap our best dry fly and hatch season for trout, consider fishing subsurface in the day for carp, then fish the Boardman or Upper Manistee river with dries for trout in the evening.

Bonus Fish

Often, Smallmouth Bass can be found in the shallows and flats looking to eat. Considered one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the country, Grand Traverse Bay, both East and West, produce fish over five pounds. They are not only are exciting to fish to, but also to bring in with their ability to jump out of the water.

Equipment

Carp Flies for the Great Lakes - Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Carp Flies – Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Like a number of saltwater species, I prefer to use 7 – 9 weight rods with Scientific Angler’s Redfish fly line, saltwater tapered leaders with fluorocarbon tippets. Crayfish and nymph patterns are my personal favorite patterns to use. These same flies are also preferred by the Smallmouth Bass that often “swim with the fishes” with my first choice always being a crayfish pattern.

This is no place for a beginner to learn to cast. Simply put, you must be able to cast anywhere from 20 to 45 feet with accuracy and often into wind. What makes this different from saltwater fishing is that you won’t need to wash your tackle free of any salt – the bays of Lake Michigan are pure, freshwater.

As the water temperatures warm, some clients choose to wet-wade rather than wear waders. It is usually a good idea to be prepared for both, based on the ever-changing temperatures. Sometimes we need to wade above the belt and when the water is cool, well, you know.

Thanks to Dave Whitlock and his articles in Fly Fisherman magazine (“Golden Ghosts,” July 1998 and “Golden Ghost II,” September 2008) for bringing more attention to this great game fish and their possibilities with a fly rod.

I have introduced more than enough skeptical trout anglers to the carp through guiding. They were more than surprised at how much fun and challenging these goldenbones are to fish for — book a day and try it for yourself.

: Wading Grand Traverse Bay

: School of Carp

: Holding on

bass, current works, dave whitlock carp fishing, flats, fly-fishing for carp, flyfishing for golden bones, golden ghosts, grand traverse bay carp fishing, great lakes, guide, guided trip, kramer, smallmouth bass, ted kraimer, traverse city

Practice Casting Prior to Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 15, 2016

Don’t practice when you get to the river – fish instead.

Each spring we notice the days getting longer, the weather warmer and the fishing season rapidly approaching. But are you ready? What I notice year after year with the majority of returning clients is their casting skills improve only marginally if at all. Often after some casual conversation they reveal that they haven’t fished/practiced casting since the last time we were together . Most of the time they don’t need to tell me this, I can see it.

Just like an elk hunter doesn’t climb on top of a mountain to sight his rifle in on a herd – a fly fisher should have practiced and refined his cast so it goes where it needs to go when on the water.

While not everyone is a natural caster, everyone can improve – but you have to spend some time working on it. First, make it a goal. Second execute a plan. Here are some thoughts on how you can work towards a better cast:

Loop control. If you don’t know them already understand the mechanics of good casting and practice false casting with ever improving loop control.

Fish demand accuracy – especially rising trout.

Aim small, hit small. Just don’t cast – actually practice hitting a target. Some people use hula hoops, but dark patches of grass, yard flags, or even a stick work as something to aim for.

Cast short. In Michigan a lot of our trout fishing is closer than people think. Or practice. Try casting shorter distances with accuracy rather than showing off how far you can cast.

Practice what you fish. If you are likely to cast big or weighted flies, practice casting big or weighted flies. Casting dry flies requires different casting skills and approach.

If you fish in windy conditions, practice in the wind.

Tie one on. Attach a bright, easy to see fly on the end of your leader and cut off the hook to eliminate hooking yourself.

Sporting clays/sporting flies. Bird hunters often practice shooting clay targets on a range where the targets fly in life-like situations. Practice casting similarly – put a target under a shrub or a tree – you know, where trout sometimes often lie.

Like the wind. Be sure to practice when it’s windy because it’s often windy when you’re on the water.

Lesson learned. FFF certified instructors are available for lessons and can flatten the learning curve – especially when you practice what they teach you.

Read & understand fly casting.

Read about it. There are countless books on casting – consider reading more on the subject.

Movie star. After some practice, have someone take a video of you casting and evaluate yourself. With smart phones, this is easy to do.

Build muscle memory. Fly casting is more muscle control than it is muscle and power application. Helping the body develop muscle control/memory can be achieved by practicing often but for very short periods of time. Some people find keeping a rod rigged up where they can go into the yard or neighborhood park for 15 min. makes practicing easy. One customer last year said it was a great way to decompress after work – and it was evident on the water that he practiced!

Dedicate a line. If you replace your fly line, use the old one as a dedicated practice line. This keeps your new line in optimum shape. Or check out the discounted fly lines at your local shop.

Becoming a better caster off the water makes you a better angler on the water.

Good casting and the ability to put a fly in front of a feeding fish or likely fish holding spot is crucial. If you can’t put the fly where and how it needs to be, your success rate will typically go down as your frustration goes up.

There are enough variables in fly fishing to work through, why not control the few you can? Show up to the water a better caster and a better angler.

accuracy for rising trout, casting lessons, fff certified casting instructor, loop control, practicing casting, practicing fly casting

May Days – A Month of Fly Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 12, 2014

May Fly Fishing - Streamer Fishing Michigan

Brown Trout caught in May

It is no secret that northern Michigan’s fly fishing is one of a kind when you consider the variety of species in our local waters. The first popular season of the year is Spring Steelhead from mid-March through April, and Trout fishing in June with its hatches of big bugs aren’t missed by many. But in between is the month of May – a great month to fly fish Michigan – filled with a number of choices for anglers of all skill levels at a productive and less populated time.

Below is a brief summary of the various species, time of month and common approaches we take to fishing through May.

Steelhead

Drop-back steelhead caught on the swing

Most years, the steelhead on rivers like the Manistee below Tippy Dam continue to migrate in early May although, typically not in the numbers found in April. Considering how few anglers are out there and with water and air temps much warmer, this can be an ideal time to target drop-back and up-stream bound steelhead with nymphs, swung flies and streamers. Just because the crowds are gone doesn’t mean the fish are.

Steelhead & Trout

May Fly Fishing - Late Season Steelhead in Michigan

Late season Steelhead hooked while trout fishing

Waters like the lower Manistee containing both steelhead and trout, can offer a great one-two approach. That is, focus on steelhead until the sun gets high, then target trout. Or spend the day targeting trout with nymphs and streamers and hold on tight should you hook onto a steelhead in the process. Streamer fishing is a good way to cover lots of water and focus on predatory trout and the drop-back steelhead looking to eat before heading back to the lake. During the second half of the month steelhead are usually gone and anglers focus on trout with all types of presentations – nymphs, streamers, wet flies/soft hackles and dries. Since trout are stocked in this water, it can be an ideal place for a beginner or kid to learn while making their trout fishing experience a positive one.

Trout

Depending on the length and severity of winter, the first part of May usually offers good hatches of mayflies and caddis and build throughout the month on local rivers making for great dry fly fishing. The upper Manistee and AuSable are known for their dry fly fishing for brown, rainbow and brook trout. Watching them eat your hendrickson or mother’s day caddis in daylight is what it is all about for a lot of us anglers. Water conditions can vary from year to year – it can be clear or it can be stained, but regardless, the fish are there and usually looking to eat. Hendricksons to sulphurs and lots in between, don’t miss out on hatching bugs and rising fish.

May Fly Fishing - Michigan Mayfly Hatches

Late afternoon mayfly hatch in Michigan

A well-rounded angler who can not only cast a dry fly when an emergence takes place but can fish below the surface with a sink-tip fly line and a streamer can really maximize May’s potential. May is – in my opinion – the best month to focus on the big trout with big flies. Since the trout haven’t been pressured, this is a good time to feed them a streamer pattern as they are not only hungry but also territorial.

On those first warm days of spring having your favorite dry fly rod strung-up with a dry in the boat as you cover the water with a streamer is great approach. May trout fishing often occurs during “Bankers Hours” – from late morning until early evening – which further appeals to anglers.

Additional Articles:

Tips for Better Streamer Presentations Dry Fly Fishing Do’s

Panfish/Bluegills

Nice Bluegill/Panfish caught on a small streamer

As the sun gets even higher, the days longer and warmer, so do the waters on the many local ponds and lakes. Mid-month, panfish (Bluegill) typically leave the depths and come in shallow to spawn providing a lot of fun for fly anglers. Ever catch a bluegill the size of your hand on a 3 or 4 wt. rod? You won’t forget it when you do. And you won’t forget it if a big bass or pike eats your bluegill as you bring it in. Rarely will you land both, but you will have a great fish story to tell!

Like most fishing – a versatile angler who can fish for bluegill on top with dries and subsurface with nymphs and small streamers will be the productive angler. Being visual, fishing on top is always fun but you can create your own luck and being able to swim a small nymph slowly near structure increases your luck as this usually gets you that larger fish. Big bluegills are smart and are trophies in their own right making them not only fun to target, but worthy of bragging about.

More on Fly Fishing for Bluegill/Panfish

Carp and Smallmouth Bass

Carp fishing Grand Traverse Bay

May’s winds blow the warm surface water of Grand Traverse Bay into the shallows bringing the first of the carp and smallmouth into the flats to eat or sometimes just sun themselves. With carp steadily becoming more popular with fly fishers, the angler who finds the pre-spawn fish before others does well – especially because they aren’t preoccupied with spawning. It can be tricky, as water temps are influenced by wind direction, sunlight and night-time temperatures, but knowing when and where to go will make the difference between finding fish and not. Being able to cast and manipulate a fly and watch them eat brings a saltwater-like fishing experience closer to home.

Trying New Methods

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 27, 2012

A great aspect of fly fishing in northwest Michigan is the variety of fish we have to pursue – we aren’t limited to just one or two species or the methods we fly fish for them. While you may have fished one or more species already, there are variations in how we can chase your preferred species. Below you will find a short synopsis of the less popular species and/or ways to catch them. Often as anglers we are looking to mix things up, experience something new, or add a new species to our bucket list – here are a few that you might consider adding to your angling plans:

Carp on the Fly

Over the years this has become one of the most inquired about species and fishery that I guide for and why not? It’s intriguing to many that people actually pursue with flies a species once considered a trash fish. And they travel a great distance to do so. These fish offer the angler the closest thing to a saltwater fishing experience right here in Grand Traverse Bay. Carp are often easy to see, but getting a fly to them and getting them to eat it is what makes this species challenging and rewarding when success is accomplished.

Time of Year: The month of June is best, with good fishing in mid-May through mid-July.

Skill Level: Moderate. The successful carp angler needs to be able to cast accurately to 35 feet often in wind.

Notes: Smallmouth bass often are among the carp and can exceed 5 pounds!

Streamer Fishing for Big Trout

The concept isn’t new, however many customers haven’t tried it yet. The idea behind casting big streamer patterns is to trigger the territorial response of the alpha fish and/or offer them a large meal at once. Because the flies range from 3 to 7 inches in length, the fish usually playing along are bigger, too — “qualifying the buyer” so to speak. The number of fish caught tend to be fewer than other methods, as we drift a few miles of river, but size typically makes up for it. Besides, there is something about watching 20-plus inches of brown trout pounce on your fly that makes this all worth while.

Time of Year: Best months include May, June, September and October, but can be done effectively from April through November. It’s a great alternative anytime you don’t see trout.
Skill Level: Moderate. A decent understanding of loading the rod and casting is necessary as is stripping line.
Notes: Like anything new, there is a learning curve, and the only way to learn is to learn along the way.

Swing Flies for Steelhead

For years we were told in Michigan that we need to get to the bottom with lead and nymphs to catch fish, and that our rivers aren’t like those of the Northwest where swinging flies is the norm. Things change. Thanks to a handful of guides here in Michigan who refused the status quo and persevered, fishing two-handed rods for steelhead has become a viable method to catch fish in the Great Lakes state. While it isn’t as effective as nymphing techniques, swinging wet and spey flies and streamer patterns is simply fun. When I started doing it back in the late 90s I dubbed it as being a “Born Again Fly Fisher” — the intrigue, uncertainty, novelty and not knowing whether that long swing was going to be “the one” makes fly fishing seem new again, and a lot of fun.

Time of Year: Late April through early May, October through November
Skill Level: Moderate
Notes: The fall fishery is best as water temperatures are usually conducive to a swung fly and the fish aren’t preoccupied with spawning. In spring the post-spawn or drop-back fishing is best as water temps are ideal, the fish are done spawning and they’re looking to eat before going back to the lake.

Bass Fishing

Fishing top-water flies to largemouth bass can be some of the best fishing of the summer. As the water has warmed and the weed beds have grown, bass tend to congregate around them looking for easy meals; flies that look like frogs or others that “CHUG” across the surface commanding attention often get the “bucket mouth” to eat and that in and of itself is the best part. When the surface bite isn’t on, go subsurface with baitfish streamer patterns.

Time of Year: Late June through Early September
Skill Level: Moderate
Notes: Like many of the techniques mentioned in this article, a decent command of the cast is required to get the big wind resistant flies to where they need to be.

Smallmouth Bass in the River

Once the middle of summer is here, the fish know it too. With lower sections of the Manistee warming up, the smallmouth migrate and become an active target. Smallies are known for their fight, and the river fish are no different than their lake-living brethren. The techniques are varied but include streamers and top water flies. Chugging a popper or swimming a diver just below the surface to have the water erupt is a great visual. The streamer fishing is similar to the streamer fishing described above.

Time of Year: July and August
Skill Level: Moderate
Notes: Casting a wind-resistant popper or a sink-tip with 4 inches of rabbit isn’t for a beginner, but someone who has a good understanding of the cast can typically pick it up quickly. And the more you do something, the better angler you become.

Streamer Fish for Salmon

This is similar to fishing big streamers for trout, except when caught we measure the fish in pounds, not inches. Oh yeah, you better hold on tight to the rod, as the jolt can be just that. Casting large streamers to fish that have recently moved into the lower sections of rivers is work, but often hard work is paid off. The early, bright King/Chinook Salmon in the river aren’t happy — kind of ornery — and this attitude is to our advantage, as their predatory nature is still engaged and willing to eat a fly before they transition to fish with spawning on their minds.

Time of year: Mid-August through Early September
Skill Level: Moderate/Advanced
Notes: Weather conditions are key to this fishing — if conditions aren’t right for fish to be in the river, they simply won’t be there. However, it can all change with a wind shift and a little rain.

Like just about anything new we try, there is some learning, adjusting, tweaking, etc. involved. Often these new adventures or approaches don’t come easy at first, but most likely neither did your first time on the water with the fly rod. If you set out with the intent to learn a new technique with an opportunity to catch fish, you will do well. I pride myself on being able to gauge where your skill level is and teach you a new skill(s) in a linear approach. Casting lessons are always available prior to trips and sometimes are encouraged so you can practice ahead of time to maximize your time on the water. After all, it’s a good time on the water with the potential of that photo op that accompanies a new story about a new-found skill.

bass fishing, carp on the fly, streamer fishing for big trout, Streamer fishing for salmon, swing flies for steelhead

Swimming Hex

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 13, 2012

Ted’s Swimming Hex

A number of people have inquired about how to tie my Swimming Hex nymph pattern featured in Fly Tyer Magazine- Spring 2010 as a part of “Rainy’s Newest Flies for 2010.” I know what you are thinking – not another hex nymph pattern? Yep, but this one is a little different than the others out there.

Originally I designed this pattern for carp fishing – weighted eyes tied on the topside of the hook keep the point up and sharp, while a rabbit strip tail creates lots of motion when striped or from wave action. Fished slowly with short strips or “bumps” on the retrieve, this nymph fly does a great job of imitating the burrowing mayflies found in the silt of my favorite carp waters. But there are times when a fast-paced strip to emulate a swimming hex drives both carp and smallmouth bass nuts.

I think “swimming” this pattern does a good job of imitating juvenile gobies which are so prevalent in the Great Lakes. Steelhead anglers will find fishing this pattern under a float to be effective since it has lots of motion due to the rabbit strip tail and looks like the hex nymphs/wigglers swimming in the same waters.

I like to tie this pattern in a variety of different weights (Bead-chain eyes and various lead dumb-bell weights) to get down in a variety of depths and conditions – sometimes when fishing to moving or cruising carp and smallmouth bass, you want to fly to get down quick as you try to intercept them. After you tie this fly on be sure to massage some water into it to help sink it; rabbit hair inherently has lots of air trapped within causing it to float or suspend at first.

Not a fly tier? You can buy these from your local fly shop that sells Rainy’s flies.

Swimming Hex Recipe

Hook:           Mustad C49S #6 or TFS 2500
Thread:        Uni 6/0 Camel
Body:           McLean’s tan/brown barred rabbit strip
Thorax:        Wapsi’s Golden Stone Lifecycle dubbing
Eyes:           Bead chain – med or lead dumbbell eyes – extra small, or small
Hackle:         Pheasant Rump Feather
Legs:           Sili-Legs – pumpkin/black
Wing Case:   Peacock Herl
Gills:            Gray fibers from the base of pheasant feather

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Wrap thread base layer and tie in eyes on top of hook using figure-8 wraps.

Step 2. Cut a piece of rabbit strip about three times the length of hook shank. Remove hook
from vise and poke the hook point through it so that the eyes are down and the fur is up.
Tie it down so it’s slightly on the curved part of the shank encouraging an upright position.

Step 3. Tie in gills – taken from the bottom part of a pheasant rump feather.
Tie them so they flare on both sides of the rabbit strip.