Steelhead

Late October Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 22, 2023

As October winds down, so has the salmon fishing. There seemed to be more salmon this year in the Manistee and Betsie rivers than in recent years as their population builds back up thanks to an increasing baitfish population in the lake.

With so many salmon laying eggs in the river, it makes for a great “protein drip” for the steelhead to feed on. So far this Fall, the steelhead numbers have been quite low for adult fish, but with a great number of skippers (15-22” steelhead). Time will tell if the low return is a matter of low water that most rivers on the west side of the State are dealing with, warmer water temps, or a lack of fish population, but it sure feels great when that adult jumps on and reminds us of what a great sport fish they are. It’s also a reminder not to take them for granted and that catch and release is crucial for the future of our fisheries.

Some fresh coho have been around, too, which are always a fun bycatch.

Most of the fish are being caught on eggs and beads with so many eggs in the water. Natural looking colors and sizes are still the first choice but on days when the leaf drop is heavy, sometimes fishing an egg pattern that’s a little larger and/or bolder can help bring some attention to it. You can read more on fishing egg patterns here.

As a seasoned veteran guide now retired recently shared with me – “Keep the faith, they have a way of just showing up”. We look forward to that.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Just a few dates in November remain available – finish the fishing season strong.
Spring Steelhead – Most of the season is booked – get your dates for March and April while you can.
2024 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.

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Steelhead

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 13, 2023

One of, if not the most exciting and electrifying freshwater game fish in North America is the Steelhead, and we are lucky to have them coming out of the great lakes and into our rivers. Steelhead fishing is broken down into two categories: Spring and Fall. The warmer days and thaw periods of the the winter offer some good steelheading opportunities and a chance to shake off the winter blues. The average size of the steelhead we catch is eight pounds, with some years having returns of much larger fish tipping the scales over 15 pounds.

Spring Steelhead

Steelhead - Spring Fishing on the Manistee

Spring Chrome

Spring fish start entering the river when the days get longer and water temperatures improve. From mid-March through the first of May, anglers can expect to catch these hard-fighting fish which enter the river for their annual spawning ritual. Unlike the salmon in the fall, these fish spawn and then return to the lake, and hopefully return to the river again and again, which is why they vary in size from a few pounds (skippers – first-year return) to 15 pounds + (four-year return).

For those looking for something different, swinging flies and stripping streamers for drop-back fish can be effective as fish return to Lake Michigan after successfully spawning. Start the year’s fishing off right with some steelhead.

Fall Steelhead

Fall Steelhead – a Beautiful Time of Year

While we aren’t exactly sure why these fish come into the river, we do know they do come, and often their eagerness to eat the fly is strong.

Because salmon are in the river by the thousands, there are literally millions of eggs drifting through the river, providing a great food to imitate with egg patterns. Catching salmon happens frequently while targeting these steelhead so be prepared for something a little bigger on the end of you line. Like the early salmon, these fish will take a streamer if presented properly. Fall steelhead season begins the end of September and extends through November. Fishing late fall and into winter is always an option especially during mild winters or when a thaw takes place.

Methods

Swinging Spey Flies for Steelhead on Manistee River

Swinging Flies on the Manistee River

The most common and effective way to fish steelhead is by bottom bouncing nymphs with either a floating line or the “chuck and duck” method. The fish love well-presented eggs and nymphs. Swinging sink-tips with large flies that are more like streamers than spey flies is becoming more popular in the Midwest. While it isn’t the most productive way to catch a fish, no one will argue with the satisfaction of bringing a steely to hand via this method. More sporting? probably, but a steelhead is a steelhead no matter if you get them with a pair of eggs, an egg and nymph combo or a big, nasty swung streamer.
Since we fish from a boat, we strongly suggestwhen swinging flies with a spey rod, do so as a single angler.

Rivers

To learn more about the rivers we fish steelhead, click on the links below.

• Big Manistee River (below Tippy Dam) • • Betsie River •

: Winter Fishing

: Spring Steelhead

: Fall Steelhead

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Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 16, 2017

Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Large stonefly nymphs populate most of our trout and steelhead rivers and because of their size, they offer a calorie packed snack to fish. Water levels often fluctuate dramatically in the Spring as snow melts and this increase in water flow often dislodges these large nymphs and send them tumbling downstream making this pattern ideal for Spring Steelhead.

The clarity of the water typically becomes stained with increased flows due to winter’s thaw and rains which is why this large profile fly pattern and sparkle thorax help attract the fish’s attention. The color black remains visible in the water column as it contrasts the stained water while the rest of the pattern does a good job of providing a stoneflies silhouette. And the rubber legs just add a little motion while it dead drifts.

Steelhead caught on Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

This variation of Bowerman’s Sparkle Body Stone fly pattern has worked for steelhead in the spring, but also in late fall when stoneflies seem to get active crawling around the river bottom.

Recipe

Hook:               TMC 3761 #6
Thread:            Uni 6/0 Black
Lead:               Lead Wire .030 (optional)
Tail:                 Goose or Turkey Biots – Black
Body:               Black Dubbing – Awesome Possum
Rib:                  V-Rib Medium Black
Thorax:            Estaz or Pearl Chenille – Black
Hackle: Hen Saddle – Black
Legs:                Medium Round Rubber Legs – Black
Wing case:       Turkey Tail treated with Flex Seal or Crystal Clear

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Wrap a base layer of thread to above the hook barb.

Step 2. Tie in a very small ball of dubbing above the barb to help spread the tail.

Step 3. Tie in biots – with the natural curve opposing each other in opposite directions.
Use the dubbing ball to help spread them. The pointed ends should extend the distance of the hook gape.

Step 4. Tie in the v-rib along the shank so the convex (rounded) side is against the
hook shank where the material extends beyond the hook bend.

Step 5. Dub a tapered body from the tail 2/3rds of the way up hook shank.

Step 6. Wind rib, convex (rounded) side up, through body creating a segmented look.

Step 7. Tie in wing case, dull side down, extending over the body area.

Step 8. Tie in the tip of a hen saddle feather convex side facing rear of the hook.

Step 9. Tie in Estaz or Chenille just in front of where saddle hackle is tied in.

Step 10. Tie in a rubber leg on each side of the thorax.

Step 11. Wind thorax material toward the eye so rubber legs are separated – maintaining an X profile.

Step 12. Gently pull the saddle feather over the top of the thorax and tie down.

Step 13. Pull wing case over thorax, trim and whip finish.

Final: Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Option: If adding lead wire, do this step between steps 3 and 4.
Tie lead wire 1/3rd of the shank’s length behind the eye. After securing, wrap the
lead around the shank towards the hook bend and tie off above hook point.
When tying the V-Rib at Step 4, tie it just behind the lead wire.

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Green Caddis – Steelhead and Salmon

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 21, 2015

V-Rib or Vinyl Rib Caddis

It seems that each spring and fall when the steelhead are around, I find I didn’t tie enough flies in the off season to keep my boxes well stocked. Thankfully there are a few patterns that are quick and easy to tie, but more importantly, they are effective. The green caddis is one of them.

Caddis insects line the bottom of many rivers and their cases can often be seen clinging to rocks and logs. A gentle squeeze of that casing will bring the little grub-looking larvae out, and you will see the bright green resemblance to these patterns. While the naturals are very small (typically size 12-20), we fish them in larger sizes – serving, I think, more as an attractor or suggestion, rather than a perfect imitation of the natural caddis.

Steelhead Caddis – Dubbed

Fish love chartreuse, and some of you may have heard the expression – “It ain’t no use – unless it’s chartreuse.” We kind of say that as a joke, but when fishing’s tough, chartreuse can turn “fishing” into “catching.” The green caddis is a pattern in that color spectrum we use to bend the rod, and it often leaves us wondering why we didn’t try chartreuse earlier.

Although I feel this is one of the easiest fly patterns to tie, I often get requests to demonstrate in fly tying classes, so I thought I would post it on this website. The green caddis is also a great pattern to get new fly tiers interested in the craft as well as fill their own fly box.

Viagra Caddis

There are so many versions of this pattern I thought I would include a few as they are pretty much tied the same, it’s just that the materials are different. Other names of similar patterns include: PM Caddis, Boogie Woogie Caddis, Steelhead Caddis and more.

Tie a bunch of green caddis for yourself and chuckle at their ease and smile at their effectiveness.

Click to skip to fly tying instructions:

Diamond Braid Green Caddis
Vinyl Rib Caddis (aka V-Rib Caddis)
Steelhead Caddis – Dubbed
Viagra Caddis

Diamond Braid Green Caddis

Recipe

Hook: TMC 2457 #8-12
Thread: Uni 6/O – Chartreuse and Black
Body: Dyed Pearl Diamond Braid –
Collar: Hen Saddle – Speckled Brown
Head: Super Bright Dubbing – Black

Fly Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Place hook into vise and wrap a thread base from
behind hook eye to above barb and back again to behind the eye.

Step 2. Tie in Diamond Braid on top of the hook – a hook eye’s distance behind the eye
(leaving room for the head). Wrap over the braid to above the hook barb and back again.

Step 3. Tightly wrap the Diamond Braid forward and tie off leaving room for the head. Tie off and whip finish.

Step 4. Using black thread, restart behind the hook eye. Take the tip of the feather
and pull back majority of the fibers and tie in between the body material and hook eye.
Select a feather so the lengths of the feather barbs don’t extend beyond the body.

Step 5. Wrap the feather forward, one wrap in front of the other covering the hook and tie off.

Step 6. Apply dubbing to the thread and wrap a snug head that is the same diameter as the body material. Tie off.

Optional – You can tie this pattern and omit the collar.

Vinyl Rib Green Caddis

Recipe

Hook: TMC 2457 #8-12
Thread: Uni 6/O – Chartreuse and Black
Body: Vinyl Rib – FL Chartreuse – Medium
Collar: Hen Saddle – Speckled Brown
Head: Super Bright Dubbing – Black

Fly Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Place hook into vise and wrap a thread base from behind
hook eye to above barb and back again to behind the eye.

Step 2. Concave side up, tie Vinyl Rib on top of the hook – a hook eye’s distance behind the eye
(leaving room for the head). Wrap over the v-rib to above the hook barb and back again.

Step 3. Tightly wrap the V-Rib forward, snugly in front of the previous wrap.
Finish where V-rib was tied in. Tie off and whip finish thread and cut.

Step 4. Using black thread, restart behind the hook eye. Take the tip of the feather and
pull back majority of the fibers and tie in between the body materia and hook eye.
Select a feather so the lengths of the feather barbs don’t extend beyond the body.

Step 5. Wrap the feather forward, one wrap in front of the other covering the hook and tie off.

Step 6. Apply dubbing to the thread and wrap a snug head that is the same diameter as the body material. Tie off.

Optional – You can tie this pattern and omit the collar.

Dubbed Green Caddis

Recipe

Hook: TMC 2457 #8-12
Thread: Uni 6/O – Chartreuse and Black
Body: Super Bright Dubbing – FL Chartreuse
Rib: Vinyl Rib – FL Chartreuse – Nymph
Collar: Hen Saddle – Speckled Brown
Head: Super Bright Dubbing – Black

Fly Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Place hook into vise and wrap a thread base from behind
hook eye to above barb and back again to behind the eye.

Step 2. Concave side up, tie Vinyl Rib on top of the hook – a hook eye’s distance behind the eye
(leaving room for the head). Wrap over the v-rib to above the hook barb and back again.

Step 3. Apply dubbing to thread and build a body to behind the hook eye.

Step 4. Wind rib through the dubbed body and tie off.

Step 5. Using black thread, restart behind the hook eye. Take the tip of the feather
and pull back majority of the fibers and tie in between the body material and hook eye.
Select a feather so the lengths of the feather barbs don’t extend beyond the body.

Step 6. Wrap the feather forward, one wrap in front of the other covering the hook and tie off.

Step 7. Apply dubbing to the thread and wrap a snug head that is the same diameter as the body material. Tie off.

Optional – You can tie this pattern and omit the collar.

Viagra Caddis

Recipe

Hook: TMC 2457 #8-12
Thread: Uni 6/O – Chartreuse and Black
Body: Ultra Chenille – FL Chartreuse – Standard
Collar: Hen Saddle – Speckled Brown
Head: Super Bright Dubbing – Black

Fly Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Place hook into vise and wrap a thread base from behind hook eye to above hook point.

Step 2. Use a lighter and heat up – not directly – the end of the chenille to singe and form a tapered end.

Step 3. Tie in the ultra chenille with the tapered end pointing
towards the bend of the hook. Advance the thread towards the hook eye.

Step 4. Wrap the ultra chenille 2/3rds towards the hook eye. Tie off.

Step 5. Take the tip of the hen saddle feather and pull back majority of the
fibers and tie in between the body material and hook eye. Select a feather
so the lengths of the feather barbs don’t extend beyond the bend of the hook.

Step 6. Wrap the feather forward, one wrap in front of the other covering the hook and tie off.

Step 7. Apply dubbing to the thread and wrap a snug head that is the same diameter as the body material. Tie off.

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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.