Trout

Lamprey Leech

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 9, 2012

Lamprey Leech Streamer

The Chestnut Lamprey is an important food source for the Manistee and many Northern Michigan trout rivers. This is what led me to develop the Lamprey Leech fly pattern. I wanted a pattern that was easy to tie and had lots of motion which resulted in this fun-to-fish and effective pattern. The Lamprey Leech has become my go-to fly when the fish aren’t overly active or are acting lethargic and deserves a place in your fly box.

Each year customers bring a significant number of fish to the net with numerous Chestnut Lampreys attached to them – I can’t help but think that the fish remember these parasites and revengefully attack them when given the chance.

Chestnut Lamprey on a Brown Trout

Lampreys Taken Off a Trout

Rich in protein and provocative swimmers, the lamprey often swims against the current making themselves easily noticed and vulnerable to predatory trout.

Late spring and early summer is when these 4-6 inch lampreys are most active and abundant, making them significant to the fly angler. While the months of May and June are optimal, this pattern has caught fish throughout the year perhaps because of its resemblance to worms and night crawlers, or because of its profile and action.

How to fish the Lamprey Leech Fly

Trout Like Protein Packed Food Including Lampreys

Since it is tied with a bead-head, anglers can fish this fly on both a floating line or a sink-tip. The floating line approach is a fun way to fish shallow water with moderate cover, allowing you to work the fly in and around that cover.

Mends in either type of fly line are very important as it gets this fly to work in conjunction with the current to maximize its movement without stripping it out of the targeted water. Popping or snapping the rod tip upwards like a jig, combined with mends, can really seductively work the pattern as can two, quick strips with a long pause in between.

To learn more on an alternative presentation and approach to streamer fishing, read Seductive Streamer Fishing.

Lamprey Leech Recipe

Hook: TMC 200R #4
Thread: Uni 6/0 Camel
Bead:                    3/16″ Copper
Tail: Marabou – Blood Quill Ginger and Golden Brown
Body:                    Natural Brown Strung Saddle Hackle
Flash:                    UV Polar Chenille – Copper
Wing:                    Same as tail
Collar:                   Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Flank
Topping: Sheep Hair – Rust

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Place bead on hook and place in vise. Start a thread base from behind the bead to above the hook point.

Step 2. Tie in ginger marabou so it extends close to twice the length of the hook.
I typically remove the end of the feather to keep it long and lanky to maximize motion.
Wrap on top of the hook extending 2/3 rds up the shank.

Step 3. Repeat Step 2 with the darker marabou so it is the same length.

Step 4. Tie in a very webby (almost schlappen-like) saddle hackle by the tip and wind up over the marabou.

Step 5. Tie in the Polar Chenille and make one or two wraps depending on the amount
of flash desired. Use your bodkin to pick out any trapped fibers.

Step 6. Use just a bit of marabou and tie in so the tips extend past the bend of the hook.

Step 7. Repeat Step 6 with the darker marabou feather, using just a little more product but remaining sparse.

Step 8. Tie in mallard flank by the tip, and fold the feather so both sides of the stem
sweep backwards. Make 1 to 1.5 turns to create the collar.

Step 9. Tie in a clump of sheep hair on the top half of the fly where the tips extend to above
the hook barb. Tie off and apply head cement.

The wet look of the Lamprey Leech. Lots of motion and a great profile.

Print This Page

chestnut lamprey, lamprey, leech, michigan, night crawlers, streamer pattern, trout rivers

Flashtail Clouser Minnow

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 3, 2012

Flashtail Clouser

Most anglers are familiar with the Clouser Minnow — a highly effective fly created by smallmouth bass angler and guru Bob Clouser. With its lead eyes and streamlined bucktail construction, the fly acts similar to a bucktail jig and can effectively be fished in a variety of colors for a variety of species, making it one of the most versatile patterns for both fresh and saltwater fish.

The Flashtail Clouser was influenced by the original Clouser Minnow pattern and Dan Blanton’s rendition — the Flashtail Deep Minnow. Notable differences in this pattern include a tail of reflective Flashabou, a body of synthetic dubbing to add some bulk and transparency, and a belly and wing made from soft, natural materials that have more movement in the water. The result is more durable than bucktail.

Smallmouth Bass caught on a Flashtail Clouser

You can fish the Flashtail Clouser in both rivers and lakes with both floating lines and sink-tips. I suggest tying these flies using various sized eyes from bead-chain to a few different sizes of painted dumbbell to allow fishing various depths and current flows.

With floating lines, use leaders around 9 feet in length to allow the fly to sink. When stripped, the jig-style hook and a floating line create a fleeing “hop” while moving forward, imitating a spooked and fleeing baitfish — something predatory fish often key-in on.

Fish this pattern with varying speeds and pauses on sink-tip lines when you need to get the fly deeper and/or in swift moving currents.

Flashtail Clouser – Wet

Easy to tie, highly effective and very versatile, tie this pattern in sizes that range from a few inches up to 8 inches in length. You can change the color profile to match any particular baitfish that is prevalent to your favorite fishery or even in attractor color schemes.

Trout • Pike • Salmon • Smallmouth Bass • Bluegill • Largemouth Bass • Walleye • Steelhead

Flashtail Clouser Minnow Recipe

Hook: U555 Jig 6, or TFS 5440 1/0 – 6
Thread: Gray Uni 6/0
Tail: 50/50 mix of Mirage Opal/silver and Flashabou Pearl
Body: Hareline Polar Dub – White
Eyes: S.S. Bead Chain or painted dumbbell – sized accordingly
Belly: Sheep Hair/Sculpin Wool – White
Wing: Silver Fox Tail

Step 1. After wrapping a base layer of thread from behind the angled hook shank to above
the hook barb, tie eyes using figure-8 wraps, leaving room to tie in the belly and wing.
Some people prefer to add a drop of Zap-A-Gap to the wraps at this point (optional).

Step 2. Tie in the tail material so it extends backwards twice the length of the hook shank.

Step 3. Very loosely dub clumps of Polar Dub from the tail tie in area to just
behind the eyes. Pick out with scissor point or bodkin.

Step 4. Tie in a sparse clump of sheep hair behind the eyes so the tips extend halfway down the tail.
After secure, wind your thread between the eye and hook eye. Pull sheep hair over the eyes and tie down.

Step 5. On the opposite side of the white belly hair, tie in a clump of Silver Fox tail for
a wing that is slightly longer than the belly. Trim, tie off and apply two coats of head cement.

Print This Page

blantons flashtail, clouser minnow, fly tying, pattern, recipe, smallmouth bass fly

Fonzi Fry

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 5, 2012

Fonzi Fry

Each year as millions of salmon eggs turn into salmon, both steelhead and trout take notice and advantage of these naive, freshly hatched “minnows.” I originally developed this fry pattern for steelhead, but it didn’t take long for the trout to convince me they like it too, making it a staple in my fly box from March through June.

In rivers like the Manistee, Betsie, Bear Creek and the Pere Marquette, where natural reproduction of salmon is prolific, have some fry patterns with you. After the salmon eggs develop into alevins in February and March, the egg sack disappears and small fish/fry swim in much of the same gravel section of water that steelhead have recently migrated to.

Fry Eating Steelhead

While these small fish are a protein source, they are also future competition for the steelheads’ offspring. As nature and instinct takes over, the salmon fry is eaten. Trout recognize these naive fish as a food source, too, and are often the reason you see trout breaking the surface when no hatch seems to be taking place — they are chasing these fry to the surface to eat them.

When fishing for steelhead, I fish this fly like any other nymph — typically below an egg pattern — and I tend to swing the fly at the end of the drift, even as it rises off the bottom. These slack-less drifts/presentations are unrecognizable as you feel the tug from a fish immediately. Look for the take to be anywhere through the drift with this pattern.

Brown Trout Love “Minnows”

Both fry and trout tend to move to the edges of the river— especially in higher water — which makes it a great place to target trout. Fishing the Fonzi Fry on a floating line with either a mono leader or sinking leader with a down-and-across swing (think soft-hackle fishing) works well. At the end of your drift (the “hang-down”), twitch the fly and strip it back in to add movement and possibly elicit a fish. This pattern can also be fished on a smaller sink-tip line to get a little deeper or it can be fished as a tandem rig behind a much larger streamer pattern.

The Fonzi Fry is available from Rainy’s Flies and can be bought in stocking fly shops. Below are tying instructions for you fly tiers.

Wet Fonzi Fly

Recipe

Hook:           TMC 2457 #8
Thread:         Gray Uni 6/0
Tail:              Grizzly Marabou
Body:           Ice Dub – UV pearl
Thorax: Ice Dub- UV pearl
Collar: Teal Feather
Eyes: Bead Chain – Black, Small
Back:            Ice Dub – peacock

Tying Instructions

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

Step 2. Tie in tail – length to be as long as hook itself. Tie off

Step 3. Dub ice dub body, loosely, 2/3rds up shank towards hook eye.

Step 4. Tie in Eyes just behind hook eye on underside of the hook

Step 5. Tie in teal collar by the tip and fold, wrapping at least once just in front of the dubbed body.

Step 6. Dub in front of the teal and around the hook eye (figure-8)

Step 7. Prepare some peacock ice dub and tie in so it extends forward,
over eye, wrap down behind hook eye, then move thread behind eyes.

Step 8. Pull Ice Dub back towards hook bend and tie down. Whip Finish.

Notes:

Pick out some of the body dubbing to give the fly a minnow like appearance but be careful it doesn’t extend beyond the marabou tail.

Be sure to use water-based head cement on this fly as other types will ruin the synthetic ice dub back. I have found Fish Pimp – Hard Headed head cement to be a very good product.

Print This Page

alevin, Bear Creek, Betsie, fonzi fry, fry pattern, manistee, Pere Marquette, rainys flies, steelhead, trout

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

Terrestrials and Terrestrial Fishing

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 26, 2012

Some of Michigan’s most common and important examples of this classification of bugs, a.k.a terrestrials, include grasshoppers, beetles, ants, cicadas and crickets. Anglers headed to the river in the summer months should not only have these flies in their box to represent them, but also should have an understanding of how best to fish them.

Terrestrials are at home on dry land as they hop, fly and crawl on vegetation along the surrounding river banks in grasses and overhanging trees before sometimes finding themselves unexpectedly falling to the water.

Since they don’t swim, they often move erratically as they try to make it back to land, attracting attention and being vulnerable to fish that welcome them with open mouths. It is this insect behavior that we as trout anglers need to observe in order to capitalize.

Bugs, Behavior, and Best Presentation

Some bugs plop, others skitter and some chug across the water – we want to imitate the naturals. If we don’t have natural bugs to observe, a good way to identify what works is to experiment with actions and patterns on the water. My experience has been that preferences last for a few days if not weeks depending on what the natural bug is, which can really differ from the match-the-hatch approach we anglers often experience where stages of bugs over a time frame of minuets can mean the difference between catching and not.

Grasshoppers

With their large, kicking legs these good-sized bugs can not only move some water and bring attention to themselves, but often move across the water faster than the other terrestrials — that is if they don’t drown. Use hoppers on sections of water that have lots of grassy fields along the banks. Takes on hoppers can either be explosive or often very subtle by even the largest of fish as they suck them in from underneath as your fly disappears. Hit the bank and plop, twitch and dead-drift them before repeating the cycle. If that doesn’t work, try skittering them with a pause every once in a while.

Ants

Ants and Flying Ants can land anywhere on the water and usually crawl frantically with their tiny legs but aren’t as noticed because of their size and because they don’t move across much water. If you are fortunate enough to experience a flying ant hatch you will have some of the best fishing you can imagine. Always have some flying ants with you just in case – you won’t regret it. Sunken ant patterns or ants fished wet and under the surface below another fly can be real effective since the small bugs easily drown. Fish them in water likely to hold fish which isn’t too deep, since the bugs aren’t large enough to bring fish up from very deep water.

Crickets

No stranger to the trout angler, live crickets and grasshoppers have been a staple of bait fishing anglers for over a century. After hearing the chirping crickets at night, take note and fish them during the day. You often won’t see them on the water much, but they sometimes get blown in. They are best fished after a good rainfall as they often get washed into the river by the run-off. Fish these dead drift with twitches in seams along banks and over transitional holding water.

Beetles

The unsung heroes of terrestrial fishing – beetles. I think it’s most likely because they are small, difficult to see and don’t really move on the water much. But don’t let these attributes keep you from being prepared. When beetles are prolific or when fish are laid up in shallow water, they are more than anxious to eat them. Fish smaller beetles as a dropper behind an easier to see pattern serving as a strike indicator. Fish them dead-drift in seams and tail outs for best success.

Cicada

These pesky, loud, and obnoxious sounding bugs that buzz and click throughout the summer on those warm days – you’ve heard them. While we don’t have a huge population of them in the area (which is good since they are so annoying) they do end up on the water from time to time and offer a reasonably good size meal for fish. Present cicada patterns dead-drift with some skittering and twitches to bring attention to them. Fish these chunky bugs in sections of rivers that have a lot of nearby and/or overhanging trees.

Learn how to tie the Tar Baby here »

The Attractor Terrestrial

We as anglers aren’t necessarily sure why fish eat them, but large-profile, non-specific imitating patterns like Chernobyl Ants, Skunks, Fuzzy Wuzzies, Club Sandwiches, etc. do a good job of bringing fish up top. It could be that they suggest terrestrials or they actually, from a fish’s perspective, look like a particular terrestrial we haven’t realized. Regardless, these patterns are not only effective but are also fun to fish. “Foam and Rubber” is what the majority of the bodies are made of, so they float well and can serve as an indicator for dropper flies like nymphs or smaller, hard to see dry flies like small ants and beetles. Fish them in all manners described above and know that they can really be effective at bringing fish out of the deeper runs, since their profile is easy to see and their size is rewarding.

When and Where

Terrestrial activity of interest to anglers here in the northern Michigan begins in mid-May and heats up in productivity as the weather itself heats up. After the gold rush of mayfly hatches we experience in the late spring and early summer, terrestrials should become a significant part of your trout fishing approach and strategy. July and August tends to be the peak months however I have experienced good terrestrial fishing extending well through September and sometimes into October before the cold weather and frost put these bugs away for the year.

Most terrestrial behavior increases mid-day as air temperatures rise and dew-fall burns off. Depending on the river and the section you are fishing, mid-day can be tough as water levels are usually very low and the lack of rain in the summer months keeps water clear; once the sun is high and bright, the fish have gone to deep structure where your flies will often pass unnoticed. If fishing tree-shaded water you should have better success mid-day than the open sections here in Michigan. Always look for that dark, mid-deep, shaded water to hold fish – especially inside bends that have secondary currents running along them often with undercut banks. If you’re fishing the mayfly Trico hatch on early summer mornings, try fishing terrestrials before or after the hatch while fish are still out in feeding lies before the sun chases them away.

With months of evening fishing taking place before prime terrestrial fishing begins, it feels good to get an early start on the day and fish in broad daylight. On the hot days, the fishing can be rewarding simply by wet wading and staying cool, but when the fish are playing along and falling victim to your well-fished terrestrial pattern, the day just got better. Observe, experiment and choose the right fly for the right conditions and enjoy what can be the most underappreciated fishing of the year here in Michigan.

cicada fishing, cricket fly pattern, fly fishing, flying ant hatch, foam and rubber leg fly patterns, grasshopper fishing michigan, hopper fishing, manistee river, rubber leg terrestrials, terrestrial fishing

«‹2 3 4 5 6 ›»