Some hot weather has been with us all week making the mornings and evenings the best time to be on the water – river or lake. The lack of cloud cover has really made a difference on the trout rivers making the low light periods the best time to fish. It also happens to be cooler making it more comfortable. The forecast is calling for a return of cooler temps over the weekend and I doubt anyone will complain.
The Manistee and Boardman have a few bugs on them including Isonychias, Light Cahills, BWOs (#16), and some Tricos. Look for Trico numbers to build over the next month providing a lot of rising fish – albeit smaller ones, making for some fun fishing with lighter rods. The Tricos are typically found in the mornings while the other bugs listed tend to be present in the evenings. The terrestrial program is taking shape and bringing up a few nice fish – hoppers, ants, beetles, and those attractor patterns that suggest big, awkward things twitching on the water and easy to eat – have all been producing.
Lake fishing for largemouth bass and bluegill continues to offer some great fishing. Some big bass are just off of the drop offs near weed beds looking to eat sliders, swimming divers, and the realistic streamers that look like perch and bluegill. During high sun, go to the lilly pads with a weedless popper and/or frog imitation and watch what comes out from underneath to eat. Bluegill/panfish are in the shallower water staying away from the bass on the drop offs and have been a lot of fun for those casting small dries, poppers and spiders.
The lower Manistee is improving for smallmouth bass as water temps further increase. The most consistent fishing has come from casting mid-sized streamers and crayfish patterns but diving sliders and poppers are producing fish on top in the slower water often on the inside bends, typically around weeds.
Good luck,
Ted
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Trout Fishing – Evening hatches should transition to morning trico s and terrestrial fishing as July sets in.
Bluegill & Bass – Lake fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Fall Steelhead – Its not too early to start thinking about fall’s best fishing fish. Late Sept. – Nov.