It’s November and with lots of leaves off of the trees, it feels and looks like it.
Steelhead fishing is our primary focus right now. We finally got some rain a bit ago and the levels have come and gone, and we continue to have low water levels that are running clear. A decent number of steelhead came in with that increase in river flow, and they have since spread out in river systems like the Manistee and Betsie Rivers.
Just a few salmon remain spawning in the rivers and therefore the egg bite remains solid for steelhead anglers. With the lower, clear water, smaller natural egg patterns and/or beads have been working. On rainy, windy days, the number of leaves in the river make it difficult to see our patterns so increasing the size tends to help. Swinging flies on sink-tips and two handed rods is another approach right now which should continue to be good until the water drops below 40 degrees.
With water temperatures being a little warmer than they should for this time of year (hovering around 50 degrees) the fish are energetic and generally not exactly user-friendly right now. Hold on and enjoy the ride!
Good luck.
Ted
Fall Steelhead – Finish the fishing season with our favorite species to chase. Dates remain available in late Nov.
Spring Steelhead –The season will be here before you know it – get your dates secured Mid-March thru April
2026 Season –It isn’t too early to think about next year and securing your dates – now booking for all seasons.