With October coming to an end, it seems the mild weather is still holding on.
The fishing for steelhead on the Big Manistee river has been decent considering the lack of rain/increase in river flow the past three weeks. Water temps are still in the 50’s but some cooler nights are helping to drop them a little. The Betsie is running low, clear and not seeing many steelhead in it – that can all change with one good rainfall and favorable winds.
The salmon are finishing up their annual spawning ritual after a run characterized by spurts of runs due to the unseasonal weather. It seems like it could be one of those years that while steelhead fishing, a bright salmon will surprise you late in the fall.
There seems to be less skippers (those energetic and frolicky steelhead about 16-22”) so far this year but the adults are mixed in size but for the most part, nicely proportioned and breaking our lines from time to time.
With the salmon numbers winding down, so are the eggs and the steelhead’s position directly behind them. As this continues look for fish spread throughout the river and the water they are holding in. A lot of the leaves dropped last weekend with the winds, but there are still more to come down in the coming weeks.
Good luck.
Ted
Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with some chrome. Some November and December dates available.
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2027 Season – Now booking through August 2027. Be sure to get your dates and plan life around your fishing.