Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Early November Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 8, 2022

Steelhead fishing has been mixed. The last week of October left us with low and clear water and with all the salmon gone, the steelhead weren’t as easy to find. Over the weekend significant rains brought up the local rivers and have them running higher and with some color to them. This push of water moved some fish around through rivers and even sent some fresh fish from the lake into the rivers systems like the Manistee and Betsie.

Water temperatures are almost unprecedented for this time of year and are maintaining upper 40s and close to 50. With nice weather in the forecast that should remain for a few days but the “S” word that gets spoken a little more often this time of year is in the long term forecast so look for the water and air temps to begin to fall where they should be for mid-November.

With those water temps being up, the fish are still scattered, mostly happy and eager to eat a well presented fly. Once hooked, they are continuing to test our abilities to get them close to the net but getting beat up has never been so fun. Egg patterns in bold, pale or mixed colors have been the primary producers with nymphs like hex, buggers and caddis starting to get tied in tandem with an egg or bead. Those willing to fish a swung fly are getting a deeper bend in the two-handed rod with the larger size of fish this fall; streamers with copper flash and either tan/ginger or olive bodies have been the first fly tied on the line.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! A few dates in late Nov. are open.
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

Mid October Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 19, 2022

It seems like it has been an old fashion fall with cooler weather, frosts kicking the fall colors into bold expressions, and maybe a little too much rain in our rivers. After over 3 inches the past couple days our local rivers are running more than full, they are high and have some color to them. Lots of leaves, too.

The salmon are past peak and the fish that are in the river are finishing up their spawning on the Manistee. Steelhead have moved through most rivers systems and are taking advantage of the eggs that the salmon are contributing. Like the salmon, they are running large and with the warmer water temperatures, they have been more than a handful once hooked. With water temps about to drop below 50, they should be a little more user friendly but don’t expect much change – upper 40s doesn’t curb their enthusiasm too much.

Since the natural food source has been eggs, egg patterns and beads have been the most productive. When a lot of leaves in the water consider using larger and bolder colors to help them stick out. Nymphs like buggers and hex have taken some fish as has a swung fly or two. With the high water, you might have to go a little bigger and bolder with all patterns.

Because fish were not stocked by MI-DNR in the spring of 2021 we have lost a year class of fish – PLEASE practice catch and release to help us absorb the missing population in the years ahead.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! A few dates available in November
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

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Early October Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 1, 2022

It’s October and it feels like it – cool nights, mild days and some color staring in the trees.

Most anglers are focused on the salmon in local rivers as it’s been a good year with decent numbers and big fish. The run has been mixed with some fish having been in the river a while and are occupying spawning gravel while others are staged waiting for a change in conditions to really trigger their spawning activity. Colder rivers (Betsie) get fish going sooner where the warmer rivers (Manistee) take a little longer to get things going in full. Regardless, it’s that time of year and you won’t be alone on whichever river you decide to fish.

Trout fishing in September on the upper Manistee was kind of a dud. Typically, it’s that time of year where pre-spawn brookies and browns are taking advantage of little pressure and roam around putting on some weight before spawning eating both dries/terrestrials and smaller streamers. It was slim-pickin’s with few fish looking to play the game or witnessed swimming away after being spooked in the clear water. Not sure what the future holds for the water between M72 and M66 but one has to be an optimist because lately reality has been giving us a swift kick in the ass up there.

Just a reminder that certain rivers closed on September 30 while other rivers and/or sections rivers remain open. With most folks spending time chasing salmon and steelhead, hunting or watching football, you should find the trout rivers pretty much unfished in the fall.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! Good dates available in November
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

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Mid – September Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 12, 2022

Nearing the mid-point of September, it feels like the seasons are thinking about transitioning. September can be a continuation of summer or the end of the summer – just depends on the day. With the weather changes comes changes in fishing.

Trout anglers will find that they have the rivers to themselves. Hatches are relatively non-existent but this time of year you should always have a selection of BWOs, flying ant patterns and small Isonychias as they can show up. Like May, this time of year you should hit the water with the ability and willingness to fish both the surface and below.

Larger terrestrial patterns continue to bring some fish to the surface but on days when fish aren’t looking up or there is too much debris (leaves and pine needles) floating on the surface, go subsurface with some smaller streamers. It’s been a long season of the trout being pressured by anglers, but with fewer people on the water lately, they are starting to move out from their bunkers where can present some flies to them once again.

Salmon have moved into the usual rivers in decent numbers but as salmon do, they can be in a funk; weather and conditions can make the difference with bright and sunny – tough, overcast – ideal. With the abundance of baitfish in Lake Michigan, the fish are running a bit larger this year so hold on when you hook up.

The bass and bluegill fishing is winding down as it typically does this time of year. It seems they go fairly deep this time of year proving a little difficult with the fly rod, but somedays they will be along the drop offs and other structure willing to eat on the surface and more so, bellow.

Good luck,

Ted

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Mid August Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 19, 2022

It’s mid-August and it feels like it’s the end of a lot of seasons. This time of year the months of long days, prolonged fishing pressure and water temperatures that are often elevated, can make the fish hard to find and/or engage.

Trout fishing continues to be more challenging than normal on the local rivers. The Trico hatches of mid-morning have been inconsistent the past month not providing the reliability of fun surface activity we expect this time of year. Terrestrial fishing has been o.k. but most days have been bright and sunny that combined with low water tends to drive fish to deep and/or dark places and not looking up at our flies.

If you hit the water on a cloudy or overcast day – you have picked a good day as the fishing tends to be much better with fish out and looking to eat. The foam and rubber legged patterns have been working with various size and colors, but the real big ones haven’t been working; like streamer patterns, word is out that the big ones hurt. A few flying ants have been around and are always worth tossing whether alone or as a dropper behind a larger, easier to see pattern.

The smallmouth bass fishing on rivers has gotten a little slower, too. We are still finding fish, it’s just not as consistent. The full-moon could be the reason why they aren’t eating as much but in rivers like the lower Manistee, it could be the presence of some early running salmon that have them off the bite as the smallies are no longer feeling like they are the top of the food chain. Classic baitfish streamers in white/gray have been most consistent, but yellow is a good back-up color to have in your box.

The lake and pond fishing, too, has slowed some. More so than ever, seek out the structure of weed beds and drop offs for your best chance at both bluegill/sunnys and largemouth bass. A very small weighted streamer fished on a floating line with a slow retrieve has been productive when the surface bite isn’t happening.

Good luck.

Ted

Learn to Fly Fish – Book a half-day trip with the idea of learning the basics in how to cast and fly fish.
Trout and Terrestrials – Start your day on a cool river fishing for trout with dry flies into September.
Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! Good dates available in November

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