April has come but the snow hasn’t gone. The transitional weather usually found in March is continuing as we get into April with a mix of rain, snow, mud, and ice. We did see the sun twice last week which, could be a sign of things to come.
With the rain and snow, water levels on the Manistee and Betsie have come up significantly. There is also a lot of color to the water so larger fly patterns are the go-to approach until things clear up again. Egg patterns and beads in bold colorations have outperformed smaller presentations and the larger nymphs are working better than the smaller ones.
Steelhead are in the rivers and with temps in the upper 30s some fish have begun to spawn while more fish are getting restless in the holes and runs near spawning gravel. The rise in water levels should also recruit more fish to come upstream from the lake which is good because the fish that have been in the river a while are starting to get wise to what we are up to.
The higher water has made fishing smaller rivers more challenging for the wading angler. As a result, it seems the Big Manistee has even more boats on it with people looking to get their spring steelhead fix. The once common friendly acknowledgment between boats for courteous boat handling techniques sadly has become the exception, not the norm. Remember that we are all sharing the resource and a little courtesy can go a long way whether you are in a boat or wading.
New fishing licenses season began April 1 and just a reminder that there are new harvest limits on local rivers to help preserve fish populations and support natural reproduction with fewer hatchery fish in river systems. All guide trips remain catch and release.
Good luck.
Ted
May Days – The month that offers so much variety for a number of species. <<More info>>
Match the Hatch – Late May and June offer dry fly anglers some of the best trout fishing of the year.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates remain available in October, November and into December.