Late July Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 23, 2020

We find ourselves in the middle of summer headed to the trout rivers in the mornings for the best fishing for brook and brown trout. Water temps remain cool in the 60’s as their spring fed nature allows them cool off in the evenings after a hot day. Recent rains have the river in good shape with a little stain to them but at levels a little higher than normal for this time of year but by no means are they high.

Mid-mornings are presenting Trico spinner falls and have fish selectively feeding – it’s time for 6x or 7x tippet and a pair of cheaters to tie on the #20 fly. Being so small, consider tying them to another fly to serve as an indicator to help track it. Smaller Isonychias / rusty spinner patterns have been good too, both in the evening and morning.

If you aren’t into the small flies then start to fish terrestrials – and think a little smaller than the big grasshoppers mostly associated with terrestrial fishing and this time of year. A mix of wet flies and twitch flies can also bring some fish to hand if you the surface bite isn’t happening.

Largemouth bass fishing has been pretty good on the smaller lakes when focusing on the structure of drop-offs and weed beds. Of course docks are always a good place to lay a cast up against. The bigger panfish have moved deep but the smaller ones are still shallow helping to bend the rod for those learning how to fly fish. A third round of spawning will bring those bigger gills back to the surface for one more crack at the slabs.

Good luck,

Ted

New to the Sport? Bass and Bluegill fishing is the perfect way to learn to fish after a quick casting lesson.
Tricos & Terrestrials – A great way to start a summer day. Float and Trout fish the Manistee in July and August.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates are available in November – a great way to finish a fishing season.

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Mid July Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 12, 2020

The recent deep heat the region experienced for the last 10 days has finally let up, at least for now. I am happy to report that some cooler evenings and cloud cover has helped the local rivers drop into the low to mid-60’s making trout fishing an option again. I don’t ever recall such hot weather for such a long time. Looks like warm weather is in the forecast, however the cooler overnight temps will allow the spring fed nature of the Upper Manistee and Boardman Rivers to remain cool enough to fish.

With the majority of our hatches beyond us, we find ourselves in the typical transition period of early July where fish are digesting the hex mayflies they have loaded into their guts the past three weeks (feeling like many of us do after the holiday season) as we wait for Tricos to start any day. As typical for this time of year, the morning is the ideal time to take advantage of shadows and fish looking up. Smaller terrestrials, wets and twitch flies are a good approach as we get deeper into summer.

More on fishing post Hex Hatch can be read here.

Unless you are “mouser”, it’s time to put away the head lamp, reduce half of the fly boxes in your gear bag and simply fish. River levels and temps are ideal for wet wading if not fishing from a boat

Bass and bluegill fishing has slowed down some with the heat, but like the trout fishing, lake temps will cool off a little with the cooler temps and some wind. Some big gills are still coming to the surface in their second post-spawn phase. Bass have been bass hiding in the weeds and slurping sliders, divers and the occasional popper.

Good luck and thank you to the sportsman that held off on fishing during the recent hot weather to help the fish population.

Ted

New to the Sport? Bass and Bluegill fishing is the perfect way to learn to fish after a quick casting lesson.
Tricos & Terrestrials – A great way to start a summer day. Float and Trout fish the Manistee in July and August.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates are available in November – a great way to finish a fishing season.

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Heat Wave – NO TROUT FISHING

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 1, 2020

Northern Michigan is experiencing unusually high temperatures without cool nights resulting in water temps well into the 70s. While this not only makes the fishing tough as the trout become lethargic, any hooked fish is pretty much assured mortality after bringing them to the net. As a result, trout fishing trips are being suspended until water temps drop. The forecast does not look good but time will tell – it’s northern Michigan and we have a reputation of inaccurate forecasts.

If you are fishing on your own, please consider giving the fish and the fishery a chance by staying off the water – the future of our fisheries depend on it. So many of our trout rivers are not stocked and depend on mature adults to spawn tomorrow’s class of fish and they can’t do it if they are dead.

Other options for fishing include lake fishing in the mornings or evening for bass and bluegill which is also a great fishery for those beginners and those learning/getting better. Bass fishing with a big popper/sliders thrown by better casters to the edge of the lily pads can get some of those bigger fish to play.

Not only is July here, but so it seems is the heat of summer.

Good luck.

Ted

New to the Sport? Bass and Bluegill fishing is the perfect way to learn to fish after a quick casting lesson.
Tricos & Terrestrials – A great way to start a summer day. Float and Trout fish the Manistee in July and August.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates are available in November – a great way to finish a fishing season.

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Hex Season

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 27, 2020

It’s that time of year where darkness brings out the big bugs, big fish and big crowds.

The rivers are in good shape with a little more water in them than normal (2 inches?) and a slight stain compared to the typical clear, low water found this time of year. Most of the local rivers in the region are experiencing hex bugs at night – both spinner falls and hatches. But in keeping in-step with the rest of our hatches this spring, they have been as fickle as the fish – sometimes being there, other times not. Having some stable weather in the forecast should help make more reliable hatches/spinner falls, but as I wrote a few weeks ago regarding bugs, I no longer predict hatches.

There haven’t been too many other bugs on the water but to be prepared, you will want some Isonychias, Brown Drakes, Bat Flies, Sulphurs and Med Brown Stoneflies in your box as these have been around, just not in heavy numbers.

There seems to be even more folks on the water than normal for this time of year. After the three months we have all gone through it’s seems the water is the place where people can get out and maybe forget about those past three months – can’t blame them for that. Most have a smile on their face, are pleasant with a nod and smile, and even some friendly words rather than the territorial grunt of a hunter-gatherer typically experienced this time of year. Let’s keep that attitude going forward to help make it a nice experience for everyone out there.

Lastly, water temps are increasing so when you hook into that fish, take advantage of that 6 wt rod and 1x tippet and get them in quick and back in the water. Sadly, most of the local trout rivers are not stocked by the DNR and these adult fish are responsible for future generations through natural reproduction and that can’t happen if the fish dies after a 20 second photo session.

Good luck.

Ted

New to the Sport? Bass and Bluegill fishing is the perfect way to learn to fish after a quick casting lesson.
Tricos & Terrestrials – A great way to start a summer day. Float and Trout fish the Manistee in July and August.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates are available in November – a great way to finish a fishing season.

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Big Bugs and Trout Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 18, 2020

It’s the high-season for trout fishing right now. With warmer temps and the calendar in the 3rd week of June, fly-fishers are hitting the water in increased numbers looking for big bugs and big fish.

Like much of the season so far on the upper Manistee, the bugs aren’t doing their part by showing up, and as a result neither are the fish. It’s not easy fishing right now, but each evening we are getting a couple of opportunities at some nice, but selective fish – you need to bring your “A-Game”.

There have been quite a few different bugs on the water, just not the density that leads to good fishing. Sulphurs, Great Mahoganies, Isonychias, Caddis, Medium Brown Stones, Pteronarcys, Cahills, and Brown Drakes all have been seen on the water so bring your loaded fly boxes and headlamps. Mosquitoes, black flies and horse flies have been more reliable each evening. There are indications that things in nature are fragmented with certain bugs showing up early and others late; the other night we saw fireflies (early) and heard tree frogs (late) – a combination I don’t ever recall witnessing before. However, the Whippoorwill’s call gave me confidence that some normalcy still exists on the trout stream.

The bass fishing on lakes has been good and some nice gills are still near the shallow drops offering some good surface activity. Weed growth is helping to concentrate the fish as it gives them cover with the high sun.

With the high water levels on the bay, carp fishing has been near impossible and there isn’t much to report there. That and customers, it seems, just want to spend the time on the trout stream to forget about life for a while.

Good Luck

Ted

Trout – The big bugs of June are beginning for an evening of match-the-hatch dry fly fishing.
New to the Sport? Bass and Bluegill fishing is the perfect way to learn to fish after a quick casting lesson.
Tricos & Terrestrials – A great way to start a summer day. Float and Trout fish the Manistee in July and August.
FATHER’S DAY – Its almost here! Quick and easy gift certificates can be emailed for last minute gift ideas.

Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Late July Fly Fishing Report

Mid July Fishing Report

Heat Wave – NO TROUT FISHING

Hex Season

Big Bugs and Trout Fishing

Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156