The Hex flies have mostly finished a really heavy hatch period this year on the local rivers including the Manistee. This steady stream of bugs has left the trout fat and happy and like many of us after Thanksgiving dinner – second guessing that last serving. The rivers are in good shape: height, clarity and […]
The warm weather of last week made for some hot and heavy hex fly action on local rivers that has tapered off due to cooler (not cool) temps and significant rainfall. While water temperatures in rivers like the Manistee and Au Sable were reaching the high 60s and in some sections – into the 70’s, […]
The recent and ongoing hot weather has only accelerated our fishing and seasons. With the lack of rain and high temperatures, our trout fishing is experiencing warp speed hatch cycles. It seems that most hatches condensed and have taken place with the exception of the annual Hex hatch which started last week – a good […]
River conditions in the region are ideal with temps cooled and their levels filled. There is a little stain to the river to offer the fish some comfort and anglers some stealth. The recent rains and cooler weather has corrected the advanced mayfly emergences on the rivers to a schedule that’s closer to what is […]
With May coming to an end, the Mayfly hatches and trout fishing continues. This time of year it’s often time for headlamps and evening spinner falls at dusk when the mayflies drop to the surface to feed the fish. Hatches have been sporadic and with the weather, they can emerge at various times of day. […]
At the mid-point of May it sure feels like we are at the end of May based on the weather and fishing conditions. The hatches are progressing with the sulphurs winding down on the trout rivers. It seems the great mahoganies are increasing in density each year and this year is no different. There are […]
With May here, it’s time for the Mayflies on the local trout rivers. This time of year can be a great time for the technical dry fly fisherman as there can be a variety of hatches ( and various stages of those hatches ) with fish keyed in on just what they want, served on […]
As April winds down, I can say I’ve never experienced one like this one before. The steelhead fishing was affected by the lack of rain and high water from a snowpack that never happened in this El Nino year. Winter was mild and so was the run of fish as they seemed to be spread […]
Not much has changed since the last report as a trickle of fresh fish move up the rivers as others spawn, while those that already have drop back to the lake. We have had some rainfall but not as much as we were hoping for to really test the hypothesis that there are a bunch […]
Steelhead fishing on the Manistee and Betsie Rivers has been slower than normal for this time of year. While we have received some rain events over the past two weeks, the fish haven’t showed up in significant numbers, but rather just a trickle of fresh fish. Because the land is dry (lack of snow pack, […]
Some rain last week gave the rivers a nice little bump in water flow and some additional steelhead moving upstream from lake Michigan. Clarity is still really good on the Manistee River below Tippy Dam, and is a little more stained on the Betsie River. Water temperatures have pretty much remained in the low 40-degree […]
With the official start of Spring this week, it seems that Winter is making up for some delinquency bringing us some cooler temps, wind and snow. Steelhead fishing continues on the Manistee River below Tippy Dam and Betsie River with water conditions near ideal. It’s been a bit since we have had rain and the […]
