Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Early September Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 7, 2016

With Labor Day behind us, it still feels like summer with the warm temperatures. While the days are shorter, trout fishing on the upper Manistee and Boardman during the lower light hours of the day seem to be best and when it is overcast -fishing is pretty consistent throughout the day.

The terrestrial bite has been decent all year and it remains that way. Flying ants have been around recently and since they are like crack cocaine to trout – have some in your fly box. Be sure to have some grasshoppers and general terrestrial attractors like Chernobyl Ants, Tar Babies, Fuzzy Wuzzys and Neversinks – the “foam and rubber” season remains. Have some smaller streamers to fish on floating lines for some subsurface action and once things start to noticeably cool down, have the streamer rod ready. The brook trout are getting brilliant with color as they are in their pre-spawn stage and a little feisty. Browns will get that way later in September as they prepare to spawn in October.

Salmon have entered local rivers with promising numbers of fish considering conditions haven’t been ideal the past three weeks. The Betsie has some fish in it as does the lower Manistee below Tippy Dam but we are still in summer like conditions and the number of fish around reflects that. The treatment of the Manistee last week with lampricide has seemed to work its way through the system and the fish bite has returned after a few days of being in a stupor. With more rain in the forecast and cooler weather ahead, look for conditions and fish numbers to increase steadily along the northwest coast and tributaries.

Bass and bluegill fishing remains pretty good on local lakes and ponds with the water temperatures dropping a little. Bigger fish are moving back in to the shallows and are eating the fly pretty good. Interested in learning how to fly fish? This is still a great way to learn the fundamentals and bend the rod.

Good luck,

Ted

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Late Summer Trout – Have the river to yourself fishing wets, dries, terrestrials and streamers.
Salmon – A few dates remain for Salmon fishing on the Betsie River throughout September.
Fall Steelhead – Starting in October, extending into December. Fall Color Tour includes Chrome!

Betsie, boardman, brook trout, fishing, manistee, salmon, salmon fishing tippy dam, steelhead, streamer fishing, terrestrial fishing

Late August Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 24, 2016

Trout fishing on the Manistee and Boardman Rivers remains a good place to spend the first part of the day. The Trico hatch is over, but the brookies and smaller brown trout are still looking up and taking dries as well as small streamers (1.5 – 2″ in length). With the warm summer the terrestrial/”foam and rubber” fishing has been a little better than normal especially on overcast or cloudy days.

The region finally received some much needed rain and water levels came up a little but have returned to pretty much normal levels since the ground was so dry. Large BWO and some #14 tan caddis are around but more in the evenings than mornings as well as some Light Cahills. Cooler evenings are ensuring ideal water temps as we approach September.

Bass fishing on lakes has slowed a bit with the fish moving deeper until evening when they are out on the prowl and working break lines and lily pads. Bluegill – like the largemouth bass – have also gone a little deep when the sun gets high making earlier and later in the day the ideal time to be out there. Beginners are still finding learning on bluegill/panfish are a blast and way to make the introduction to the sport fun and positive.

Smallmouth fishing on the lower Manistee has remained a little tougher than we have come to expect but they are still around and eating mid-sized streamers. Just a few big silver things are swimming around too, but more will come with time and ideal conditions.

In addition to the cool nights we have started to receive some winds from the North and Northwest which will help move some water and salmon closer to shore and river mouths. While a few fish have trickled into some Lake Michigan tributaries, we are still in need of cool weather/winds and some rain to build those numbers up. So far the reports for the Lake Michigan boats have been encouraging with much better fish numbers than the previous two years.

The latest Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe.

bass, Betsie, boardman, fishing report, lower manistee, salmon, upper-manistee

August Fly Fishing Report – Traverse City

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 11, 2016

The dog days of summer are upon us and the heat has mostly been keeping our fishing to the low light hours of morning and evening.

Trout fishing has been decent for brook and brown trout on the upper Manistee and Boardman Rivers. The Trico mayfly hatch has been very reliable for about a month now but it appears they are winding down – look for these size 18 and 20 flies to be around in the morning anywhere from 8 until 10:30.

Despite the warm days the water temperatures have remained in the mid-60s. Even though we have experienced a significant lack of rain, the river levels surprisingly are in good shape.

One advantage of our dry conditions has been the presence of terrestrials on the water – that is ants, beetles, grasshoppers and even cicadas. Attractor patterns that suggest large terrestrials – foam and rubber-legged patterns – have been bringing some nice fish to the surface and very small streamers fished on floating lines around submerged wood has produced too. August isn’t necessarily a time to catch the big trophy trout, however it’s a great time to lighten your rod up and have some fun with the fish that do want to play. And those big fish will surprise you from time to time and show themselves – even on your line testing your 3 and 4 weight rod’s ability.

Bass fishing has been good on the lakes but the better times are before noon and after 5. Focus on weed beds/lily pads and play with some poppers – it’s fun when the largemouth sip a popper only to have the next one crush it. The bluegill fishing that had been really good has is now good but like the bass, fish the gills/panfish when the sun isn’t the highest.

Bass fishing on the lower Manistee has been a little tougher than it should be. Not sure if it is the heat or clear water, but they haven’t been playing nice. With a full-moon around the corner look for crayfish to become an important part of their diet so focusing on rocks piles and edges with a crayfish pattern as a place to target.

Good luck,

Ted

August Trout – Start your day on the river fishing wets, dry flies and terrestrials.
Learn to Fly Fish – This is a great time of year to learn how to fly fish. 1/2 day trips for beginners are perfect!
Salmon – Late August and September is when fish start to migrate. Good reports coming from Lake Michigan.
2016 Dates – Now booking through the entire fishing season: trout, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

bass fishing, boardman river, grasshopper fishing, mansitee, salmon, terrestrials, tricos

Late July Fly Fishing Report – Traverse City / Northern Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 26, 2016

As July comes to an end, the Trico and Terrestrial fishing for trout is going strong on the Manistee and Boardman rivers. The small Tricos have been keeping the trout active in most mid-mornings as both duns and spinners are on the water’s surface. While most of the fish taking notice are small brookies and browns, some bigger fish have surprised us. Consider fishing a smaller terrestrial fly pattern as an indicator with some 6x tied to the bend and a small trico pattern on the other end. This is a great time to use that 3 or 4 weight rod sitting in your rod closet.

Terrestrial fishing has been improving with the better fishing on cloudy or overcast days. Twitch, pop and skitter “foam and rubber” patterns to elicit somebody to come up to the surface. Mix up the pattern, size and color to see if there is a daily preference. This is also a good time of the year to fish small 2-3″ streamers on floating lines.

Bass fishing on lakes and ponds remains good for those who can cast a big popper or slider. The lily pads located near drops offer a great place for your flies as you wait for their ambush. Too often anglers rush the retrieve – try waiting at least 15 seconds after the cast before putting any action in the fly.

Bluegill fishing has been fishing better than usual for this time of year. Some bigger gills have been playing along with the smaller gills which are perfect for anglers looking to learn how to fish. Sometimes the bass eat the bluegill on your line, too, so hold on to that rod

Smallmouth bass fishing in the lower Manistee River is decent for those looking to cast streamers on both sink-tips and floating lines. Crayfish patterns around rocky edges/drops are always a safe bet as are baitfish patterns. In slack water, try fishing a popper lightly twitched. While not for a beginner, this fishing is a fun way to spend a summer day and work on skills while catching fish.

Good luck,

Ted

July & August Trout – It’s that time of year to start your day on a river fishing wets, dry flies and terrestrials.
Learn to Fly Fish – This is a great time of year to learn how to fly fish. 1/2 day trips for beginners are perfect!
Salmon – Late August and September is when the Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking through the entire fishing season: trout, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

bass fishing, bluegill, boardman river, brook trout, manistee river, smallmouth bass, terrestrials, traverse city fly fishing, tricos

Mid-July Fly Fishing Report – Traverse City

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 13, 2016

The dog-days of summer are upon us with warm weather and the Cherry Festival behind us.

The trout fishing has been up and down. Tricos are becoming more reliable on the Manistee and Boardman Rivers and will build over the month offering dry fly fishing for those looking to hit the water in the a.m. These small bugs are ideal for those 3 and 4 wt. rods you don’t use too often. The various terrestrials and attractors are becoming more effective each day and also will build – these windy days have blown ants, beetles and other insects onto the water and the brook trout and brown trout have noticed.

Those fishing in the evening and up until dark has been witnessing sporadic hatches of Isonychias, Great BWO, Light Cahills, a few caddis and little yellow sally stone flies. Now that we are on the other side of the Hex Hatch, it’s time to adjust our fishing after two months of evening fishing – you can learn more by reading “Trout Fishing After the Hex Hatch.”

Bass fishing on the lakes has been a lot of fun now that the weed growth is making it easy to find where the fish are laid up. Diving frogs, poppers and some baitfish streamers fished on a floating line can help you find a largemouth bass. Like always, target the structure of weeds, docks and drop offs. Try fishing deer hair sliders on a clear sink-tip line for a great presentation along drop-offs – most often they can’t help but eat those flies.

Those same lakes and ponds where you find bass will provide lots of opportunity for panfish and bluegill. While the big gills are off deep and pretty much out of reach for the fly angler, the smaller fish are offering plenty of opportunity to bend the rod. These fish are perfect for new and developing anglers as they offer endless opportunities to set the hook and bring them in while on a beautiful northern Michigan lake.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the Lower Manistee is increasing with the warm water and temperatures. These fish love a streamer fished on both floating line and sink-tips. While not for beginners, they offer a fun target for those looking to spend a day on the water.

There are a few Carp in Grand Traverse Bay but they have been highly difficult to pin down and predict – especially with all the wind we have been dealing with lately. The higher water of the bay has made fishing more difficult than years past but those shallow spots should have the occasional fish move through them. Consider fishing further north where the water is cooler. The majority of the season is behind us still leaving us realizing that we know less about these mysterious fish than we think.

Good luck and stay cool (on water).

Ted

July & August Trout – It’s that time of year to start your day on a river fishing wets, dry flies and terrestrials.
Learn to Fly Fish – This is a great time of year to learn how to fly fish. 1/2 day trips for beginners are perfect!
Salmon – Late August and September is when the Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

bass fishing, boardman, carp, isonychias, manistee, smallmouth bass fishing, tricos

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