Early April Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 6, 2016

Now that we are well into April we are experiencing March-like weather. Seems fitting since March was so pleasant. After last week’s significant rains, snow and cold days and nights, the steelhead fishing has been a little more challenging that we are accustomed to for this time of year.

The water is dropping to ideal levels on both the Manistee and Betsie; however they are still a bit high. Clarity continues to improve but the water is stained while remaining fishable. Water temps are in the low 40s and the steelhead have started to hit gravel to do their spawning duties. But with the cold nights and fluctuating drops in water temperature, the fish have been found in the pocket water near gravel. Fresh fish have been moving through the Betsie and it seems that the spring run on that river is bouncing back nicely from a few lean years. A surge of fresh fish on the Manistee below Tippy Dam is highly anticipated.

There hasn’t been a magic fly pattern or one that has been working more than others, but the usual suspects are good places to start. Click here for a list of the Top 5 perennial steelhead patterns. When fishing runs and deep holes looking for fresh fish moving through the system, go with larger patterns so they have a better opportunity to see it. In pocket water, drop down in size and almost fish for them as if they were trout – the steelhead tend to revert to those characteristics once in the river for a while.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and the Hex – got dates?
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

betsie river, manistee, steelhead patterns, tippy dam

Spring Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 29, 2016

UPDATE – April 1: After significant rains on Thursday river levels have increased significantly and are still on the rise making wading difficult in most places and the water stained. Use caution if heading out. One positive, the warmer rain should bring a nice of fish into the rivers over the next couple off weeks.

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Not a lot has changed since the last fishing report. Steelhead remain the focus of anglers looking to get into the Spring spirit with longer days and warmer(?) temps.

After the warm-up a few weeks ago, the fish that wintered over joined some fresh fish and moved upstream in both the Manistee and Betsie rivers making for some good days of fishing. Since then, the weather has been up and down for us with some cold nights, sunny days, snow, rain, etc. – just like March is supposed to be like – and leaving the water up but not too high. While stained, the water is still more than fishable with temperatures hovering in the low 40s.

While some new fish continue to trickle into the rivers, majority of the fish have a little color to them and are staging and getting ready to spawn. After a warm rain look for things to change. But with the forecast, look for conditions to be similar which looks like it will remain a nice prolonged spring steelhead season.

Look for fish in the pocket water near spawning gravel, secondary bubble lines and deep holes. My preferred set-up has been a decent sized egg (#6 ) in orange variations and clown (heavy chartreuse), with a nymph dropper –steelhead caddis, early stoneflies and fry patterns working best.

Don’t forget new fishing licenses are required beginning Friday April 1, 2016

Good luck!

Ted

The Spring Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or sign up for delivery.

May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and the Hex – got dates?
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

caddis, fry patterns, manistee and betsie river, manistee river, steelhead, stoneflies

Mid-March Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 17, 2016

Steelhead remain the primary target for anglers hitting the water right now. Really nice weather last week warmed the water temps up just a bit and that along with an increase in water volume moved some fish throughout the river systems. With water temps hovering around 40 degrees, the fall steelhead that wintered over and the fish that moved upstream throughout the winter have repositioned themselves upstream and are starting to stage in some of the deeper water/holes near spawning gravel waiting for ideal conditions to begin that process.

Some fresh steelhead from Lake Michigan have also moved upstream in both the Manistee and Betsie rivers – these fish can be scattered throughout the system as well as the water they are holding in. Look for seams/bubble lines for these migrating fish as well as traditional holding water like holes. With the volume of water, the fish are pulling pretty hard when hooked.

When the sun shines and the water warms up some, the little black stoneflies have become active making it an ideal fly pattern to tie on. Other flies that have been working lately include caddis, bold mixed-colored egg patterns and steely buggers.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or sign up for delivery.

Spring Steelhead – Good dates for March Steelhead fishing are still available.
May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

betsie river, black stone fly, caddis, lake michigan, manistee fishing, spawning, steelhead, steely bugger

March Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 7, 2016

With the arrival of March, so came the warmer temperatures and sunshine. After months of weekly snow and thaw cycles we are starting the spring steelhead season with a lot less snow on the ground than normal. Water levels are up a bit from where they typically are this time of year and water temps are still in the mid 30s on the Manistee below Tippy Dam and upper 30s on the Betsie river. As the sun comes out, look for the water to warm as the day progresses and the fish to become more active.

The fall steelhead were late making their way upstream, but when they did in late Nov. and into December, they weren’t overly pressured. Look for those fish that wintered over to be hanging out in the deeper holes and just off the bubble lines/seams in the slack water. With longer days and sunlight, more fish should start to congregate at river mouths and with increasing frequency and start their migration. Any warm rain along the way will only intensify the migration. I am guessing that because of the lack of snow pack, the spring steelhead season will be long and drawn out, unless we get substantial rainfall which often creates a burst of fish in the resulting high water.

With the sunshine, keep an eye on any remaining snow along the riverbank for little black stoneflies crawling around. As one of the first aquatic insects to get active, these little stones are important to the steelhead angler. Other key fly patterns this time of year include green caddis, hex nymphs and larger egg patterns. As the water get’s dirtier through the season, increase the size of your pattern.

Good luck!

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Good dates for March Steelhead fishing are still available.
May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

Betsie, black stoneflies, caddis, hex nymphs, manistee, march steelhead fishing, tippy dam steelhead

New Years – January 2016 Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 6, 2016

Happy New Year!

With a bunch of white stuff on the ground and a thermometer spending more time below the freezing mark than above, opportunities to fish have been limited. Still, when conditions are comfortable (think no or little wind) steelhead are playing along with our game plan of bending the rod. Steelhead numbers are decent for winter thanks to some timely rains late in the fall – these fish should “winter-over” until spring, with more trickling in all winter long.

Look for fish in the Manistee to be spread throughout the system from Tippy Dam to the mouth and with a tendency to lurk in the deeper, slower water in and around structure. Now is a good time to fish indicators/floats to suspend flies above wood but drift fishing and evening swinging a fly is working with water temps in the mid to upper 30’s – a rare occurrence for January. This time of year I like to fish a relatively large egg pattern (#6) in tandem with a hex nymph that has lots of motion to it. The Betsie and even the Boardman has had some fish in them for those looking to fish a smaller river and/or have limited time and need to fish close to home/work.

Trout fishing remains a possibility on the Manistee with the streamer bite continuing to produce, however you want to slow that strip down and fish some of the slower moving water rather than the fast stuff. It’s not a bad idea to shorten that fly’s size a little bit, too – fish are getting lethargic.

Keep cabin fever at bay by looking at the forecast and get out when those breaks in the weather offer an opportunity to spend it on the water rather than at the fly tying bench.

Good luck.

Ted

Click here to read the December / Winter 2016 Newsletter.

Trout – Browns below Tippy Dam continues despite the weather – look for warm-ups and get out.
Steelhead – Fish numbers are decent and should provide opportunity throughout the mild forecast winter.
Spring Steelhead – Typically starting late March and extending through April – got your dates secured?

Betsie, boardman, fishing, fly fishing, hex nymph, manistee, rivers, steelhead, swinging flies, tippy damn, trout

Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Early April Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Spring Steelhead Fishing Report

The Spring Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or sign up for delivery.

Mid-March Steelhead Fishing Report

The Spring Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or sign up for delivery.

March Steelhead Fishing

New Years – January 2016 Fly Fishing Report

Click here to read the December / Winter 2016 Newsletter.

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