Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Trout Season Opener, Steelhead Continue

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 28, 2014

Trout Opener has come and gone and besides some of the traditions that took place over the weekend – it just doesn’t feel like it. Cooler than normal weather has been lingering and combined with the long winter, things are still behind – including the steelhead run.

Steelhead continue to swim up local rivers and with the water temperatures in the mid to upper 40s, they are focused on getting in, spawning and returning to the big lake. Most area rivers like the lower Manistee below Tippy Dam, Boardman and Betsie have come down but are still full or have a slightly increased flow. Clarity has improved but the Manistee is still darker than normal. Few suckers have come in which is an indication that more steelhead should continue to provide opportunity for a while.

Egg flies in Oregon Cheese, Steelhead Orange and Light Roe have been producing as have green caddis and fry patterns. As clarity improves and temps increase look for the swing bite to offer two-handed anglers a chance to get their fish on.

The upper Manistee is looking good with just a slight stain to it making for decent streamer fishing which is good since little is hatching. If you are headed out with a dry fly rod be sure to have some small adult stones and BWO patterns with you as they have been around sporadically. With the water still cool, look for a slower retrieve on your streamer to perhaps get that fish to pounce. Flies with lead eyes that kind of have a jigging motion can really get fish to play this time of year.

Ice is just leaving or has recently left the local lakes and a nice sunny day can get some nice pike in shallow to warm up making them a fun target for those looking to throw a big fly for a big toothy critter.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -While it is currently Spring Steelhead time, it’s also time to book your fall steelhead dates.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

caddis, carp, fry, manistee, manistee river below tippy dam, traverse city fly fishing report

Lower, High Water Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 21, 2014

After a long week of really high water and a bunch of cancelled trips the river levels have returned to just “high water” conditions on the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman Rivers. All that rain last week really brought a lot of run-off when combined with the snow that had been lingering around and in some cases, reaching new or close-to new stream-flow records. While the water level has decreased, you will find the water to be highly stained with limited visibility as well as a few collapsed river banks, new trees in the water and a new look to some of your favorite sections of water.

Steelhead – both fresh run and spawning fish are in the Manistee below Tippy dam, but you better know where they are since visibility is so poor. Providing we don’t get more rain, it should continue to improve in the days ahead. In the high water, really big egg patterns and big stones worked, and as clarity improves average sized eggs (6 & 8, Oregon cheese/orange), caddis and fry patterns have been working. We are still fighting the fish as much as we are the high water so try some heavier leader and hold on. I suspect the steelhead will offer us good angling opportunity through the first half of May.

This Saturday marks the beginning of Trout season in Michigan. After a number of average and sub-average winters and good opening days, anglers will find conditions to be behind a few weeks this year thanks to a long brutal Winter and a slow start to Spring. The water is up a bit and cooler than we would like.

Water temperatures are warming up into the upper 40’s on the upper sections of rivers with virtually no bug activity/emergences. Some warmer weather over the next couple of weeks will help get things on track. In the meantime, if headed to your favorite trout river/stream, make sure you have some streamers – always a great bet in the early season to feed unpressured and hungry fish. Pike, Walleye, early Bass and Musky season also opens, but be aware, most of the local lakes are still covered in ice.

Please practice catch and release.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Betsie, caddis, egg patterns, Manistee below Tippy Dam, oregon cheese, steelhead, stones, trout, trout season in Michigan

Big Water, Big Flies, Big Fish.

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 14, 2014

Warmer weather and some significant rainfalls the past few days have combined with record winter snowfalls created very high water conditions for the region’s rivers. They are pretty much unsafe to wade right now and boating requires prudent measures – use your best judgment if heading out.

While the water came up and has pretty much no visibility, fresh fish have moved upstream. The Manistee below Tippy Dam is running over 6,000 CFS (it’s typically about 2,300 CFS this time of year) and is in the low 40’s as the fish start to hit the gravel for their spawning ritual. A positive aspect of the high water is a greater rate of natural reproduction due to less angling harassment providing more future steelhead for us all. Please practice catch and release if you make it out and the fish to the net.

The flies that had been working last week (caddis, stones, and BTS/fry) are lost in the stained water conditions found today. Now is time for big and bright egg patterns, leeches with some bright flashabou, and some of the classic steelhead fly fishing patterns from yesterday tied with estaz, pearl chenille, krystal flash and the like. Having knowledge of where the fish like to be this time of year is going to be the key to success when combined with a little luck. We have been getting away with heavy leaders and heavy rods as both are necessary since we are fighting both the fish and high water.

To monitor the conditions on your river, check out the stream flow data website of the USGS.

Good luck and be careful.

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

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Spring Steelhead Fly Fishing Report – April 7, 2014

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 7, 2014

Some spring-like temperatures are having anglers feeling good about April and spring Steelhead fly fishing. Rivers are running high but are still fishable. We have been lucky considering the amount of snow we received over winter and the slow rate in which it has been thawing. Most of us certainly hope that remains the case as the white stuff turns to water. For those of you down or out of state, there are still areas in the woods with over 2 feet of dense snow.

Water temps are hovering around the 40 degree mark on the Manistee below Tippy Dam. Just a few fish are on spawning gravel with majority of the fish staged in the transitional and holding water near gravel. As fish migrate up river they move through the deeper holes and sometimes take a rest before moving on making them a good place to target also. Majority of the fish being caught have been winter fish but a few fresh chromers have slipped in the past few days with more to come as the water warms, the days get longer and the water continues to flow. Yes, finally Spring.

With the water stained – it has gone from the green tinge to more brown the past few days – bigger fly patterns have seemed to do better: large egg patterns, bright caddis, black stone flies and fry. Other flies have taken some fish too, but the above have been the most consistent.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -Spring Steelhead fishing is just starting up as both air and water temps increase.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

fly fishing report, steelhead, tippy dame

April At Last – Spring?

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 1, 2014

Our long winter is mostly gone but is keeping a foot in the door as the forecast calls for some cooler than normal temperatures for this time of year. Days when it gets into the 40s and the sun makes its way out lets us know that it is Spring Steelhead time.

Water levels are on the rise on local rivers and starting to get color to them but things are still fishable. This can change quickly after a significant rain and the smaller rivers like the Betsie are effected more. Our near-record setting snowfall has left a lot of snow in the woods and I suspect it will be a while before it is all gone and as it continues to melt expect river levels to increase. As more water comes in and water temps warm up, look for some fresh fish to move in from the lakes. Click here to monitor the Manistee River’s flow and temperature below Tippy Dam through the USGS website.

Majority of the fish in the Manistee migrated in the fall and stayed the winter. With water temps in the upper 30’s they are in a classic pre-spawn mood and are found in deeper staging water near the gravel sections and in the slower holes. Fishing isn’t what it usually is for this time of year but each day is different and after the winter, most people are just happy to be out fishing regardless of how hard one has to work for them.

I have seen some stoneflies flutter on the water making them an ideal fly pattern to tie on as are the other spring classics – green caddis, steelhead buggers, and fry patterns fished in tandem with egg patterns. Chuck and Duck/bottom bouncing and float fishing good ways to cover the water and look for fish to move to secondary lies as angler pressure increases, water levels rise and new fish migrate.

Just a reminder – new fishing licenses are required starting April 1st.

Good luck,

Ted

Available Spring Steelhead Dates: April 16, May 1-3

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -With fish in local rivers Spring Steelhead fishing is just starting up as both air and water temps increase.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

green caddis, manistee, manistee river below tippy dam, steelhead, steelhead buggers, stoneflies

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