Mid-November Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 14, 2013

After a change in the weather the past week it appears that mother nature has made up for the mild fall we experienced in the beginning. After some snow, rain, temperatures below freezing and lots of wind, it appears most anglers are looking to pick their days based on the weather. Traffic on the water is down with plenty of steelhead around to play with. With the dropping water temps, fish are starting to act a little lethargic when hooked, but not all of them. Look for the steelhead to start to move into the transitional water between the quick runs and the soft side of the seam and some of the larger holes. A little sunlight can make a big difference as it warms up the water a degree or two and can help trigger more activity.

Eggs continue to be the primary diet of fish as the millions of salmon eggs continue to drift down stream even though the salmon are pretty much gone. Pale colored egg patterns like nuke and rags seem to be working best: egg/steelhead orange, Oregon cheese/burnt orange, tetra yellow/light roe have been good color combos lately. Smaller natural nymphs are starting to have their effect on both steelhead and trout in waters like the Manistee below Tippy Dam – caddis, pheasant tails, and scuds are great candidates. Olive and copper streamers have been the effective pattern colors when swinging flies. Look for the streamer bite for trout on the Manistee to get going as the fish drop back into their lies after a fall of having their noses close to the spawning salmon.

More fresh fish continue to move up the Betsie and Manistee rivers thanks to the rains which have provided fish throughout the river systems. Water is slightly stained and running a little higher than normal for this time of year but is generally in good shape. Be prepared to fish a few ways – drift fishing, indicator fishing over structure and even swinging a fly on a sink-tip.

Friday Nov. 15 th is opening day of firearm deer season. Be careful and respectful of hunters and wear a some blaze orange to be safe while fishing. The season extends through Nov. 30th.

Good luck.

Ted

Steelhead -Fall fishing continues through winter and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing now that the salmon are gone.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

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Rain, Steelhead and Fall

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 7, 2013

The past week has been a wet one in the northwestern part of Michigan with significant rainfalls shuffling fish around and bringing in new ones. Water levels were coming down nicely before we received another batch of rain raising the levels and adding some stain to rivers but also bringing in some new fish as well.

As water temps continue to drop into the mid-40’s on the Manistee the fish have become a little more lethargic when hooked and the fish are starting to transition into some deeper and slower runs. But don’t overlook the water that has been fishing well the past month as the steelhead can be anywhere. While majority of the fish have been eating egg patterns – often big, bright ones in the dirty water, the nymphs and streamers have been working on fish, too. As the water gets cooler look for alternative presentations to add to your approach – indicators, swung flies and picking small buckets apart for a fish here, and a fish there.

Good luck,

Ted

Steelhead -Fall fishing continues through winter and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

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It’s November – Fall Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 1, 2013

The fall steelhead fishing on the Manistee has been inconsistent lately – doing well for a few days in a row and then experiencing a slow one. When its on, its on! Lots of weather systems have been through northern Michigan over the past week and even some snow fell between the rain showers which may have had something to do with the fish’s attitude. The recent rains brought the water up and should continue to bring fresh fish from the lake – there are fish from the dam to the lake. The report on the Betsie River is that there are some steelhead scattered throughout the river and a few scraggly salmon on gravel making the dark water behind them a great place to start fishing for the chrome ones. After the significant rainfall at the end of last week, most of the Betsie is running dark – be careful wading.

When fishing below Tippy dam, natural eggs and small, natural nymphs like pheasant tails and baetis are working on the pressured steelhead and brown trout. In the lower sections bigger, brighter egg patterns fished in tandem with larger nymphs and small streamers have been the ticket lately – it seems that the “bugger bite” has improved significantly since the last report. Each day is different and this is only a reference as to what has been working for us. To read the Top Five Steelhead Flies article, click here.

With the water temps hovering around 50 degrees and fresh fish around, this is a great time to swing a big fly for steelhead. Olives and tan/brown patterns with lots of gold and copper flash would be a great place to start and always have a black pattern on deck and ready to go.

Good luck,

Ted

Steelhead -A few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

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Steelhead Fishing on the Manistee – If Feels Like Fall

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 23, 2013

After a long six weeks of great weather, things have changed with lower temperatures, fewer leaves on trees and even some snowflakes in the air but the steelhead remain willing to test our abilities and tackle.

Steelhead fishing on the Manistee took a little dip the past week but things have started to improve again. With just a few salmon around spawning, the fish aren’t as concentrated in easy to identify water and as we go through this transitional period – which is typical this time of year, it’s time to alter the plan of attack, focus on different water and presentations. Now we have to work a little for the fish.

Eggs continue to be the primary diet and focus of steelhead with the millions of eggs drifting downstream. Egg pattern colors range from egg/cream/light yellow to Sockeye and Apricot Supreme. Look for Oregon Cheese and Chartreuse variations to become more popular in the near future. “Bugs” – patterns like hex nymphs, steelhead buggers and caddis seem to be increasing in effectiveness in the tail outs and lower sections of rivers where the eggs aren’t so concentrated. When there is a heavy flow of leaves in the water, look for bugs with sparkle and egg patterns that are big and bright (clowns) to bring some attention to themselves making it easier for fish to recognize them from all the debris.

Water conditions are ideal – clarity, level and temperature. Temps are hovering in the low-50’s and I suspect the recent and forecast weather might get that to drop below the 40 degree mark slowing the fish down a bit when hooked. The steelhead this year are running big and have been hard to handle and bring to the net, however no one is complaining.

Good luck,

Ted

Available Fall Steelhead dates available through Mid-Nov: Nov. 5, 8, 12

Steelhead -A few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

Mid-October Michigan Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 17, 2013

With fall colors at their peak there are a number of salmon around on local rivers, but we have past the peak of the run. The Betsie still has some fish moving in as does the Manistee, but mostly the fish are concentrated to spawning gravel and the dark pocket water and holes nearby and looking shabby.

With the salmon come lots of salmon eggs that the steelhead have been focusing on. The wet October has kept good numbers of steelhead moving through systems and they have been testing equipment and angler’s abilities – they have been tough to hold onto. Like the salmon this season, the steelhead seem to be running a little larger than we normally experience.

Egg patterns are the primary fly of choice for those looking to feed a steelhead what they have been eating. Natural looking patterns in colors like Golden Nugget, Sockeye and Light Roe have been most effective but mix it up until you find the fish’s preference and the conditions. When fishing tail-outs, steelhead buggers and caddis have been working as well. With the wet forecast, more steelhead should continue to trickle into the rivers.

Available Fall Steelhead dates available through Mid-Nov: Nov. 5, 6, 8, 12

Steelhead -A few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

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Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Mid-November Fly Fishing Report

Rain, Steelhead and Fall

It’s November – Fall Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead Fishing on the Manistee – If Feels Like Fall

Available Fall Steelhead dates available through Mid-Nov: Nov. 5, 8, 12

Mid-October Michigan Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Available Fall Steelhead dates available through Mid-Nov: Nov. 5, 6, 8, 12

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