Winter Continues – Steelhead Fly Fishing Report 2/19/13

Posted by Ted Kraimer - February 19, 2013

Winter continues to have a pretty good grip on the region despite some temporary thaws and the occasional mild day just before another round of cold weather and often snow producing storm. The local rivers are running normal for this time of year and have temps in the low 30’s thanks to cold overnight temperatures and melting snow when air temps do bump up for a spell.

Steelhead are spread throughout the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman rivers with a few fresh fish entering the Manistee as they work their way upstream as we get closer to the spring spawning period. The longer days and increased sunlight helps both the fish and us look forward to warmer temps and better conditions which aren’t too far away. Hopefully.

If you’re headed to the river focus on the deeper holes and slots with slow moving water running through them. As the salmon eggs from the fall are starting to develop into alevins, the trout and steelhead are taking advantage of the vulnerable pieces of protein. In addition to alevin patterns, try stones, hex/wigglers and caddis fished in tandem with an egg patterns as dead-drift as possible for your best chance at catching some winter steelhead. This is a great time of year to fish under a float/indicator.

Good luck.

Ted

Winter Special: Take advantage of warm-ups this winter! 5 hours of fishing and lunch – $250
Gift Certificates: Ask for or give the gift of a guide trip or casting lesson. It’s a quick and easy gift! Click here.
Spring Steelhead: Mid-March isn’t that far away – get your dates secured and reserve your place in the boat.
– – Currently Booking for all 2013 Seasons – –

Yo-Yo Weather. Winter Steelhead Fishing Report 1/31/13

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 31, 2013

Not much has changed since the last report as we continue to experience lots of swings in the weather – from mild to distinct winter and then back again. This week’s 50 degree warm up came with a lot of rain and the river levels came up significantly. You will find the local rivers stained with increased turbidity as water temps hover in the mid-30s. Any shelf ice that developed the week before is long gone.

Look for this increase of water to simply “reset” everything. Some new, fresh steelhead should move into the rivers joining the winter steelhead already spread throughout the Lake Michigan tributaries. With the size and volume of the Manistee the recent rain and snow melt provided a bigger flux of water and is likely to significantly shuffle the fish around throughout the system. With water temps being as cold as they are, don’t expect fish to migrate or move as fast as they would if the water were warmer but rather seek out the deeper, slower holes well on the inside of the fast moving water where some fish will take advantage of the stained water and slide into the shallows to avoid the moving water.

Big, bright egg flies and nymphs like sparkle stones, leeches, big bright caddis and large hex nymphs with “triggers” tied in them would be a good approach to finding what the fish are in the mood for. With fish hanging around wood in the shallows, a big streamer swung can be effective. Then again, with the long-term forecast calling for a spell of cold weather, you might find that tying flies and filling up your fly boxes might be a better alternative; with the first of the salmon’s offspring starting to develop alevins and fry patterns should prove effective – tie some up.

Good luck,

Ted

Winter Special: Take advantage of warm-ups this winter! 5 hours of fishing and lunch – $250
Gift Certificates: Ask for or give the gift of a guide trip or casting lesson. It’s a quick and easy gift! Click here.
Spring Steelhead: Mid-March isn’t that far away – get your dates secured and reserve your place in the boat.
– – Currently Booking for all 2013 Seasons – –

alevin pattern, egg flies, fly tying, fry pattern, hex nymph, manistee, steelhead

Winter Mode – Steelhead Fishing and Fly Tying

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 20, 2013

Winter is bouncing back and forth between mild and severe offering decent windows of opportunity when the temps are comfortable. There are steelhead in the local rivers with a mix of fresh and winter fish in all systems including the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman. The thaws and rains over the past couple of weeks helped bump water levels up which mixed the fish a little bit moving them around as well as inspiring a few fresh fish to enter the rivers.

Water levels are normal for winter steelheading and rather than typical gin-clear water, there is just a little color to it which is good. Since the fish in the systems are mixed, you will find that the increases in water shuffled the deck so to speak and this will help to keep the fish from being overly stale which can be a problem this time of year as they tend to hibernate in the deep, slow water. Water temps are running in the mid-30s. The drag-free drift is most important this time of year as the fish are demanding. Egg patterns this time of year do a decent job of catching fish and their attention so if heading out be sure to fish a tandem rig with very realistic looking nymphs like hex, caddis, and small mayflies. Presentations under an indicator/float is a good idea this time of year to help with the subtle take but also to help you suspend your flies above structure. Look for the inside of seams to be more productive throughout the winter.

The forecast isn’t calling for any warm-ups and should the weather service remain true to its prediction you might find the cold of January is a great time to tie some flies or read a book on fishing. Some old and new favorite books of mine include: Mayflies – Top to Bottom by Shane Stalcup, Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniel, The River Home by Jerry Dennis and Bonefishing by Randall Kaufman. Check your local fly shop, club or group for fly tying classes this winter – it’s a great way to spend a cold, dark night thinking about fish, filling your fly box and learning more about flies and fishing.

Good luck,

Ted

Winter Special: Take advantage of warm-ups this winter! 5 hours of fishing and lunch – $250
Gift Certificates: Ask for or give the gift of a guide trip or casting lesson. It’s a quick and easy gift! Click here.
Spring Steelhead: Mid-March isn’t that far away – get your dates secured and reserve your place in the boat.
– – Currently Booking for all 2013 Seasons – –

current works, fly tying, hex, indicators, manistee, manistee river, michigan, nymph, nymphing, steelhead, ted kraimer

Winter’s Here…. Along with a few Steelhead

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 27, 2012

There is no denying that winter has come and it doesn’t appear that any warm-ups are in the forecast. For those looking to get out of the house and on the water, you will find that there are steelhead in just about all the area rivers. Water levels are normal for this time of year as is clarity so focus on the deeper water with slow moving currents as the fish have gone into winter mode. Smaller bugs (caddis, stones, small hex, pheasant tails and sow bug/scuds) presented as close to drag-free as possible fish well when in tandem with either an attractive egg or larger nymph. Some new fish have entered the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman rivers in the past three weeks making for a nice mix of fresh fish along with the colorful winter steelhead that came in earlier this fall. Any days when the sun makes it’s rare appearance, look for the afternoon bite to be best as just a few degrees of warm-up can really impact the fishing.

Good luck and Happy New Year.

Ted

– The Winter/Holiday newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe –

Winter Special: Take advantage of warm-ups this winter! 5 hours of fishing and lunch – $250
Gift Certificates: Ask for or give the gift of a guide trip or casting lesson. It’s a quick and easy gift! Click here.
Spring Steelhead: Mid-March isn’t that far away – get your dates secured and reserve your place in the boat.
– – Currently Booking for all 2013 Seasons – –

December Steelhead and Trout Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 13, 2012

With Winter pretty much set in, it’s time to fish like it. Steelhead numbers remain decent in the Manistee river but few fish are in the Betsie. Water levels and clarity are in step with the season – that is low and clear and it’s the stealthy angler who will have the odds in their favor in these conditions. As the steelhead are tucked away in the deep and slow holes be sure to target that water and on those rare days when the sun is out, look for fish to be in tail-outs actually sunning themselves. You will also find some fish near bubble lines close to slow moving water and in and around wood making suspended flies under floats/indicators ideal. Swung flies on heavy sink-tips work well in these conditions, too, as water temperatures hover around 40 degrees; look for an undulating spey or streamer pattern to peel some fish from the wood.

The trout fishing below Tippy Dam is picking up now that they are not solely eating eggs in various stages – look for midge, scudsow bug and small mayfly/bwo patterns to accommodate an egg pattern on your tandem nymph rig. Slow sinking streamers with lots of action make for some good streamer fishing this time of year for some of the bigger fish looking to put the feed bag on before Winter really sets in hard – just remember to move the fly slower this time of year as water temps remain cold.

Happy Holidays and Good Luck!

Ted

— The Winter/Holiday newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe —

Winter Special: Take advantage of warm-ups this winter! 5 hours of fishing and lunch – $250
Gift Certificates: Ask for or give the gift of a guide trip or casting lesson. It’s a quick and easy gift! Click here.
Spring Steelhead: Mid-March isn’t that far away – get your dates secured and reserve your place in the boat.
– – Currently Booking for all 2013 Seasons – –

betsie river fishing, indicators, manistee river, river, spey, streamers, swung flies, trout, winter steelhead

Northern Michigan Fly Fishing Report

Winter Continues – Steelhead Fly Fishing Report 2/19/13

Yo-Yo Weather. Winter Steelhead Fishing Report 1/31/13

Winter Mode – Steelhead Fishing and Fly Tying

Winter’s Here…. Along with a few Steelhead

– The Winter/Holiday newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe –

December Steelhead and Trout Fishing Report

— The Winter/Holiday newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe —

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