Posts tagged "bass fishing"

June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 11, 2025

We are in the thick of trout fishing on the local rivers. This is the time of year where we can have various hatches (or none) and some decent streamer fishing when the fish aren’t looking up.

The weather has been fluctuating a lot and has been a tad cooler than normal, but the forecast promises of some warmer weather ahead. When stable temperatures keep water temps stable, hatches become more predictable and fly fishing – it seems – is at its best with feeding fish on the surface.

If headed out, Brown Drakes, Isonychias, Yellow/brown Stones, Sulphurs and Mahoganies belong in your box. If those don’t work, don’t be afraid to cast the mid-summer attractor foam and rubber creations to get their attention. You can read more on the hatches that occur this time of year in this article.

Subsurface – the smaller streamers and twitch flies have catching some nice fish when fished with the quick twitch and pause presentation. Baitfish and sculpins patterns (smaller than 3 inches) are doing a good job with the clear water we have been experiencing the past month.

The lake fishing for bluegill and bass has turned the page on most small lakes with the spawning cycle behind them and the fish coming out of the post-spawn funk. With the full moon the bluegill/panfish have moved shallow for a second round of spawning and those fishing smallmouth in both lakes and rivers should be using crayfish patterns in a light tan color as they tend to molt in this moon phase making them attractive to smallmouth bass (and trout).

Good luck.

Ted

Father’s Day – Get dad the gift of getting on the water! Gift Certificates available.
Trout Fishing – June offer’s some of the best technical dry fly fishing as we chase bugs and browns.
Fall Steelhead – After a strong Spring Season look to the Fall Season – just a few dates remain available.
Smallmouth Bass – Now through Mid-August, come fish this rod bending species as an alternative to trout.

Late May Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 27, 2025

As May comes to an end, it seems the dry-fly fishing is just starting to fall into a groove.

The cool weather and wind last week seemed to keep the hatches unpredictable. With some stable weather forecast, evening hatches should be more regular with spinner falls typically occurring at dusk. Without the stagnant heat of the day and cool temps in the evenings, things could be good either early evening or even late mornings – nature dictates, I suppose.

The upper Manistee is running full and is clear – maybe a little too clear as it’s been a while since we have had any appreciable rainfall. The Boardman and Au Sable are also running clear so lighter tippet, longer leaders and a low-profile are suggested to fool these wary trout.

It’s that time of year when there are multiple bugs that can emerge and often do at the same time making for some good, but challenging match-the-hatch conditions. Black Quills, Great Mahoganies, Sulphurs and BWOs should be expected and having some March Browns, Little Yellow Sallies and Isonychias in the box isn’t a bad strategy in the event they show up, too. Bring the bug spray as the mosquitoes have been around and seem hungrier this year.

I’ve often written in these reports that this time of year a selection of Borcher’s Drakes and Robert’s Yellow Drakes in a number of sizes will get you through a lot of emergences. Add some rusty spinners and you’ll have a good kit to get you through a lot of what’s happening on the surface.

On the lakes, the bass have finished spawning and are still aggressive in the shallows but things are starting to slow down as they enter the post-spawn funk that comes this time of year. Bluegill, too have finished spawning but they are still in shallow looking to feed. Just off the drop they are really looking to feed so if they aren’t coming to the surface, fish a bead-head nymph or micro streamer.

Good Luck,

Ted

Trout Fishing – June offer’s some of the best technical dry fly fishing as we chase bugs and browns.
Fall Steelhead – After a strong Spring Season look to the Fall Season – just a few dates remain available.
Smallmouth Bass – Now through Mid-August, come fish this rod bending species as an alternative to trout.

au sable, bass fishing, boardman, borchers drake, fly fishing, fly fishing guide, fly fishing report, fly fishing traverse city, grayling michigan, learn how to fly fish, mayflies, sulphurs, trout fishing

Early July Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 2, 2024

The Hex flies have mostly finished a really heavy hatch period this year on the local rivers including the Manistee. This steady stream of bugs has left the trout fat and happy and like many of us after Thanksgiving dinner – second guessing that last serving.

The rivers are in good shape: height, clarity and temperature are all where they should be. After a significant hatch, the fish usually sulk for a little bit and wait for digestion to take place, but they’ve been known to eat a hex fly as a few late bloomers either hatch or spinners fall. Isonychias on the cloudy days can make for some fun fishing, but mostly it’s time to think about attractors, wets and small streamers as most of our hatches are over. It also means you can take some fly boxes out of the gear bag/vest since there isn’t as much match-the-hatch fishing going on.

You can read more about fishing following the Hex Hatch here.

The really good lake fishing for bluegill/panfish has slowed some with the fish going deep again after another round of spawning. Look for them in the drops near weeds and other structure. The largemouth bass fishing is ramping up as they are starting to look up at diving bugs, poppers and attractors that get their attention. Small streamers, too, fished on a floating line can also bring some fish to the net.

The smallmouth bass fishing in rivers continues to offer some good streamer fishing for those looking to change gears from the evening and night trout fishing we seemed to have been doing for the past 6 weeks. Once temperatures warm back up, I suspect the surface/popper bite might begin.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout, Tricos & Terrestrials – July & August offer fun dry fly fishing on the upper Manistee river.
Smallmouth Bass – Fish the lower Manistee with streamers & poppers this summer for fish that can pull.
Learn To Fly Fish – 1/2 Day trips are perfect for beginners! Learn how to cast before hitting the water to fish.

bass fishing, fishing report, hex hatch, learn to fly fish, smallmouth bass fly fishing, traverse city fly fishing, trout fishing, trout fly fishing

May Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 8, 2024

With May here, it’s time for the Mayflies on the local trout rivers.

This time of year can be a great time for the technical dry fly fisherman as there can be a variety of hatches ( and various stages of those hatches ) with fish keyed in on just what they want, served on a drag-free drift.

You can expect the Hendricksons which are winding down, but also mahogany duns, Sulphurs, March Browns, and some caddis. BWO’s always belong in your box, but they might get used more now than other times of the fishing season. For the next 6 weeks, it’s a good time to have an assortment of Borchers Drakes and Robert’s Yellow Drakes as they will get you through a lot of hatch situations.

Between hatches, cover the water with streamers. The Upper Manistee and Boardman are running at good levels – they are full, not high, and have a nice tint to it for good streamer fishing. Fishing from a boat with a sink-tip is the most effective, but if wading, shorter, less dense sink-tip lines with a weighted fly is an effective approach.
More on streamer fishing can be read here.

Some of the local lakes are just now starting to see some bluegill/panfish start to move into the shallows but a lot of them are hanging at the drop offs. A little bit more warm weather and some moon phase and it should be game on – especially the smaller lakes and ponds with a dark, silty bottom.

It’s still a good time to fish those lakes for the pike that are still milling around in the shallow water where we can easily get to them with a fly. Like most fish, they like structure to hide in before pouncing on prey.

Lastly, the smallmouth bass fishing is going on lakes and some on rivers. Baitfish patterns fished sub-surface either on floating lines or intermediate tip fly lines in those magic areas when structure and depth combine should be your target.

Good luck.

Ted

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Late July Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 21, 2023

As July starts to wind down, fly anglers find themselves in the middle of summer and summer fishing conditions.

The Upper Manistee is running low and clear – which isn’t unusual for this time of year. The lack of rain has been offset by the cooler evening temps to keep the water temps in the mid-60s and safe for the trout. Most of the hatches are done with the exception of the Tricos. Theses little flies make dry fly fishing fun as the brookies and browns provide rising targets. Every once in a while we are surprised by a bigger fish that eats the little fly and test’s the strength of the 6x tippet. Mostly, it’s simply a fun time to use that lighter dry fly rod.

Without hatches or latter in the day, we find ourselves fishing terrestrials and attractors or what I refer to as the “foam and rubber hatch”. Foam bodied flies with rubber legs – drifting, skittering or twitched on the surface makes it fun. It’s not overly technical fishing, just fun covering some water and fooling some fish.

The smallmouth on the lower Manistee River has mostly been good. Once in a while we find the fish are in a mood where they just kind of look but aren’t eating. Classic “window shopping” behavior. Don’t give up, a slight change in the weather can get them eating your ever-changing streamer pattern again. The popper bite is just starting so make sure you have your favorite popper/big foam and rubber legged patterns on a floating line next to your clear sink-tip rod.

Bass and Bluegill remain our favorite target for beginners learning fly fishing. These fish keep it fun and action packed. Some bigger bluegill are in the shallows early in the day or on those rare cloudy days. The largemouth are loving small streamers fished near lily pads and drop offs. Or my personal favorite – diving frog patterns.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – July and August is time for Ticos and Terrestrials on the Upper Manistee – an ideal half-day on the river.
Smallmouth Bass– Spend a half or full-day on the lower Manistee fishing smallies – through Late August.
Fall Steelhead – November still has some dates available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

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