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Posts tagged "betsie river steelhead fishing"

Mid-March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 10, 2021

Longer days and mild temperatures have steelhead on most angler’s minds. Rivers like the Manistee and Betsie are still running cold – just under 40 degrees with fluctuations coming from cold overnights, sunshine, and any leftover snowmelt – it’s mostly gone (for now – the snowblower is still gassed up and the shovels are ready).

Water levels are low and on the clear side which hasn’t encouraged an abundance of fresh fish into the local systems but the holdovers from fall and the steelhead that have trickled in throughout the winter have shuffled around and are getting eager for things to warm-up just a little more to begin their spawning before returning to the lake.

With the river conditions being low and clear, anglers will find good fishing throughout the river system. Egg patterns and beads seem to be outperforming the nymphs; however, a caddis and black stone fly are always a good bet this time of year, especially with the sunshine and slight bump in water temps. Indicator and floats, and duck and chuck are your best approach as the water is still too cool for consistent action on a swung fly.

As the spring steelhead season gets underway, please keep in mind that MI-DNR was not able to collect fish for hatchery operations in 2020 leaving a year gap in supplemental stocking. Natural reproduction does occur so please practice catch and release to help the fisheries and anglers endure a lost year of stocking.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Fishing – May and June offer some of the best streamer and dry fly hatches of the year.
Learn to Fly Fish – Tailor a half-day trip to learning how to fly fish –
perfect for beginners or those looking to dial in a new technique.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates remain in November and into December.

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December Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 10, 2019

While we are officially still in Fall, there is no denying that we are in Winter once we step outside or even look out the window. And the fish know it, too.

Fishing has become tough the past couple weeks with water temps in the mid 30’s. If it is steelhead you are after, look for them to be in the darker, deeper holes/water just off the side of the main current seams.

Fish can be found in the Manistee and Betsie river systems, they are just spread out and it seems that their numbers are a little thin considering the number of fish encountered this past fall. Perhaps sore-mouthing them educated and encouraged them to head back to the lake; angler’s placing fish on a rope or in a cooler definitely had an impact, too. With river temperatures less than the lake temperatures, I’m thinking that new fish migrating upstream will be minimal until the days start getting longer again. I’ve been wrong before, though.

Just as the steelhead fishing slowed, the trout fishing also requires persistence. Those fishing streamers might be better served fishing the inside bends and soft water structure for brown trout looking to have their Christmas feast. Mid-sized streamers seem to be more effective after a few years of triple-tandem articulated, keel-shanked,and over accessorized rattling streamer patterns fished big and heavy. Try fishing those smaller streamers slowly either on a small sink-tip or floating line if the pattern has some weight.

Good luck, enjoy the solitude out there and Happy Holidays!

Ted

The Winter Newsletter just went out –
click here to read and/or subscribe.

2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through October of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.
Gift Certificates – As we approach the holiday season, consider asking or giving the gift of time on the water.

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Spring / Mid-March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 21, 2019

With the first day of Spring, we are reminded that it’s a transition into the new season, not the flip of a switch. Since last week’s report a lot of snow has melted which brought the river levels up and added some color to it. The water temps are still in the low to mid 30’s and with the amount of snow still around in places I don’t see temperatures getting too high, too soon and that’s a good thins as it will make for a nice prolonged run of spring steelhead.

The fish are mixed with fresh ones moving upstream as well as older fish sitting in the deeper water and waiting for the water to warm up so they can get one with spawning activities. Cover the water and structure – with the increase in flow, daylight and fish, comes the increase in the number of anglers which all have the tendency to push fish into secondary water/holding spots.

Not much new on which fly patterns to tie on – big and bold egg patterns, green caddis, stoneflies, hex nymphs and alevins are perennial favorites.

Good luck.

Ted

The Spring 2019 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Spring Steelhead – Now through April. Start the fishing seasons with some chrome! Some dates still available.
Trout – May and June offers some of the best trout fishing of the year matching the hatch and fishing streamers.
Booking 2019 – Reserve your date(s) and schedule life around fishing rather than trying to fit fishing into life.

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Early April Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 8, 2018

Since the last report we have had some cold weather – especially low overnight temps – keeping the water temperature right around 40 degrees. While some snow fell, most of it is still on the ground so the water/river levels have not increased leaving us with unusually clear water conditions on the Manistee and Betsie Rivers. Without a surge of warm water to pull a bunch of fresh fish from Lake Michigan we are still working over a mixed bag of steelhead – some winter hold-overs and others that have trickled through the river system the past weeks.

Some fish are spawning but with the low and clear water you are likely to find those and pre-spawn fish in the pocket water near gravel sections. We are getting drop-back steelhead in the runs as they put on the feed bag before returning to the big water.

Effective flies have been mixed….. eggs patterns in Clown, orange and John 3:16 colors combinations. Nymphs too have been varied: green caddis, ice buggers and Hex Nymphs seemed to have worked best in the past week. With the clear water, you might have to drop tippet/leader size but know that the fish have been uncharacteristically feisty and strong-fighting with water temperatures as low as they are so drop down only when you need to.

Good luck.

Ted

Steelhead & Trout Combo – The first two weeks in May can offer steelhead in the morning and trout after noon.
Trout – Reliable hatches begin in May for surface activity and it’s also a great time for fishing streamers.
Learn How – Take a 1/2 day trip with the goal of learning how to fly fish or improve, customized to your interests.

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

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