Late March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 26, 2023

As March winds down, we find ourselves in a unique situation with the steelhead.

Not much has changed since the last report as we still have had back and forth weather including some storm systems that have left some snow on the ground, but then bright sunny days to melt it soon after.

A lot of spawning has taken place on the Manistee and Betsie Rivers over the past 10 days by the steelhead that were hold-overs from fall and those that came in over the winter. With relatively clear and low water, the strong pushes of fresh fish have been more of a trickle until flows change. The 6-10 inches of snow we received yesterday and how it melts should change things going forward in regard to color and height and making it more appealing for fresh fish to head upstream.

The fish are spread throughout river systems and can be found in all sorts of water. In the clear water, fish have been in the dark holes, pocket water and runs near gravel. Seems the fish are spawning mostly at night and low-light hours as the water has been clear enough to see fish if they were out. Tail outs will provide a crack at fresh fish moving through and some fish have been holding over in the big, deep holes, too.

With more eggs in the water, the egg pattern and bead bite has improved but a lot of fish are still coming on the nymph. Caddis and small stones have been fishing strong, but some bigger stones have been taking some fish too. The fry bite should take off any day but so far there hasn’t been many salmon fry seen in the shallow water so it’s a matter of days before they become productive for the steelhead.

Good luck.

Ted

2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons.
Trout – May’s streamer & dry fly fishing turns to the big bugs of June. Good dates to choose from.
Fall Steelhead – Just a few prime steelhead dates remain available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

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Mid March Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 17, 2023

Despite the relatively mild winter we have had, the steelhead fishing is about where it should be for this time of year.

The sun has been shining a bit more lately bumping the water temperature into the upper 30s on the Manistee and into the 40s on smaller rivers like the Betsie. However, some cold nights or winter weather events returns conditions to what we expect for Mid-March.

Some fresh fish have been moving through the river systems but the majority of the fish have been those that have been in the river systems for a bit. The deeper, slow holes near gravel sections of water have been the most reliable with the occasional fish found in the smaller holes near gravel. A few fish have actually been seen on gravel indicating that the spawning process has just begun.

Nymphs have been fishing a bit better than eggs lately with stoneflies and caddis being the most productive. Always fished in tandem with an egg pattern, look for the eggs to become preferred as spawning activity builds and the number of natural eggs drifting downstream increases.

Good luck.

Ted

Open Spring Steelhead Date: I just had a recent cancellation – March 27 is available

2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons.
Trout – May’s streamer & dry fly fishing turns to the big bugs of June. Good dates to choose from.
Fall Steelhead – Just a few prime steelhead dates remain available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

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“Winter” Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - February 15, 2023

It sure has been a see-saw winter with plenty of ups and downs, dramatic shifts in weather and, well, not much snow on the ground. The past week we had an unusual string few of sunny days and that really knocked out any snow that was lingering. Don’t worry, more is in the forecast.

A lot of the snowmelt has gone into the unfrozen ground which helps keep the rivers in check. It also refills a water table to assist with maintaining cooler temps later in the year when we focus on trout. But with recent rains the water levels should bump up and create some movement of steelhead in the local rivers like the Manistee and Betsie.

After months of being poked, pushed, pressured, and thankfully released, the steelhead that entered in the fall and have been around since, like to move when we get these hints of spring-like weather. Look for them to stage near spawning gravel so when ideal conditions occur (water above 40 degrees) they can get down to business and back to the lake. The longer days, too, help let fish in the lake know they should think about getting closer to river mouths and get ready for a swim.

Water temperatures are still in the mid 30’s so the slow, drag-free drift is the most effective approach. But rather than focus only on deep holes, look for tail-outs on the softer side of bubble lines to give up some fish, too, as they shuffle and ascend river systems.

This time of year a tandem rig of a nymph and egg is a staple. Look for the first of the little black stoneflies crawling around or fluttering on the water on those days that the sun helps warm things up. Hex nymphs and caddis are perennial favorites, too. Egg color and size are dictated by water clarity and sunlight – dirty water, a little bigger and bolder, clearer water – the opposite.

Good luck.

Ted

2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons.
Trout – May’s streamer & dry fly fishing turns to the big bugs of June. Good dates to choose from.
Fall Steelhead – Just a few prime steelhead dates remain available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

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Late November Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 25, 2022

As November comes to an end along with the Fall season, we find river and fishing conditions to be about what you’d expect for this time of year.

Water levels are running on the low and clear side of things which makes stealthy presentations a little more crucial. The unprecedented warm water temps we experienced this Fall have dropped significantly in the past week thanks to a snowstorm and cold temps; look for the thermometer to read around 40 degrees. When the water gets colder, the steelhead tend to shift and seek the slower water on the other (slower) side of the bubble line. Most of the snow is gone and stable temperatures are in the forecast so fishing should remain decent as we head into December.

Egg patterns continue to be an effective approach but egg and nymph combos become more common as the fish get off that egg bite with fewer salmon eggs drifting down river systems like the Manistee and Betsie. Steelhead buggers and medium sized black/brown stoneflies are always good choices this time of year.

Fish numbers have been o.k. the past few weeks. After the strong start to the season, we have had to work a little harder to bend the rod. This is the time of year that all three ways to present flies will work – duck and chuck, indicator/float, and swinging. And fish have been easier to land as the cooler temps take some of the near uncontrollable rambunctiousness out of them.

Good luck,

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! A few dates in late Nov. are open.
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

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Early November Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 8, 2022

Steelhead fishing has been mixed. The last week of October left us with low and clear water and with all the salmon gone, the steelhead weren’t as easy to find. Over the weekend significant rains brought up the local rivers and have them running higher and with some color to them. This push of water moved some fish around through rivers and even sent some fresh fish from the lake into the rivers systems like the Manistee and Betsie.

Water temperatures are almost unprecedented for this time of year and are maintaining upper 40s and close to 50. With nice weather in the forecast that should remain for a few days but the “S” word that gets spoken a little more often this time of year is in the long term forecast so look for the water and air temps to begin to fall where they should be for mid-November.

With those water temps being up, the fish are still scattered, mostly happy and eager to eat a well presented fly. Once hooked, they are continuing to test our abilities to get them close to the net but getting beat up has never been so fun. Egg patterns in bold, pale or mixed colors have been the primary producers with nymphs like hex, buggers and caddis starting to get tied in tandem with an egg or bead. Those willing to fish a swung fly are getting a deeper bend in the two-handed rod with the larger size of fish this fall; streamers with copper flash and either tan/ginger or olive bodies have been the first fly tied on the line.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! A few dates in late Nov. are open.
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

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Posts tagged "betsie river"

Late March Fishing Report

Mid March Steelhead Fishing Report

Open Spring Steelhead Date: I just had a recent cancellation – March 27 is available

“Winter” Fishing Report

Late November Fishing Report

Early November Fishing Report

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