Posts tagged "bluegill fishing"

June Fly Fishing Report – Northwest / Traverse City Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 8, 2016

Other than a change in the weather, not a whole lot has changed on the local waters since last week’s report.

After 10 days of warm days and nights, some cooler weather moved in the past week leaving the nights cooler than ideal for hatches and spinner falls on the Trout Rivers. Surface activity and hatches has been off a little on the Manistee, Au Sable and Boardman rivers, however covering water has found some isolated “hatch zones”. You can expect a smorgasbord of bugs right now: Sulphurs, March Browns, Mahoganies, Brown Drakes, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Caddis, Little Yellow Sally Stones, Medium Brown/Yellow Stones, and more have been seen on the water and in the air.

Water levels are still o.k. but clarity is an issue – it is too clear. Stealth and long presentations are required for the larger, selective fish but a good drift with the right fly can make it all worthwhile. On the bright days, seek shade and structure where fish are still approachable rather than tucked deep in log jams or undercut banks. Streamer fishing has been challenging in the clear water however smaller streamers have taken some nice fish lately.

Grand Traverse Bay is still running cool and as such the carp and smallmouth bass have been slow to get going. Often when you do find the carp they are moving and not feeding. As the water warms up on the flats, look for the pre-spawn feed to take place with some of the better fishing of the year. The smallmouth bass, too, are plagued by the cooler water. As the Smallies are in pre-spawn mode also and nomadically cruising , they will eat a fly – baitfish imitations and Gobies area great patterns to start with

The smaller lakes and ponds are fishing better for bass than the big water of the bay. Small streamers and even some smaller poppers and larger dry flies are working. Bluegill fishing has been mixed – some lakes are better than others and require some time to find those larger fish looking to bend your 3 wt. rod. Look in any weeds/bulrush in a foot of water for spawning fish. They can be hard to get when they are hidden and tucked away, but it’s also a time to get some nice hand-sized panfish/gills/sunnies before they head deep again.

Good luck,

Ted

Carp and Bass – Look for these guys on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay through the month of June.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and Hex – dates available.
Salmon – Late August and September is when the King Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

ausable, bluegill fishing, brown drakes, carp, isonychia, king salmon, little yellow sally stones, manistee river, smallmouth bass, trout fishing, trout rivers

Late May Fly Fishing for Trout and More

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 23, 2016

The week of high sun and warmer weather has done a good job of helping us to forget that it snowed just over a week ago. With the better weather the fishing has improved as the waters on both rivers and lakes have warmed up and the hatches on the local trout rivers are pretty much where they should be for this time of year.

This is a great time of year for the serious dry fly angler as there are plenty of bugs overlapping and offering good match-the-hatch situations. On the Manistee and AuSable look for Mayflies to include: Sulphurs, Mahoganies, March Browns and Great Speckled Olives (think #12 Borcher’s Drake), Stoneflies: – Little Yellow Sally and Yellow Belly Brown Stones, and Caddis: #14 black, #16 Tan. While some of the smaller fish readily come to the fly, the bigger fish are demanding good presentation in the clear water conditions. If you love to fool fish on the surface the next few weeks are ideal for you. More on the fishing the hatches this time of year – click here.

Evening spinner falls have been offering good chances at trout, but in low light, fishing small spinners to sippers can be a challenge. Make sure you are stopping your rod tip high, getting a good turn over and don’t forget to mend. The softer, placid water just below riffles are collecting good numbers of bugs and is a good place to look for soft risers. The larger fish are only giving us one chance, so make sure you can execute -here’s an article with some tips for better dry fly fishing.

The bass and bluegill fishing is in full swing. The bigger gills have moved from the depths and into the shallows providing a lot of fun on both the surface and below. If they aren’t coming up try fishing nymphs like small damsels, minnows and even bead headed soft hackles for success; as you slowly strip the fly, keep tension on the line and wait for the slightest bump/tug and set the hook.

Good luck.

Ted

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking for your opinion on the state of our fisheries.
Please take a few minutes and let them know what you really think – don’t hold back!
Remember, this is an agency that is supposed to be working for us. Click here for the survey.

May Fishing – It’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and the Hex – got dates?
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

ausable river, bluegill fishing, borcher's drake, fly fishing, Great Speckled Olive, manistee, march browns, Northern Michigan, sulphurs

Memorial Day Mayflies and More to Choose From

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 21, 2015

As we approach late May the Mayflies are starting to become more prolific and varied on the upper Manistee, Boardman and Au Sauble Rivers. The next month offers our best match-the-hatch dry fly fishing of the year – make sure your boxes are filled and varied and your fly casting accurate – those selective risers only give you so many chances.

Most of the dark Hendricksons have come and gone but you will want some dark spinner patterns for when they hit the water. With the cool evenings, the spinner fall has been more of a tease – look for the next warm evening to provide a good fall of bugs but don’t overlook late mornings. Light Hendricksons are more common and a few Sulphurs are emerging more commonly in the evenings which should continue to be one of the key bugs over the next two weeks. It’s also time to have March Browns and Black Quills in your fly box as this is the time of year they make their annual appearance. The Medium Brown Stoneflies have been around and when fished blind with a skitter- and-twitch, some nice fish are playing along. Don’t forget that Black Caddis will remain prolific most evenings right at dark for the next couple of weeks.

Streamer fishing has remained inconsistent. As the chestnut lampreys are more active this time of year and as such, brown, slinky streamers can be a great choice. Other good colors lately include: olive/white, brook trout (olive/tan/orange), and yellow/brown. With the water being low and clear, smaller streamers can be a better choice when fishing smaller water, whereas the bigger, deeper water with its holes are better fished with a big often articulated streamer. Streamer fishing remains a great choice as you fish before dry flies and surface activity.

The local lakes have been fishing very well for both panfish/bluegill and bass. As the darker bottom lakes warm quickest, anglers will find the bigger gills spawning in shallow water. This is a great opportunity to catch fish that are normally too deep for the fly angler. Dry fly activity has been best when it is flat and calm where as smaller nymphs like damsels, brassies and soft-hackled hare’s ears fished with a slow, swimming retrieve has been best sub-surface. The bass have been taking both surface and subsurface flies, but smaller baitfish and sculpin streamers have been real effective.

We are still a week or so away from having carp and smallmouth on the flats of the bays thanks to the cold winter and some recent cold nights. We still have frost advisories so cover up your plants and keep your 8 wt. ready for when we get a few days of bright sun and no wind – that usually heats the water significantly which brings the fish in from the depths it’s right around the corner.

With Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer begins so be sure to drive safe, share the water with other anglers and enjoy the local fishing.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Season – Streamer & Dry Fly fishing is ideal throughout May on the Upper Manistee & AuSable Rivers.
September Salmon – Dates are limited for fishing the Betsie River in early Sept. and later on the Manistee.
2015 Fishing – It isn’t too early to get your fishing trips planned for the year. Booking all species/seasons.

bass, black caddis, bluegill fishing, borcher's drake, carp fishing grand traverse bay, fly fishing, hendrickson, trout guide

Memorial Day Weekend Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 23, 2013

Up and down weather this week has provided everything from hot and humid to cool and rainy. While the dry, warm days provided good hatches on the Manistee and Boardman Rivers, the other days were ideal for the streamer angler fishing below the surface and covering water looking for trout.

The potpourri of bugs lately have included: Hendricksons, March Browns, Mahoganies, Black Quills, and a few Sulphurs. Inconsistent weather has broken the mold of evening-exclusive spinner falls and they can be found at all times of the day including late mornings – one just never knows so it’s good to be prepared and be flexible. Look for the warmer weather to return this weekend and for the bug emergence to become a little more reliable and stable. If heading out, you will find that the most prolific hatch lately has been the mosquitoes; be sure to take some bug spray – not having any isn’t an option right now. To read more about the various mayflies that emerge over the next month, click here.

Streamer fishing has been decent as the water conditions are ideal with a slight stain, overcast skies and good temps. With chestnut lampreys active right now and the rain washing worms downstream, streamer patterns resembling such are catching some fish. Other successful patterns are those with lots of movement and orange/brown color schemes looking like crayfish and/or juvenile brook trout – at least that seems to have been a recent preference. As always, mix it up, donate flies to deep structure and keep moving for that rewarding brown or rainbow trout.

The Bluegill/Panfish have moved into shallow water on most of the local lakes and are making for some great fishing. Targeting the “bull-gills” on light rods is a blast. Fish have been taking both dries and nymphs with dries being best when the water is calm. Fish small nymphs by swimming them or try a real small streamer slowly striped.

Some carp have been moving closer inshore from the Grand Traverse bay’s depths but they are far from where they should be in regards to numbers and ideal depths. These weather changes – I think, negatively affect carp more than any other fish we fish for. Smallmouth bass, too, are starting to move towards shallow water to do their spring spawning ritual. The fly fishing in the bays surrounding Traverse City will only get better over the next month.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day. Good luck.

Ted

Trout Fishing – May & June offer some or our best streamer fishing & great hatches!
Bluegill – Experience great fishing on the ponds and lakes in mid-May and June
Father’s Day – Ask for or give a gift certificate to dad this Father’s Day – June 16 2013
Hex Fishing – Some ideal dates are still available for the big bugs and big fish in mid/late June
2013 Fishing Season – Now booking for all 2013 seasons – don’t miss out on this year’s fishing

bluegill fishing, carp fishing, chestnut lamprey, fishing, fly fishing, hendrickson, manistee, report, streamer fishing, sulphurs, traverse city

Transition Trout – Hello Terrestrials & River Smallies, Goodbye Carp

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 27, 2012

Trout fishing continues now that the hex hatch is mostly over. There are still some sporadic bugs on certain sections of rivers, but look for them to be light in numbers and unpredictable but worthy of being in every anglers fly box over the next couple of weeks should the odd ball spinner fall occur. This time of year can offer rare daylight spinner falls in the evening where you will be amazed at what is out and eating.

Water levels are low and clear on the Manistee, Boardman and other area rivers which is normal for this time of year. With the sun out, fishing has been slower during the day so target shade sections of the river or fish either mornings or evening for your best luck. There are still bugs on the Manistee and Boardman: Isonychias, BWO, Cahills and Gray Drakes (Boardman River) and they are starting to realize they better eat smaller bugs because the big hex bugs/porterhouse cuts of the night are pretty much done. Some of the terrestrial and attractor patterns have been working the past week and will only grow in popularity as terrestrial season builds and continues through August.

{A few years ago I wrote an article on Trout Fishing After the Hex Hatch – Click here to read.}

Smallmouth bass are becoming more active in the lower Manistee with the recent heat and this too should continue to build as summer continues to set in with its warm conditions. Small baitfish patterns and crayfish fished on a sink-tip is best and play around with some top-water sliders and poppers for some surface activity. These fish don’t tend to be as large as the smallies found in the bay but they are a lot of fun to chase and reinforce streamer fishing skills making anglers better trout anglers along the way.

The Carp in the bays are pretty much done. You might still find a fish or two cruising but finding good numbers of fish to target is unlikely. If heading out, cover lots of water and don’t be afraid of looking of looking outside of the bays and in Lake Michigan itself for fish – especially a little deeper than normal. Wind direction and overnight temps help dictate where to look, but with all of the boating and swiming activity that is likely to take place over the next week, look for mornings to be your best bet. This year wasn’t our best carp fishing year and I think like a lot of things the strange weather events of the year is partially responsible.

Local lakes and ponds are fishing well for bass and bluegill/panfish. With the weed growth look for the fish to be in the shade and eager to eat your fly. Drop-offs, docks, boat hoists, and other forms of structure are places to target and as the sun goes down or on cloudy days, look for fish to be a little more venturous cruising for food. Spiders and small poppers for the gills with bigger poppers and sliders for the bass. Try baitfish patterns fished deeper with a sink-tip when looking to target the bigger trout.

Safe travels and good luck,

Ted

Terrestrials & Trico hatches in the Months of July & August – start your mornings off on a cool, quiet trout stream.
Salmon: The end of August begins our salmon season extending through September. Limited dates available.
Steelhead: The end of September means it’s time to focus on fall steelhead – extending though November
Booking for all 2012 Seasons and through June 2013 – reserve your place in the boat

bluegill fishing, carp, fly fishing, manistee river, smallmouth bass, terrestrial, trout

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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking for your opinion on the state of our fisheries. Please take a few minutes and let them know what you really think – don’t hold back! Remember, this is an agency that is supposed to be working for us. Click here for the survey.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking for your opinion on the state of our fisheries.
Please take a few minutes and let them know what you really think – don’t hold back!
Remember, this is an agency that is supposed to be working for us. Click here for the survey.