Posts tagged "boardman"

Spring Fishing Slowly Gets Here

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 13, 2014

The last few days have felt very spring-like with warmer temperatures, numerous rain showers and even a few mayflies. With rivers running full, trout anglers will find the streamer fishing to be ideal with slightly stained water and a tendency for the fish to be out feeding on all the food drifting downstream. Trout can be in feeding lanes where a streamer can either entice or elicit one of those big brown trout to play – a worm/night crawler/lamprey looking pattern will do the former where a big articulated pattern designed to draw out a predatory response will do the latter. It can take a lot of casts between fish, but often the fish can be substantial when casting the big rods and the big flies. Patterns tied in either yellow or black are a good place to start.

Some Hendricksons have been coming off on the Manistee with some fish coming up to eat as the water temperatures increase. Bug density and surface activity will increase in the weeks ahead and look for a lot of the other bugs to overlap as emergence schedules condense as the late start to Spring rights itself. Other bugs to be prepared for right now include black caddis, blue wing olives and black quills. Check out the Borcher’s Emerger if you haven’t already – it’s a good pattern that represents a number of different bugs when tied in various sizes.

Steelhead continue to come into local rivers, but we are well past peak as fish trickle in and leave fast with water temps in the 50s. Smaller rivers like the Platte, Boardman and Betsie have fewer fish in them while the big Manistee with a heavier flow of water has been a little more consistent. The steelhead are mostly on the spawning gravel and the drop-back fish are resting in the bigger holes and runs eating big before heading back to the lake. These drop-back fish are ideal for the two-handed caster looking to swing into fish.

The trout in the Manistee below Tippy are still close to the dam and the spawning steelhead taking advantage of their eggs as food. Look for the streamer fishing down there to pick up over the next week as fewer steelhead are around and the big sturgeon have them feeling uncomfortable in the gravel sections where they are spawning.

Lake fishing for bluegill and panfish is on the cusp of starting. Some local lakes with shallow depths and dark bottoms have just begun but most of the fishing is behind since it wasn’t that long ago that they were still covered with ice. Look for this fishing to kick off over the next week also.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
Hatches and Big Bugs – Few dates remain in June for the big bugs – Isos, Drakes and the Hex.
Steelhead and Salmon – While Spring is late getting here, it’s not too early to reserve your Fall Dates.

Betsie, bluegill, boardman, borchers emerger, hendricksons, manistee river, platte, steelhead, streamer fishing, trout

Diminishing Snow Banks and other Signs of Spring – Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 18, 2014

After some warmer temperatures and rain along with the sun coming back after a long winter of hibernation, the snow banks have been reduced as has a lot of shelf ice on the local rivers including the Betsie, Manistee and Boardman. Water temperatures are still just above freezing and levels are close to normal as the run-off appears to have seeped into the water table leaving the water clear and cold.

If heading out be prepared for lethargic fish. Those days the sun comes out and bumps the water temperature just a degree or two can really turn the steelhead on. Majority of the fish that came in the river systems in the fall have wintered over and are mostly taking hold in the deep, slower holes. Dead-drift presentations are optimum as fly anglers use indicators and floats to also help with keep the flies suspended above structure. [More on steelhead rigging here]

Good patterns to have tied on right now include salmon fry and alevins as they increase in numbers developing from the salmon’s natural reproduction. – another reason why we believe in Catch and Release fishing. These small baitfish and other natural looking nymphs are a good fly choice when fished in tandem with an egg pattern. Other good fly choices this time of year include: hex nymphs, pheasant tails and black stones. As the water becomes stained, go with larger patterns that include flash, but there isn’t anything in the forecast that looks like that should happen anytime soon. A nice prolonged thaw /run-off would be great and ensure a long spring steelhead season through April and into May.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -With fish in local rivers Spring Steelhead fishing is just starting up as both air and water temps increase.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

alevin fly pattern, Betsie, black stones, boardman, fly fishing report, manistee, shelf ice

September Salmon Fly Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 9, 2013

It still feels like summer with the warm weather but temps more fall-like are forecast for later in the week.

Salmon fly fishing has taken most of the notice of anglers lately as the runs in the Betsie and Manistee Rivers have been good this year. Those of you that have been out know that the fish are running a few pounds bigger on average and have been tough to land. Being salmon, some days they respond to flies well, other days not so. Mix up your patterns, your presentation and even a slight angle change to the run/hole which can make the difference.

There hasn’t been a predominate or favorite fly pattern lately, just the usual nymph patterns like caddis, stones, hex fished in tandem with an egg pattern. Floating lines with indicators have been coming in handy when fishing the insides of runs where staging salmon often sit, but most of the time clients have been using the duck and chuck method with success. (Read more about rigging for salmon here.)

The trout fishing remains decent for those fishing terrestrials and small streamer patterns on rivers like the upper Manistee and Boardman rivers. Water levels are decent for this time of year and clarity is a little too good after a long season, but have the river to yourself while you catch brown and brook trout.

Good luck,

Ted

– Sorry, at this time all salmon dates are booked. Be sure to act early next year to reserve your dates –

The Fall 2013 Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe

Steelhead -Just a few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.

Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.

2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

Betsie, boardman, fishing terrestrials, fly fishing, guide. client, manistee, salmon, trout fishing

Fly Fishing Report – Traverse City Mid-August

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 15, 2013

Trout fishing has been consistent these past weeks as water temps have been much cooler than normal for this time of year due to the mild air temperatures. The Trico hatch has been going a little later in the morning on the upper Manistee River once the sun gets higher and warms things up a bit, however the water is very clear and too much sun is a good thing. Not much else is on emerging on the Manistee and Boardman but attractors are working well for the brook trout and smaller browns where the larger terrestrials and foam and rubber patterns are bringing up some bigger fish. With the weather forecast calling for warmer conditions, look for the terrestrial fishing to get even better.

Bass and Bluegill on ponds and lakes has slowed a little with the cooler weather, but fish continue to play the game and eat flies – poppers, sliders, diving baitfish and baitfish streamers. The warmer weather should bring things back to where they should be for this time of year. Bluegill and panfish are taking smaller dry flies – small terrestrials like beetles, ants and small hoppers are great places to start. Smaller streamers fished just below the surface have been working, too.

The cool weather and water has brought some salmon closer to the river mouths and some fish have slipped up some of the local rivers but they are still low in numbers. It appears the fall run of salmon should be a good one this year.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout Fishing – Morning Trico s and fishing terrestrials is a great way to start a day in August
Bluegill & Bass – Fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Salmon & Fall Steelhead –Salmon season is all booked and just a few dates remain for fall steelhead.

bass fishing, bluegill, boardman, fly fishing, manistee, salmon, tricos, trout

It’s July but some of June’s Fly Fishing Remains

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 6, 2013

The late start and odd month of bugs and weather of June is spilling over in to July and we are still experiencing some bugs on the water and match-the-hatch dry fly fishing. The Upper Manistee and Boardman both have some Hex bugs coming off on them but the section of river and even bend makes the difference of whether there are bugs or not. Being the holiday weekend the rivers are seeing lots of use by canoes, tubes and kayaks making the morning and evening the best times to fish.

The recent cooler evenings have dropped water temps below the 70 degree mark on the Manistee and the Boardman has been running much cooler this year now that Brown Bridge Pond is gone. Other bugs that can be found on the water include Little Yellow Sally Stones, Isonychias, Brown Drakes, Light Cahills, BWO/Drunellas, Gray Drakes (Boardman). Bead Head nymphs fished in riffles and tail outs can be a good way to cover water when wading this time of year.

Carp and smallmouth bass are still around in the flats of Grand Traverse Bay but the smallmouth bass tend to be smaller this time of year as the big fish have slipped into the deeper water. The carp are still doing their thing but have been hard to find some days – crayfish and hex nymphs are ideal flies to have tied on. Plan to cover a lot of water and look for fish where boat traffic and pressure is low. This time of year the mornings can make for some great carp fishing.

Bass fishing on local lakes is getting better with the warm water and their tendency to hammer sliders and mid-sized poppers. With good weed growth look for the fish in the middle of lilly pads, off of breaks/weed beds and other forms of structure. Bluegill continue to be in both shallows and along the edge of weeds and drop offs.

Good luck,

Ted

The Summer Newsletter just went out – Click here to read and/or sign up for future delivery

Trout Fishing – Evening hatches should transition to morning trico s and terrestrial fishing as July sets in.
Bluegill & Bass – Lake fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Fall Steelhead – Its not too early to start thinking about fall’s best fishing fish. Late Sept. – Nov.

bass fishing, boardman, carp fishing, grey drake., hex fishing, hex hatch manistee

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