Posts tagged "boardman"

Spring Fishing Progresses

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 16, 2013

Last week’s great weather was interrupted by cooler weather complete with snowflakes and rain over the weekend leading to a drop in water temperatures. Now that the sun is out again and warmer weather is back, water temps are climbing again and the bug emergences are a little more predictable with fish often taking advantage offering decent dry fly activity.

On the local rivers like the Manistee, AuSable and Boardman, look for Hendricksons to continue (both light and dark), March Browns, Black Caddis, a few BWOs, little brown stones, Black Quills and a trickle of Mahoganies. Spinners have been collecting above the riffle sections but the time of day they hit fall to the water varies on the bug and the conditions of the day – it’s been all over the place. Keep some sulphurs in your box because they are on deck. As mentioned in last week’s report, fish streamers between emergences and cover water – one bend can be void of fish while the next bend can have good bugs and rising fish. Streamer fishing has improved, but it still requires a lot of casts and changing of the patterns between fish. Having a rigged dry fly rod in the boat is a great way to be prepared when a trout snout breaks the surface.

The bluegill action continues on the local lakes and ponds as the bigger fish move from the depths to shallow water to spawn. Very small streamers and “swimming nymphs” do a great job sub-surface where various dries have been effective on top especially when the water is calm. Largemouth bass are swimming and lurking in the shallows but are mostly sub-surface eaters this time of year including small bluegill that may have eaten your fly.

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 late 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 dates 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

au sable, boardman, fishing report, hatch, hendrickson, manistee, trout

Full On Spring & Trout Fly Fishing in Northwest Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 9, 2013

We have had some amazing weather the past 10 days here in the Traverse City area. Lots of sunlight and warm temperatures has made up for a long winter and has nature pretty much caught up and is where it should be for this time of year as the leaves are filling out trees, ground cover is greening and mayflies, stoneflies and caddis do their thing on the local trout streams and rivers in step with emergence schedules.

River conditions are ideal with a slight stain and good water levels – they are full, not high. Water temps are around 60 degrees on the upper Manistee, Boardman and AuSable and with that the bugs are varied and at times plentiful. Hendricksons have been the most prolific with scattered emergences and spinner falls at various times of the day but mostly at dusk since the evenings are staying relatively warm. Little black Caddis are plentiful – shake a streamside bush and watch what comes out of it. Early Brown Stoneflies, too, are dancing across the water with some fish taking notice. A variety of other bugs are coming off too, just sporadically and not in great numbers – look for that to change. This is the time of year to have a variety of bugs in your dry fly box because there is no telling what you might find the fish are keying in on. Sulphurs should be showing up any day as with Mahoganies and March Browns. Click here for a hatch chart.

Fishing streamers is ideal this time of year but the bite has been tough lately at least for me and my customers. As more people fish the streamer it seems the fish are getting smarter – little nuances to alter your presentation and even pattern can make a difference. The next 6 weeks are typically some of our best for streamer fishing and its a great way to cover the water between hatches. Having rods rigged with sink-tips and floating lines in the boat provides variety and gives you some good head-hunting opportunities.

The bluegill fishing is getting going on the shallower, dark bottom lakes as the fish move into shallow water. While dries will provide some action, very small streamers and decent sized nymphs will provide the best success. You will find the lakes and ponds extremely clear so the long cast is your best approach. Look for the bass fishing to improve in this pre-spawn period.

Some steelhead remain in the local rivers, but they are close to being done as the last of the spawning fish do their deed. The spring’s high water allowed for a lot of fish to come in and make it back to the lake safely which will not only help with future fish populations but bigger returning fish. It was a good spring season – thanks to all those who came out with me.

Lots going on right now on the water – get out and 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 late mid-May and June
Hex Fishing – Some dates still available for the big bugs and big fish in mid-June
2013 Fishing Season – Now booking for all 2013 seasons – don’t miss out on this year’s fishing.

ausable, boardman, hatch chart, hatches, hendricksons, manistee, steelhead, streamer, trout fly fisiing in northwest michigan

August Trout, Bluegill, Small and Largemouth Bass

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 5, 2012

With some cooler weather and intermittent rains, trout fishing conditions have improved and so has fishing. The upper-Manistee continues to fish well in the low-light of mornings with decent trico hatches. When no bugs are present, the foam and rubber leg terrestrial and attractor patterns like Chernobyl Ants and Grasshoppers have been catching fish. Beetles have been fishing better lately as have small flying ants. Dropper nymph rigs have been taking some fish in the deeper slots and holes. Focus on shade and structure. The Boardman has been running warm but early mornings on this local river are giving up some fish on the same flies listed above.

Largemouth bass and bluegill remain fun targets on local lakes for those looking to fish at all times of the day. More frogs, it seems, are around and the bigger bass are taking note. Lily pads, weed beds and other heavy cover/structure are great places to target with frog patterns and other poppers, sliders and divers. Bluegill are pretty much throughout the lakes with the bigger fish found deep where nymphs and small streamers like damsels and leeches are working when sunk on a long leader and slowly striped back.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the lower Manistee remains an option for those willing to cast streamers on sink-tips. Baitfish patterns have been working best and look for the crayfish bite to increase. In low-light and shadows, try poppers for surface action, but look for the sub-surface presentation to be most effective. A few salmon have slipped into the river so should your baitfish streamer get slammed – hold on tight to that 6 or 7 weight rod.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout: Terrestrials & Trico hatches in 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

bass, boardman, fly fishing the manistee river, grasshoppers, largemouth bass, salmon, smallmouth bass, terrestrial fishing, trout

It’s Officially Summer (and it feels like it)

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 21, 2012

Its been warm for the past 10 days and it has sped up the hatches on local rivers. The big hex bugs at night that tend to bring out the big fish have ramped up but with the rest of the season, there have been some nights with more bugs than others and not much rhyme or reason to it. After some decent rains and overall wet month, the local rivers (Manistee, Boardman, Au Sable, etc.) are full and have some color to them – not necessarily a bad thing considering the big bright sun. Other than the hex spinners that fall right at dusk, look for big stones, isonychias, a remaining brown drake or two, epeorus, bat flies and blue winged olives. Water temps are high so land your fish quickly and please practice catch and release – our trout are too valuable to only catch once. Besides, brown trout simply don’t taste very good.

Carp fishing on the bay has been decent as long as the winds aren’t blowing too strong. Lots of fish are spawning but a lot have already done so and are in post-spawn mode and tend to be more willing to eat the fly. Smallmouth bass continue to offer shots, but it seems that the bigger fish have moved deep again with smaller fish in shallower where fly anglers can still reach them. Look for any type of cover and structure to provide a shot at smallmouth. Good carp flies have been hex patterns, crayfish and black wooly buggers while the smallmouth are liking crayfish, baitfish/Clouser Minnows, and goby/sculpin looking patterns.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout: Fishing with streamers and dries. Don’t forget the Big Bugs – Drakes, Isonychias and Hex.
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.

boardman, carp fly fishing, hex, manistee, river, trout

Early June Fly Fishing – Lots Going On

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 7, 2012

After last weekend’s rain, river levels are full and returning to normal levels. The Upper Manistee is in good shape, the Lower Manistee is still on the high side with an ideal stain, the Boardman is running full and the Au Sable is back to normal. The flush of water made for good streamer fishing and with the forecast heat, the dry fly fishing should ramp up after a cool period with very sporadic hatches.

Look for Isonychias to build in numbers as well as a mix of other bugs including: Brown Drakes, March Browns, the last of the Sulphurs, Yellow/Golden Stone Flies (#10), Bat Flies and Mahoganies. When the days are hot and temps stay warm into dark, look for the hatches to be condensed into a short window near dusk. In other words, bring your headlamp and walk back to the car in the dark after fishing until dark. Because of our mild winter, warm March and otherwise odd weather this Spring – the timing and predictability of hatches has been off. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a few hex and gray drake patterns in your box should this warm weather inspire a few bugs to show up early.

{A few years ago I wrote an article pertaining to trout fishing in the weeks leading up to the Hex hatch – you can read it by clicking here.}

Carp fishing on the bay has been very mixed as the fish haven’t been nearly as predictable as they normally are this time of year. With a few fish showing signs of spawning the past few days, look for this warm weather to ramp up fish numbers and spawning activity in the shallow flats. Plan to cover a lot of ground to find fish willing to play along and be armed with the usual patterns: hex nymphs, crayfish, Clouser minnows and b.h. black wooly buggers. While the carp fishing hasn’t been up to par, the smallmouth bass fishing has been solid with small minnow/baitfish patterns working well.

Bass and Bluegill fishing continues on the smaller lakes and with a lot of the spawning done, males protecting nests have brought aggressive behavior as well as from the females looking to eat, too. Look for deeper breaks and drop offs to produce the bigger bluegills/panfish. The popper fishing has improved however the small streamer and nymph/dry combo has been most effective mostly because it allows us to fish deeper water.

Good Luck,

Ted

– Upcoming Fishing Seasons –

Trout: Fishing with streamers and dries. Don’t forget the Big Bugs – Drakes, Isonychias and Hex.
Carp and Smallmouth Bass on Grand Traverse Bays – find out why this has become a favorite of many anglers.
Terrestrials & Trico hatches in the Months of July & August – start your mornings off on a cool, quiet trout stream.
Booking for all 2012 Seasons – Some Fall Salmon and Steelhead Dates Remain Open

ausable, bass, bat flies, boardman, brown drakes, fly fishing, grand traverse bay, hatches, hex, hex hatch, manistee, manistee river, smallmouth bass, streamer fishing

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