Posts tagged "carp fishing grand traverse bay"

Late May Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 25, 2018

This weather has us thinking its more like late June than May with the warm temperatures. Water levels on local rivers are ideal – perhaps a little low – with little recent rain. Water temps are in the low 60’s and the bright days have been making the trout fishing a little tougher than we want for this time of year making the mornings and evenings the ideal time to be on the water.

If you are headed to your favorite trout river you will want an assortment of flies to imitate what you are likely to come across: sulphurs, Hendricksons, mahoganies, black caddis, little yellow sally stones, black quills, medium brown stones, march browns and just in case, some brown drakes. This time of the year can offer the most technical dry fly fishing. Spinner falls at dusk will have you squinting for sippers and you will want your headlamp with you as it often occurs just before darkness. Bring some bug spray too as the mosquitoes are just starting to show up. To learn more about the bugs/hatches you are likely to come across this time of year, click here to read, Trout Fishing Before the Hex Hatch.

Bluegill have moved into the shallows on most of the smaller lakes and are offering some good fishing. The same with largemouth bass – look for both species to be near structure and often close to a deep water break/drop off. It’s a lot of fun catching big gills on the fly rod – especially on the surface – but some days they require that you fish them sub surface with swimming nymphs and tiny streamers.

With the recent lack of rain please be extra careful with camp and bonfires this weekend.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Reliable hatches begin in May for surface activity. It’s also a great time to fish streamers for bigger trout.
Big Bugs – The big Bugs of June will be here before you know it…. Isos, Drakes and Hex – limited dates available.
Fall Steelhead – Spring Steelhead is just finishing up but it’s time to get your Fall Dates reserved – Oct. thru Dec.

borcher's drake, brown drake, brown stones, carp fishing grand traverse bay, fishing traverse city, fly fishing trout, hex, mayflies, steelhead, sulphurs, trout, trout fishing

Mid June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 19, 2017

As we get deeper into June the trout fishing remains solid, especially for those looking for match-the-hatch opportunities. The Manistee, Boardman and Au Sable all have been getting decent emergences most nights, but as bugs sometimes go, some nights there are very few bugs.

Look for the last of the Sulphurs, at twilight along with Isonychias, Gray Drakes, Brown Drakes, Little Yellow Sally Stones, Medium Brown Stones, Golden Stones, Bat Flies, and Mahoganies to be mixed in with some caddis. Just a few reports of the Hex have been around in the lower sections of rivers where the big bugs typically begin early in the season, not on the upper sections where the water is cooler. With the cool down in weather I suspect things will need to warm up again for the emergence to get on schedule again.

After quite a few rains the past week, look for the river to be higher than normal and with a little bit of a stain to them but still very fishable.

The local lake fishing continues to offer some really good bass and bluegill fishing. Some big gills are still in shallow water on the smaller lakes as are some largemouth bass looking to eat the smaller bluegill on the end of your line. A rare pike is making an appearance, but those are mostly hiding out in the weeds in a little deeper water. The lake fishing remains a great learning experience for those new to the sport while fun for those with experience.

Carp fishing has been a struggle this year with the cooler water in the bays. Some days we find them, most days we can’t. We are still in pre-spawn mode but with the higher water in the bays, the fish aren’t as predictable as they have been in the past. The smallmouth bass however have been cooperating a little better as the cooler water has prolonged their season and keeping the fish in shallow enough water that we can get a fly to them. Crayfish and minnow patterns have been working well.

Good luck.

Ted

Lost and Found: I found a fly rod and reel at 4 Mile Bend Access on the Upper Manistee June 9th. If you are the owner, contact me to identify the make and model and I will see to it that it gets returned.

Trout, Tricos & Terrestrials – Through July and August. A half-day trip on the river is a great way to start the day.
Fall Steelhead – From late Sept. through November, these fish will bend your rod like no other – get your dates.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

AuSable fly fishing, bat flies, bluegill fly fishing, boardman river, brown drakes, carp fishing grand traverse bay, hex, manistee river fishing report, report, stone flies, streamer fishing, terrestrial flies

Early June Fly Fishing Report – Traverse City Region

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 7, 2017

The trout fishing and matching-the-hatch has kept smiles on angler’s faces when they figure out what flies the fish want. This time of year on the upper Manistee, AuSable and Boardman River a lot of different bugs can be found on the water making for some technical dry fly fishing.

If headed to the river, be prepared to see: Sulphurs, little yellow sallies, medium brown stoneflies, Isonychias, the last of the light Hendricksons, caddis, Mahoganies, GSO/Basale, Gray Drakes and more. In addition to having precise imitations of the duns/adults, it’s a good idea to have a selection of Robert’s Yellow Drakes for duns and Borcher’s drakes for the spinner falls as they both do a great job of imitating many of these mayflies in those stages. Have some Brown Drakes, too. Check the batteries in the head-lamp and be prepared to fish up until dark as with the warmer weather the spinner falls have been going late into the evening. And definitely have some bug spray for the mosquitoes and ticks – it’s that time of year.

To learn more about the various bugs you are likely to see on the water over the next couple of weeks, read, “Trout Fishing Before the Hex Hatch.”

River conditions are close to ideal and already in the low to mid-60s but running a little too clear on those sunny days. The streamer fishing has slowed a little except when it’s overcast, then present your favorite array of streamers – as long as they are olive, baitfish, and/or brown.

The carp on the Grand Traverse Bay are just starting to expose themselves to the shallow waters but with the cooler spring, they just aren’t in shallow and eating much just yet. With a forecast of warmer weather look for the waters to warm further and provide some good but challenging angling for these mysterious fish. A few smallmouth bass have been in shallow on pre-spawn maneuvers so keep your eye out for these guys cruising as well as fishing any heavy structure that looks worthy of a cast.

Bluegill fishing continues to offer some really good fishing in the shallows and near breaks with protective males and hungry females coming to the fly. While top water spiders/terrestrials are a lot of fun, the swum nymph and very small streamer can produce some bigger fish. The largemouth bass fishing, too, has been good with a mix of presentations working.

It’s a great month to fish – don’t miss out.

Good luck,

Ted

Lost and Found: I found a fly rod and reel at 4 Mile Bend Access on the Upper Manistee June 9th. If you are the owner, contact me to identify the make and model and I will see to it that it gets returned.

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Hatches and Dry Flies – More of the Same

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 8, 2015

The bugs continue to be mixed and varied on the Upper Manistee, Au Sable and Boardman rivers. March Browns, Sulphurs, Black Quills, BWOs, and Mahoganies have been around with some Brown Drakes on the Au Sable and a few Isonychias just starting on the Manistee. And some nights, no bugs – much depends on the weather. This is the time of year to have Borcher’s and Robert’s Yellow Drakes in your fly box in a number of sizes to match the many bugs that hatch this time of year in the evenings up until dark.

The trout fishing below Tippy Dam has improved with lots of the spawning carp leaving this past week. Soft hackle and caddis fishing in the evenings has been productive after streamer fishing and nymphing during the brighter times of the day.

Carp fishing on Grand Traverse Bays has also been inconsistent with weather being the biggest factor. The week of solid weather forecast with moderate night time temps should help bring those fish into the shallows in better numbers as they feed while in pre-spawn mode. The same with smallmouth bass – they are still deep however a few are cruising the flats looking to eat your crayfish and goby patterns – cover water and keep you eye’s out when not fishing blind to deeper water or other likely structure.

Bluegill and Bass fishing continues, however it appears that the really big gills have either slipped back deep or left on stringers. Some really good fishing remains for both species. Nothing new here….. small poppers and spiders for the gills and smaller bass where the small nymph suspended over fish will out fish just about most bluegill flies – consider using a small indicator to detect that delicate take before they spit it out. Bass have been responding more to streamers like natural sculpins and crayfish fished on a floating line and the occasional slider on the surface.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout Season – June is the month of the big bug dry fly fishing on the Upper Manistee & AuSable Rivers.
Summer Fishing – Terrestrial and Trico fishing in July and August on the Manistee, Bluegill and Bass on Lakes.
Fall Steelhead – Late September through November is the time for sassy steelhead on the Lower Manistee.

bluegill, brown drakes, carp, carp fishing grand traverse bay, goby patterns, isonychias, lower manistee, manistee, sulphurs, tippy dam, trout, trout fishing

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.

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