Posts tagged "egg patterns"

March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 4, 2020

As we flip the calendar to March it’s apparent that the days have become longer, temps a little warmer, and the sun is making an appearance a little more often. Was it me or did it seem like the sun went south for the winter this year?

Much of the snow pack has diminished thanks to the recent sunshine and a continued gradual melt would be ideal as we start up our spring steelhead season. Last fall and early winter’s rain saturated the ground and filled the swamps so high water is just a weather event away.

River conditions on both the Manistee and Betsie are in good shape – clarity is fine and water temps are in the mid to upper 30’s depending on the day. A bit of sunshine can give the water a slight bump in temperature and help trigger the fish from their winter funk. Fish are mixed right now with some fall holdovers taking up residence in the deeper, slow water with some fresh fish trickling through the river systems and moving up the soft seams.

Like the fall, there hasn’t been any one pattern working better than another. With the clarity, consider using brighter eggs, but not bold, and the size should be a little larger (#6) than you would think to encourage fish to move a little to eat. Realistic nymphs like hex, caddis and black stones are all popular and proven winners this time of year whether you are fishing them below a float/indicator or bouncing them along the bottom.

Good luck.

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Only a few days in mid-March remain open for the spring season.
Trout – May and June aren’t far away and offer ideal conditions for both streamer and dry fly fishing.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates in Oct. and Nov. remain available but they are starting to become limited.

betsie river, black stone, caddis, egg patterns, fly-fishing guide traverse city, hex nymph, manistee river steelhead, march steelhead fishing, tippy dam, trout

Mid-October Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 16, 2019

Mid-October finds the weather and fisheries in-line with the calendar.

The river banks are popping with color as the leaves and salmon change color while some chrome steelhead show up. The salmon run is past the peak however a fresh one shows up occasionally. With the erratic weather patterns since late August, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few fresh fish trickle in for the next month on the Betsie and Manistee Rivers.

The steelhead – like the salmon – are running larger this year. Combine their size with warmer than normal water temperatures (upper 50’s) and folks have found them to be more than a handful when hooked; I have never witnessed steelhead behavior like this before. With the recent and forecast cooler overnights, the water temps are dropping, and this should help “tame” the fish a little.

As the salmon continue to spawn in the river, the steelhead are on a heavy diet of salmon eggs. The runs below spawning salmon have the steelhead below them taking full advantage of the protein drip. As such, egg patterns and beads have been the go-to, however some green caddis and steelhead buggers are an honorable mention and worth having in your box.

<<More info on fishing egg patterns can be found here>>

The ardent steelhead angler will still find the salmon angler and the accompanying trash on the river bank so be prepared to share the water for a few more weeks. Beer cans are lighter when empty but sadly they still don’t make it back to the parking lot once consumed – let their behavior of littering and questionable angling techniques inspire you to be a sportsman rather than assimilate and be a slob.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Good November and December dates remain open for these prized sport-fish.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through October of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

beads, egg patterns, fishing egg patterns, guided fly fishing, manistee fishing, michigan steelhead, salmon eggs, salmon fishing, steelhead, tippy dam

Early April Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 30, 2019

As March turns to April we are finding steelhead in most of the rivers which are in good shape as the snow melt thankfully has been slow and gradual. Levels are slightly elevated, and they have color to them, but still enough visibility remains to offer good fishing on the Manistee, Betise and other rivers in northwest Michigan. A significant rainfall can change all that but until that happens take advantage of the conditions.

The days are longer and some sunny days are helping to increase the water temps into the upper 30s. Smaller rivers that tend to warm/fluctuate quickly have a few fish beginning to spawn but majority of the fish are still in a pre-spawn mode and either holding in deeper holes near gravel or migrating upstream in chutes and runs.

Along with nicer weather and a flip of the calendar the rivers are becoming more popular with anglers anxious to shake cabin fever; keep in mind we are all trying to share the resource. And speaking of resources, please limit your harvest as steelhead can return year after year making for good fishing in the future.

There hasn’t been an fly pattern that has been outproducing others – just the typical assortment which includes large and bold egg patterns (chartreuse and orange colors), green caddis and ice buggers.

Good luck.

Ted

Just a reminder that new fishing licenses are required April 1, 2019

Trout – May and June offers some of the best trout fishing of the year matching the hatch and fishing streamers.
Fall Steelhead– It’s not too early to look ahead to fall run of these fish. Hard fighting and a beautiful time of year.
Booking 2019 – Reserve your date(s) and schedule life around fishing rather than trying to fit fishing into life.

april steelhead fishing, egg patterns, green caddis, ice buggers, manistee river below tippy, rag egg, steelhead fishing, steelhead fishing report

Mid-March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 13, 2019

To say it was a long, cold winter would be to misrepresent that past few months and the multiple polar vortexes, hours of shoveling snow and time spent indoors thinking about fishing. With mid-March, thankfully, comes some sunshine, longer days, warmer temperatures, and opportunities to shake cabin fever by fishing for steelhead.

There is still a lot of snow on land, but warmer temps, sunshine and rain will help reduce things, hopefully gradually. As the melt hits the water, look for the water temps to actually remain or even get cooler. Sunshine really helps warm the water up and help to get fish active and feed. If wade fishing, be careful of icy paths and river banks.

We are in pre-spawn mode and anglers will find steelhead in most of the local rivers and throughout the watersheds including the Manistee below Tippy Dam and the Betsie River. There is a mix of winter fish and fresh fish with the hold-over fall (winter) fish mostly sitting in the deeper holes to avoid the stronger currents. Fresh fish encouraged by additional sunlight and an increase in water flow are trickling upstream and can be found in seams as they ascend upstream.

River levels are holding steady and have a slight stain to them – look for more color to the water as more run off occurs and levels rise. Water temps are in the mid-30s and the fish are favoring a drag-free presentation often on the slower side of the current seam.

This time of year larger eggs and beads are preferred over realistic sizes and colors since there are no natural eggs we are trying to imitate. Other flies that are proven winners this time of year include hex nymphs, caddis, black stonefly and alevin.

Good luck.

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Now through April. Start the fishing seasons with some chrome! Some dates still available.
Trout – May and June offers some of the best trout fishing of the year matching the hatch and fishing streamers.
Booking 2019 – Reserve your date(s) and schedule life around fishing rather than trying to fit fishing into life.

alevin, betsie river, black stonefly, caddis, egg patterns, fly fishing guide service, hex nymphs, manistee river, spring steelhead, steelhead fishing, tippy dam, traverse city

Early Winter Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 28, 2018

With November coming to an end, it is apparent that fall itself ended a few weeks ago. Winter temps and some snow have been the norm with air temps below freezing as water temperatures hover around 40 degrees on the local rivers.

There are steelhead in all the rivers, but they are spread throughout the watersheds and acting more like winter fish with their tendencies to sit in the deeper, slower holes and tail outs. There are still some fresh fish moving through as other fish transition to the cold water so don’t abandon the runs and seams that typically hold fish in the fall.

Egg patterns are still a favorite of steelhead as salmon eggs continue to trickle down the river. Small egg patterns and beads in pale colors like cream, egg, grapefruit, Oregon cheese, and buff do a good job of imitating the natural stage eggs are in after being deposited in the river over a month or so ago.

Fish eggs in tandem with some natural looking nymphs – hex, caddis and steelhead buggers are always the first nymphs to get tied on in fall, winter and spring. The swing bite continues to be tougher than we’d like as that window to get fish to chase a swung fly is getting narrower with dropping water temperatures.

Trout fishing also has slowed mostly because of dropping water temperatures. Those fishing streamers below Tippy Dam are finding natural bait fish patterns are doing a good job of imitating recently stocked/planted fish…. Dirty Hippies, Skam-Man, T&A Bunkers and bobble heads; Big trout eat smaller trout. It’s a good time of year to switch that long and heavy sink – tip for a shorter one so you can slow your presentation down without hanging up on the bottom. Nymphing under indicators close to the dam in distinct bubble lines can extend your trout season if streamer fishing isn’t your thing.

Good luck.

Ted

Early Winter Steelhead – There are decent numbers of steelhead in the Manistee and Betsie.
Fall Trout Combo – Target both steelhead and trout (with streamers) on the lower Manistee.
Gift Certificates – With the Holidays approaching fast – give or ask for some time on the water.

Betsie, caddis, egg patterns, gift certificates for fly fishing, steelhead buggers, streamer fishing, tippy dam, trout fishing, winter steelhead

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