It’s starting to feel like fall with lots of color in the trees but also cooler air temperatures.

The salmon fishing is past its peak on local rivers that continue to run low and clear and warmer than it should for mid-October. The rain is falling as I type and hopefully continues all day and we can add some color to the clear conditions, but also encourage the last of the salmon to head up and some more steelhead to realize they can enjoy all the salmon eggs that they can eat upstream. There has been no shortage of salmon this year and they are spawning heavily.

For those targeting the steelhead, it’s been egg patterns and beads with an occasional fish on nymphs like hex and steelhead buggers when fishing runs not directly below spawning salmon. If fishing below salmon, realistic egg patterns and bead colors have been working best. With more leaves likely to be in the river over the next week, look to increase the size of your flies so they stand out a little from everything drifting downstream.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the  season with steelhead on the lower Manistee. Good dates in November remain.
2025 Fishing Season – It’s not too early to look ahead to the next year and get your dates planned and secured.
Gift Certificates – Available for Half or Full Day Guide Trips or a Casting Lesson making perfect gifts for anglers.