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Posts tagged "fly-fishing guide"

Steelhead & Trout Fishing Report – Nov. 8 2012

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 8, 2012

Steelhead continue to be the target of most anglers these days on the Manistee, however the targets are moving around and getting smart. The lack of any recent rainfall has kept any fresh pushes of fish from moving in from the lake and the fish in the system are spread out from Tippy dam to Lake Michigan.

With the low, clear water, fish are scattered and can be found in various types of water with more recently fish moving to and near wood structure. The runs, slots and holes are still a great place to target but look for fish in the secondary lies to provide opportunity as well. Float fishing/Fly pinning is a good way to keep your flies off of the bottom and keep your drift natural. With water temps in the mid-40s, now is a great time to carve the active fish away from wood and grabbing a swung fly. For more on rigging and the methods used  for steelhead, click here.

Look for fresh fish to continue to trickle in until we receive rain when a larger push should migrate. Trout fishing with streamers is a good bet for anglers looking to catch post-spawn browns on the upper and lower Manistee with a few nice brookies also eating after their fall activities.

Good Luck,

Ted

Fall Steelhead: It’s time to target angler’s favorite sport-fish through November and into December.
Fall Trout:  Fish the Upper Manistee  throughout fall or Lower Manistee through November.
Booking for all 2013 Seasons and through September – reserve your place in the boat.

current works, fall steelhead, fly-fishing guide, manistee, manistee river, michigan, steelhead, ted kraimer, traverse city, upper-manistee

Steelhead Fishing NW Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 24, 2012

The water levels have come down, water clarity is pretty much ideal and water temps are perfect – it is a great time for steelhead. Fishing the last few days has been spotty – either it’s real good or it has bee slow. With the salmon numbers significantly diminishing, the steelhead are transitioning from only being directly below spawning fish to the seams and pools funneling eggs into them.  Deeper holes are providing fish on the Manistee from the Tippy dam to the Lake with runs giving up fish, too. With conditions ideal, now is a good time to swinging flies with spey rods as the fish will move to eat something other than an egg.

Because eggs are still a major and primary part of the steelhead’s diet, double egg patterns have been working closer to gravel whereas an egg and nymph combo has been the go-to in the longer runs. Mix it up, cover lots of water and hold on when hooked – they are jumping, pulling and otherwise finding ways to separate themselves from the angler.

Good luck,

Ted

Fall Steelhead & Trout –  Early November Available Dates: Nov. 1

Fall Steelhead: It’s time to target angler’s favorite sport-fish now through November.
Fall Trout:  Fish the Upper Manistee  throughout fall or Lower Manistee in late October and through November.
Booking for all 2013 Seasons and through September – reserve your place in the boat.

Betsie river salmon fishing, egg patterns, fall steelhead, fly-fishing guide, guide, manistee, steelhead fishing the manistee, ted kraimer, tippy dam

Lower Manistee River (below Tippy Dam)

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 14, 2012
Lower Manistee River in the Fall

October Morning on the Manistee

Tippy Dam is known for its migratory runs of Steelhead and Salmon. The dam itself is the upper boundary of these great game fish that leave the big water of Lake Michigan and return to their natal river to take part in their spawning mission. Beyond steelhead and salmon, anglers will find healthy populations of both Brown & Rainbow Trout and Smallmouth Bass.

The river below the dam is some of the widest water in the state, varying from 200 – 300 feet in width. Depths vary depending on run, pool, tail-out relationship but all wading anglers will want to be cautious when on foot — especially in times of stained run-off conditions.

Lower Manistee River Below Tippy Dam

Spring Below Tippy Dam

Much of the land adjacent to the river is USFS property and is open to the public. As you move downriver and approach the High Bridge access and Bridge, private property becomes intermixed.

Those fishing the Manistee are typically best served fishing from a boat as not only is it a strong and often deep river, but a lot of submerged logs can trip you up, a reminder of the lumbering days of northern Michigan.

The Fish
Salmon

Lower Manistee - King Salmon

Chinook / King Salmon

Most anglers have heard of “The Big River” from stories told by a friend or articles in magazines. This river simply has one of the best salmon runs in the lower 48 states. Chinook (King) Salmon are the most common salmon, but Coho (silvers) numbers seem to be getting stronger each year.

While snagging was once legal years ago, the practice is no longer legal or acceptable. With the big fish come some crowds, so having the place to yourself isn’t a problem in the Spring and Fall. There are sections of the river that tend to be less populated and are some of my favorite sections.

Frankly, there are plenty of fish to go around in the Big Manistee.

Fall Steelhead

Lower Manistee River Fall Steelhead

Fall Steelhead

The Fall Steelhead follow the salmon into the river each year at the end of September and continue to build in numbers through the fall. When water temperatures are good and water/river levels are strong after a fall rain – things only get better. Hooking a fall steelhead that has been living on a steady diet of salmon eggs in 50-degree water can give you the hardest, most unpredictable and spastic fight you can imagine a freshwater fish could provide.

Throughout the winter anglers will find fall fish that become characterized as “winter fish.” With those hold-over fish comes trickles of new fish throughout the winter months, and those looking to get a cabin-fever-reliever can find some fish to play the game while getting away from the four walls that seem to close in on us during the Fall Steelhead winter months.

Spring Steelhead

Lower Manistee - Spring Steelhead

Spring Steelhead

Spring Steelhead are typically in the river system in good numbers from Mid-March through the first part of May. Fish that entered in the fall and winter join the newly arrived fish with their intent to spawn and thus the number/population of fish in the river are at their highest.

A Right of Spring, fishing for steelhead is one of the best times for people to get into steelhead and after a winter spent indoors, it feels good to get fishing again. Look for a warm rain to bring up the water temps and levels bringing up a fresh a “run” of fish in the river.

Read more about Steelhead here »

Brown Trout

Lower Manistee River Trout Fishing

Brown Trout

Throughout the spring steelhead run, anglers usually find their fly rods bent, but not by the sheer weight of a Steelhead alone. There is a healthy population of Brown Trout in this section of the river that remains here all year. And why should they leave? The dam itself creates a tail water fishery which equates to a food factory.

Large populations of scuds and sowbugs provide a healthy diet for the fish when the midges and baetis aren’t around. In the spring and fall there are literally thousands of pounds of eggs drifting down the river from spawning fish for the trout to eat.

If that isn’t enough, there are lots of fry from steelhead, Lower Manistee - Trout Food - Match the Hatchsalmon, suckers and walleye which makes this fishery an all-you-can-eat fish dinner for the resident trout. Ever see a trout with stretch marks? This is the place where they live.

Trout fishing below Tippy Dam is scenic, solitary and peaceful river setting compared to the spring and fall seasons when the migratory fish are in season. Fishing remains good until early July when water temperatures become dangerous for trout survival but turn optimal for Smallmouth Bass.

Smallmouth Bass

Lower Manistee - Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallies migrate into the river in mid-June as water temps increase and provides both great streamer and top-water action through August. Targeting woody structure and rocky drop-offs, these “bronzebacks” are fun to watch as you feed them a fly. And once hooked, they pull hard and often throw in a couple of jumps to make it more fun.

Gaudy baitfish streamers one day, loud poppers and sneaky sliders the next offer the angler a variety of conditions during the warmer months making them a great alternative to trout fishing in the Summer months.

Read more on Smallmouth Bass here>>

Tippy Dam on the Manistee River

At one time the dam significantly fluctuated water levels on a daily basis when “peak electricity demands” required it. Through efforts of the Federation of Fly Fishers (Now FFI), Consumer Power and FERC, this now is a “run of river” where the amount of water flow above the dam is what comes out of the dam. This has helped eliminate some of the erosion and as a result has exposed a lot of gravel for both aquatic insects and natural reproduction.

Map & Directions

Tippy Dam is 25 miles West of the City of Manistee, just north of Wellston and East of Brethren 4 miles. Coming from Cadillac the drive is about 40 miles. It takes an hour from downtown Traverse City.

Map of the Lower Manistee River

Map of the Lower Manistee River

 

big manistee river, coho salmon, current works, fall steelhead, fly fishing the manistee river, fly-fishing guide, high bridge, king salmon, maniste, salmon fishing, small mouth bass, smallmouth bass, spring, steel head, steelhead, streamer, ted kraimer, tippy dam, tipy dam, trout, wellston michigan, welston michigan
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King Salmon Fly Fishing - Betsie River Near Traverse City

Salmon

Bluegill, Panfish and Bass Fly Fishing on Local Lakes Near Traverse City

Bluegill / Panfish / Bass

Fall Steelhead Manistee River

Steelhead

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass Manistee River and Northern Michigan Lakes

Smallmouth Bass

Trout Fishing Manistee River near Traverse City Michigan

Trout

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Golden Bones / Carp

Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156

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