Current Works Guide Service
  • (231) 883-8156
  • ted@current-works.com
  • Book a trip
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & More
    • Guide Trips & Pricing
    • Casting Lessons
    • Gift Certificates
    • Book a Trip
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
    • Steelhead
    • Trout
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Salmon
    • Bluegill / Panfish / Bass
    • Golden Bones / Carp
  • Rivers & Hatches
    • Upper Manistee River
    • Lower Manistee River
    • Betsie River
    • Boardman River
    • Hatch Chart
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
    • About Your Guide
    • Testimonials
    • Newsletter
    • Area Information

Posts tagged "fly fishing michigan"

May Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 8, 2024

With May here, it’s time for the Mayflies on the local trout rivers.

This time of year can be a great time for the technical dry fly fisherman as there can be a variety of hatches ( and various stages of those hatches ) with fish keyed in on just what they want, served on a drag-free drift.

You can expect the Hendricksons  which are winding down, but also mahogany duns, Sulphurs, March Browns, and some caddis. BWO’s always belong in your box, but they might get used more now than other times of the fishing season. For the next 6 weeks, it’s a good time to have an assortment of Borchers Drakes and Robert’s Yellow Drakes as they will get you through a lot of hatch situations.

Between hatches, cover the water with streamers. The Upper Manistee and Boardman are running at good levels – they are full, not high, and have a nice tint to it for good streamer fishing. Fishing from a boat with a sink-tip is the most effective, but if wading, shorter, less dense sink-tip lines with a weighted fly is an effective approach.
More on streamer fishing can be read here.

Some of the local lakes are just now starting to see some bluegill/panfish start to move into the shallows but a lot of them are hanging at the drop offs. A little bit more warm weather and some moon phase and it should be game on – especially the smaller lakes and ponds with a dark, silty bottom.

It’s still a good time to fish those lakes for the pike that are still milling around in the shallow water where we can easily get to them with a fly. Like most fish, they like structure to hide in before pouncing on prey.

Lastly, the smallmouth bass fishing is going on lakes and some on rivers. Baitfish patterns fished sub-surface either on floating lines or intermediate tip fly lines in those magic areas when structure and depth combine should be your target.

Good luck.

Ted

baitfish patterns, bass fishing, borchers drakes, fly fishing michigan, guide, hatches, hendricksons, smallmouth bass fly fishing, traverse city, trout

Mid-August Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 16, 2023

Mid-August finds us with tired fishing conditions. It’s been a long season and most species have been pressured for months now and are playing coy if not selective. But it’s still fun.

The trout rivers are about as clear as I have seen them in any summer prior. The lack of rain this year has kept visibility too good and on rivers like the upper Manistee, their spring fed nature has kept a minimal flow throughout and the cool nights have kept temps ideal through most of summer.

Tricos are still on the water most days mid-morning and terrestrials are bringing fish to the surface when not. Kind of a blast with a lighter weight rod and targets feeding on the surface. Smaller streamers and twitch flies fished on floating lines have been good at getting some suspect and reluctant fish to come out.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the Manistee has been tougher than normal this summer. Some days they make it easy to figure out what they want, other days you change a dozen patterns and figure it out. Or just happen to be there when they want to start eating. Smaller streamers (primarily baitfish imitations) have been working when fished on slow sink or intermediate-tip lines. The popper and terrestrial bite has been hard to come by, but yellow or black poppers seem to be the ones they prefer when they are looking up.

The largemouth bass in the lakes have gone deep and aren’t showing up much in the water for the fly rod angler, except for those low-light hours. Look for lily pads near drop offs to offer the best fishing. Bluegill fishing remains good for those learning the sport but they aren’t the big “gills” that we find in shallow in May and June.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout – Tricos and Terrestrials on the Upper Manistee a great way to spend a half-day on the river.
Smallmouth Bass– Spend a half or full-day on the lower Manistee fishing smallies – through Late August.
Fall Steelhead – November still has some dates available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

float trip, fly fishing michigan, largemouth bass fishing, smaller streamers, smallmouth bass, terrestrial fishing, trico fishing, trout fishing, upper manistee
Lessons - Learn to Fly Cast or Improve

Casting Lessons

Testimonials

Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates

About Ted Kraimer Fishing Guide

About Your Guide, Ted Kraimer

Fish & Seasons

Fall Steelhead Manistee River

Steelhead

King Salmon Fly Fishing - Betsie River Near Traverse City

Salmon

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass Manistee River and Northern Michigan Lakes

Smallmouth Bass

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

Bluegill / Panfish / Bass

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Golden Bones / Carp

Trout Fishing Manistee River near Traverse City Michigan

Trout

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

© 2024 Current Works, LLC — All rights reserved
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & Pricing
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
  • Rivers & Hatches
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
  • Sitemap