Posts tagged "fly fishing report"

Mid June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 11, 2021

We aren’t even to the mid-June but it already feels like mid-August. In Arizona.

Extreme heat (by northern Michigan standards), low humidity, and practically no rain the past month in addition to being down more than half the annual precipitation YTD, have left the rivers low, clear, and warm. And the fish are stressed. Temps on the upper Manistee have been in the upper 60s for a week and some days going beyond the 70-degree mark.

While you might think that makes for ideal wet-wading, it has made for tough conditions for trout survival. Just because you catch and release a fish and watch it swim away doesn’t ensure it survives the experience. Watching a dead trout tumble down the river from someone upstream is confirmation that another business partner has been lost and it’s one less fish any of us can catch in the future. It sucks. And most of the time, it can be prevented by not fishing in those conditions.

Please monitor water temps and when it nears the 70 degree mark, leave the trout alone. Instead, consider fishing a lake for other species, get caught up on house projects, catch a ball game or fix those leaky waders. Our un-stocked and often mis-managed fisheries just can’t handle an angler-inflicted blow caused by warm water and catch-and-release mortality.

To help you monitor temps, you can check out these links which will give you an idea on conditions:

Upper Manistee
Lower Manistee
Most rivers in the State of Michigan

With that said, I haven’t been on the water this week as trips have been cancelled or refocused to other sections of water or species. Not being there to witness hatches, experience tells me that often in warm conditions like this, bug activity tends to be condensed to the last hour of light, if it happens at all. Sometimes mid-morning can provide a spinner fall, but spinners are the most unpredictable stage of mayflies.

So, for the good news. The overnight temps are forecast to drop into the 50s for a while which will help our spring fed trout streams and rivers cool off. There might even be some rain to add some color to the water and keep the dust managed on the roads. More good news: with the lack of rain, mosquitoes have pretty much been non-existent.

When the rivers cool off, look for Isonychias, Stone flies, Bat Flies, and Brown Drakes to occupy the air space above your favorite pool and/or on the water itself.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Fishing – July and August is Terrestrial and Trico time! Start the day off casting to brook and brown trout
and get back to the family for lunch time – it’s a great way to start the day when in Northwest Michigan.
Learn to Fly Fish – Tailor a half-day trip to learning how to fly fish –perfect for beginners.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates remain in November and into December.

brown drakes, catch and release mortality, fly fishing guide, fly fishing report, isonychias, michigan trout fishing, warm water

Early June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 1, 2015

With June here, anglers will find that the rivers are running full after some much needed rain throughout the week. The weather has been up and down, but the forecast is calling for stable and, well, fish like stable.

On the upper Manistee there has been a smattering of bugs coming off – light Hendricksons, Sulphurs, Mahogany Drakes, March Browns and Medium Brown /Golden Stoneflies. With the increase in water flow the trout are focusing more on what’s below the surface eating worms, lamprey and their own making streamer fishing more effective than surface fishing right now. As the bugs build, the water level drops and clears, look for some of the year’s best dry fishing in the evenings. And don’t forget about the big bugs just around the corner – Isonychias and Brown Drakes – you should have some in your box just in case they show up while you are on the water. Learn more about early June Hatches here. The other bug that has emerged recently is the mosquito – make sure you have some repellent with you.

The bluegill fishing remains popular and a lot of fun for those looking to fish closer to home. With fish in shallow water on local lakes and ponds, the surface activity can be close to non-stop. It’s not always a slam-dunk so cover water and switch flies until you find fish that want to eat what you are presenting. With a lot of pollen and seeds on the surface when the wind isn’t blowing your best bet is going sub-surface so your fly isn’t gummed-up and the fish can actually see it. Have some mid-sized poppers with you if the small fish are beating the larger ones to the fly.

Carp fishing is just on the edge of kicking in. Some fish have slipped into the shallow water flats of Grand Traverse Bay but the consistent fishing is just around the corner. The carp are probably the best example of fish that like stable – not only the weather but water temps, so wind direction is imperative when deciding when and where to fish. A few smallmouth bass are cruising the flats too while in the pre-spawn stage so keep an eye and fly out for them when fishing.

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, carp, fishing guide, fly fishing report, fly-fishing for carp, hendrickson, isonychia, mahogany drake, manistee, smallmouth bass, traverse city fishing guide, trout

Full On Fall

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 9, 2014

With the trees in full color and our first frost behind us, there is no denying that fall is here. What isn’t here are the usual number of fish – both salmon and steelhead in the local rivers.

With a good wind on the Lake yesterday more fish should congregate near the river mouths and start heading upstream with the solid river flows. Water levels have come down close to normal again after last week’s deluge however there is still a slight stain to the water which is a good thing.

The Manistee has the highest concentration of salmon, steelhead, and anglers right below Tippy Dam. Fish are sparsely scattered in the lower river but with enough casts in enough water you should find some fish. A few fresh salmon have shown up in the past week and the steelhead continue to trickle in. Once hooked, you will know it as these fish continue to impress as they demonstrate their jumping qualities and sometimes the color of your backing. Egg flies in #4 and #6 have been working but as the water continues to clear up the smaller #8 and #10’s should start working better – at least near and around the spawning salmon. This is the time to fish a lot of eggs as you “Match the Hatch“.

The Betsie still has salmon in it and an errant steelhead or two. Like the Manistee, the water below the dam (Homestead) is popular with fish and fisherman. Cover water and fish the slots and runs near spawning fish for fresh fish and a possible steelhead.

With archery deer season going and the full moon deer activity to and from the river has increased so be careful when driving.

Good luck,

Ted

Open dates through Mid-November: November 11 and 13

Trout – With fall here have the Upper Manistee River and its trout all to yourself.
Fall Steelhead– From now through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.
2015 Fishing – It isn’t too early to get your dates booked for next year – now booking for all seasons.

bettsie, egg patterns, fly fishing report, manistee, river, steelhead, tippy

Trickle-In Effect

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 19, 2014

The nice weather is continuing to hang-on leaving us a little behind in weather and our run of migratory salmon. With the lack of consistent (or at least a few days) of North or Northwest winds to really drive the water up along the shoreline with the fish, the salmon will continue to trickle into the area rivers. It is looking to be a long run on the rivers this year.

The Betsie – with it’s cooler water (low 50s) – has fish in it but there are more to come. With the calendar advanced and the cool water temps, some fish are starting to begin their spawning while some fish remain in holes. For the bigger, brighter and fresher fish look for the deeper holes and pocket water to hold the aggressive fish – any consistent pattern this past week has been chartreuse with orange egg patterns and black stone flies but since they are salmon, sometimes you have to go through the fly box to find what might work on that particular day.

The Manistee also has some fish in it, but there are many more in the lake that need to point themselves upriver to improve the fishing. Looking at the forecast, I don’t necessarily see that happening but there are fish to be caught – just not as many as there should be for this time of year. A steelhead or two are within the river and like the salmon, these numbers will only increase with time.

Trout fishing reports have been mixed on the Upper Manistee. The higher water levels offered some good streamer fishing however it has slowed with the water dropping and getting closer to normal. Look for this weekend’s rain to change that. The nice weather in next week’s forecast should get the terrestrials back to the river’s edge and hopefully on the water to get the fish looking up – the late summer/early fall can be a great time with terrestrials on those days when the bugs are active in the warmth. This time of year you pretty much have the trout fishing to yourself – enjoy it.

Good luck,

Ted

The Fall 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe.

Trout – With Labor Day behind us, have the Upper Manistee River and its trout all to yourself.
Salmon– A few great dates remain in mid-September for salmon fishing on the Betsie River.
Fall Steelhead– From the end of September through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.

black stoneflies, egg patterns, fly fishing report, manistee salmon, salmon fishing, september

Spring Steelhead Fly Fishing Report – April 7, 2014

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 7, 2014

Some spring-like temperatures are having anglers feeling good about April and spring Steelhead fly fishing. Rivers are running high but are still fishable. We have been lucky considering the amount of snow we received over winter and the slow rate in which it has been thawing. Most of us certainly hope that remains the case as the white stuff turns to water. For those of you down or out of state, there are still areas in the woods with over 2 feet of dense snow.

Water temps are hovering around the 40 degree mark on the Manistee below Tippy Dam. Just a few fish are on spawning gravel with majority of the fish staged in the transitional and holding water near gravel. As fish migrate up river they move through the deeper holes and sometimes take a rest before moving on making them a good place to target also. Majority of the fish being caught have been winter fish but a few fresh chromers have slipped in the past few days with more to come as the water warms, the days get longer and the water continues to flow. Yes, finally Spring.

With the water stained – it has gone from the green tinge to more brown the past few days – bigger fly patterns have seemed to do better: large egg patterns, bright caddis, black stone flies and fry. Other flies have taken some fish too, but the above have been the most consistent.

Good luck,

Ted

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -Spring Steelhead fishing is just starting up as both air and water temps increase.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

fly fishing report, steelhead, tippy dame

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