Posts tagged "grand traverse bay"

Smallmouth Bass

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - January 11, 2023

Smallmouth Bass offer some of the best fishing when things get warm from mid-June through August. Whether you are an angler looking to improve your skills, or you’re an advanced fly fisherman looking for a fun day on the water, spending a half or full-day river on the Manistee River is for you.

Smallies are not only eager to please, but it’s mostly a visual presentation and grab, and they can really put a bend in the rod making them a great alternative to trout. And we fish for them in daylight without the use of headlamps. What’s not to like?

Method

Fishing slow sinking-tip fly lines and a baitfish streamer or crayfish is usually the most effective technique, but there are days when they prefer it on top. Face it — fishing on the surface is a favorite for just about anyone who fly fishes. Sometimes they sip grasshopper/terrestrial patterns other times they explode on poppers — it’s always fun when they eat.

The Smallies’ wavering ways of choosing what and what not to eat is part of the fun as anglers work to solve the puzzle but its easier to do than with trout. And when it comes together the only one not smiling is the fish.

Bass on the Flats

Those anglers looking for smallmouth on a flats setting should consider carp fishing in the Grand Traverse Bays as the two species share a lot of the same water. While stalking the “Golden Bones” of the bay, the smallmouth often provide opportunities some bass anglers never get. When conditions are right (late May and in June), the larger smallmouth bass come in shallow making them the primary target and focus of anglers with a fly rod.

Each year bass fishing TV programs and their hosts either discover or reveal what they have known for a while — that the fishing on Grand Traverse Bays for smallies is among the 10 best in the world.

Related Articles

: Smallmouth on the Bay

: River Smallmouth Fishing

: Smallmouth on Lakes

carp, current works, fly-fishing for smallmouth bass, grand traverse bay, guide trip, guided trips, manistee river fly-fishing, michigan, small mouth bass guide, smallies, streamer fishing, ted kraimer, traverse city

Late June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 27, 2019

As June winds down, we seem to be waiting for more mayfly hatches to ramp up.

Fishing the past week has been tough on the local rivers which have warmed up into the mid 60’s. Hatch densities and fish looking up for bugs has been less than what we have come to expect for this time of year with just a light trickle of bugs emerging and riding the surface. On the days when the stars are aligned and some cloud cover/overcast days coincide with some hatch activity, fishing is far much better.

The Hex Hatch on the Manistee has been off – a few bugs have been witnessed but really no significant emergence has taken place yet. The rivers are busy this time of year with people anticipating the big mayfly and the big fish that eat them, so be sure to share the river.

Isonychias, Brown Drakes, Little Yellow Sally Stones, Medium Brown Stones, Golden Stones, Cahills and an errant Sulphur have been on the water, but again not in impressive densities. Not sure if all the high water we have had the past 6 weeks have pushed bugs around affecting the hatch cycles and densities or if we are just experiencing one of those years where mother nature does what she wants and doesn’t necessarily follow a script.

Bass and bluegill fishing on certain lakes has been decent especially when the sun is high making the trout fishing difficult. The water on the Grand Traverse Bays are warming up and the carp and smallmouth fishing is improving the further north you go as the water becomes more comfortable for them. It will be a busy week-plus out there with the 4th of July Holiday so look for early mornings to be your best fishing on the bays.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout– Match-the-Hatch fishing through June including the big bugs. Terrestrial & Tricos in July and August.
Fall Fishing – Salmon begins in September which leads to Steelhead in October and November.

grand traverse bay, hex hatch, isonychias, manistee fly fishing report, manistee river hex, smallmouth bass

July Fly Fishing Traverse City/Northwest Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 7, 2017

July is here and fishing seasons are mostly caught up and in check after some cooler weather and more rain.

Trout fishing remains good for those looking to spend mornings or evenings on the water. The low-light hours and overcast days have offered significantly better fishing than when the sun is bright. Despite the rains, water levels and clarity are pretty much normal for this time of year on the Upper Manistee and Boardman Rivers.

The Hex hatch has is mostly over with but the truncated emergence and inconsistent weather will ensure there will be bugs around for a little longer, they will just be really hard to predict. Other mayflies seen around the water include Isonychias, Bat Flies, Yellow Sally Stones, but also some terrestrials including large flying ants, deer flies and beetles.

The bay is still offering some shots at carp on the flats as there is a mix of pre-spawn and spawning fish. While it can be frustrating trying to catch them while they are preoccupied, target the lead fish and the trailers as those are usually the ones most likely to eat the fly. Hex nymphs and crayfish patterns are your best bet with the emergence and full moon’s affect on crayfish.

Lake and pond fishing remains good on the local lakes with some gills/sunfish making a second round in the shallow water. Weed growth is catching up offering more cover for the larger bass as they sit in the shade ready to ambush your diving/slider fly pattern or eat the bluegill on the end of your line.

Good luck.

Ted

Lost and Found: I found a fly rod and reel at 4 Mile Bend Access on the Upper Manistee June 9th. If you are the owner, contact me to identify the make and model and I will see to it that it gets returned.

Trout, Tricos & Terrestrials – Through July and August. A half-day trip on the river is a great way to start the day.
Fall Steelhead – From late Sept. through November, these fish will bend your rod like no other – get your dates.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

bass, carp, grand traverse bay, guides, hex hatch, smallmouth bass, steelhead, terrestrial fishing, traverse city fly fishing, upper manistee river

July 1 Report – Fly Fishing Traverse City

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 1, 2016

With July upon us we are catching our breath from catching fish, lots of late nights and looking forward to what’s ahead.

On the Trout Rivers and streams, the Hex hatch has been one of the better ones of recent years due to a long period of stable weather that concentrated the hatch. On the Manistee we are on the other side of the peak with more bugs to emerge and spin, however they will be thinner in density due to cooler nights and simply because we have already had two-weeks of good emergence.

Other bugs on the water include Isonychias, Light Cahills, Bat Flies, Big Stones, Gray Drakes, Little Yellow Sally Stones and Olives. Evenings and mornings are the better times to be on the water with the water being low and clear. If its a cloudy day it should be even better. As we approach the other side of the Hex – the crescendo of mayfly fishing -there are other bugs and approaches to consider when hitting the water. Click here to read “Fishing after the Hex Hatch“.

The smallmouth bass and carp fishing on the bay are winding down. While there are still fish around, the bass are finishing up and moving deep again while the Carp are becoming even more unpredictable as we near the end of their typical migration to shallow water to feed and spawn. Consider traveling outside of the bay to find fish moving into shallow water. Don’t give up yet, but alter expectations a little.

The lake fishing for largemouth bass and bluegill on inland lakes is still good. With the weed growth bass are more predictable to target with top water flies and divers. While the big bluegill are pretty much in deep water now, the smaller gills continue to play along with the dry flies and provide a great way to introduce and teach someone to fly fish.

The smallmouth bass in the lower Manistee is getting better as the water is warming up. While these fish aren’t as large as those found in Grand Traverse Bay, they offer anglers the chance to cast streamers on sink-tips and diving flies on floating lines. Not ideal for beginners, but for those looking to improve their skills and catch some fish along the way.

Good luck,

Ted

July & August Trout – It’s that time of year to start your day on a river fishing wets, dry flies and terrestrials.
Learn to Fly Fish – This is a great time of year to learn how to fly fish. 1/2 day trips for beginners are perfect!
Salmon – Late August and September is when the Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

bass, bluegill, carp, grand traverse bay, hex, learn to fly fish, traverse city fly fishing, trout

Early June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 1, 2016

With Memorial Day behind us and a flip of the calendar to June, it’s time to welcome the big bugs on a trout stream near you. 10 days of near consistent (and nice) weather has helped to bring waters, hatches, and spawn cycles up to speed. This unusual streak of weather has also helped to make the fish happy since they don’t like sudden and/or abrupt changes in the weather.

While there are still a bunch of smaller mayflies around – sulphurs, mahoganies, little yellow sallies, black caddis – you will find some larger bugs too: medium yellow/brown stones (#8), Great Speckled Olives, and a few Brown Drakes on certain sections of the Manistee and Au Sable Rivers – the Boardman should have them soon. If headed out you will want to be there until dark and maybe after to get in on the Drake action – they can bring up some nice fish so bring a head lamp and some bug spray. Pack some Isonychias because they should begin to emerge any day – this is another large mayfly that emerges in the evenings in gravel sections of rivers. This is a great time for those looking for some of the best dry fly fishing of the year – click here to read more about the bugs/flies you can expect to find on the water before the hex hatch.

Because the weather has been so nice, water levels are good but a little too clear due to a lack of rain. As such, the streamer fishing has been off a little, however downsizing your flies and perhaps size of the sink-tip can help.

The lake fishing is getting good for those looking to have some fun with the bluegill and bass. Most largemouth bass are done spawning with the males protecting the beds. Fishing lakes for bluegill/panfish and bass can be a great way to spend an evening and/or introducing someone new to the sport. On inland lakes, the smallmouth are playing along, too but tend to be a little deeper where an intermediate sink-tip line comes in handy.

Fishing for carp and smallmouth bass on the flats of the bay is still a few days out – I imagine with the continued heat and lack of strong winds turning the water over, a few carp should be found doing a bit of a pre-spawn feed. Here is a favorite carp fly if you’re headed out. The potential for fishing these will only improve in the days ahead and should extend into early July.

June is one of the difficult months to fly fish in the Traverse City region – there simply are too many fish species and options to choose from.

Good luck.

Ted

Carp and Bass – Look for these guys on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay through the month of June.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and Hex – dates available.
Salmon – Late August and September is when the King Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

au sable, boardman river, brown drakes, carp and smallmouth, grand traverse bay, manistee river, streamer fishing, sulphurs

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