Posts tagged "isonychias"

Hatches and Dry Flies – More of the Same

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 8, 2015

The bugs continue to be mixed and varied on the Upper Manistee, Au Sable and Boardman rivers. March Browns, Sulphurs, Black Quills, BWOs, and Mahoganies have been around with some Brown Drakes on the Au Sable and a few Isonychias just starting on the Manistee. And some nights, no bugs – much depends on the weather. This is the time of year to have Borcher’s and Robert’s Yellow Drakes in your fly box in a number of sizes to match the many bugs that hatch this time of year in the evenings up until dark.

The trout fishing below Tippy Dam has improved with lots of the spawning carp leaving this past week. Soft hackle and caddis fishing in the evenings has been productive after streamer fishing and nymphing during the brighter times of the day.

Carp fishing on Grand Traverse Bays has also been inconsistent with weather being the biggest factor. The week of solid weather forecast with moderate night time temps should help bring those fish into the shallows in better numbers as they feed while in pre-spawn mode. The same with smallmouth bass – they are still deep however a few are cruising the flats looking to eat your crayfish and goby patterns – cover water and keep you eye’s out when not fishing blind to deeper water or other likely structure.

Bluegill and Bass fishing continues, however it appears that the really big gills have either slipped back deep or left on stringers. Some really good fishing remains for both species. Nothing new here….. small poppers and spiders for the gills and smaller bass where the small nymph suspended over fish will out fish just about most bluegill flies – consider using a small indicator to detect that delicate take before they spit it out. Bass have been responding more to streamers like natural sculpins and crayfish fished on a floating line and the occasional slider on the surface.

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, brown drakes, carp, carp fishing grand traverse bay, goby patterns, isonychias, lower manistee, manistee, sulphurs, tippy dam, trout, trout fishing

Traverse City Fly Fishing Report : Hex to Terrestrials

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 19, 2014

The trout fishing continues to improve on the upper Manistee as it seems more bugs are around than they were when they were supposed to. Or at least there are a few more fish looking up to eat. Water temps are ideal as are the levels and the clarity is maybe a little too good right now making the lower light of morning and evening your best opportunity.

Some Hex bugs are still around in sections but are most likely unpredictable – have some with you if you are fishing into the evening and consider staying past dark. It seems the bugs are showing up just a little before dark rather than the typical after.

Other bugs to have include great Olives, Isonychias, Brown Drakes (yes – still one or two around) Cahills, little yellow sallies and golden stones. If fishing in the morning – tricos have been starting to congregate offering some fun fishing for some of the smaller fish.

Terrestrial fishing (foam and rubber leg) patterns have been starting to get some attention from the fish as summer progresses. Small streamers fished on light sink-tips or floating lines are a good way to tease out some fish this time of year. More on Terrestrial Fishing >>Click Here<<.

A few smallies are still around on the flats but they are hard to find because of the ever changing water temps. The same is kind of true with the carp – they have mostly returned to the deep. It was a decent year for these “golden bones” despite the water changing temps constantly.

Bass and bluegill fishing continues to be good on local lakes. Poppers and sliders are working well on the bass and the small terrestrials with rubber legs are doing a number on the gills/panfish. This is a fun way to spend a summer day – as either an experienced angler tricking bass out of the lily pads or a beginner learning the basics of fly fishing on the bluegill/panfish.

Smallmouth bass in the lower Manistee continues to be an option for the streamer angler or those that just like river smallmouth fishing. This should only improve as the summer continues.

Good luck,

Ted

Terrestrials, Tricos and Trout – July and August fly fishing for trout on the Upper Manistee River
Salmon– Fresh fish can enter rivers as early as mid-August and offer great fishing through September.
Fall Steelhead– From the end of September through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.

bass, bluegill, brown drakes, hex, isonychias, mi, smallmouth bass, terrestrail, travese city, trout, upper-manistee

The Hex Hatch

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 2, 2014

The Hex Hatch has begun on the upper-Manistee river but they have been spotty and with the ups and downs in the weather they have been inconsistent as well. Seems to be par for the course this year. The future/forecast is bright as we are looking to have consistent weather again which should make for some consistent fishing. Fishing has been off most days prior to the big bug emergence – mostly because of the lack of other bugs not hatching. One can expect to see bat flies, little mahoganies, isonychias, light cahills, golden stones and a brown drake or two as we wait for the nocturnal hex to appear. Like the Manistee, the Boardman and other local rivers have seen some hex in various locations. Click here for a hex pattern and how to tie.

Not into fishing into the dark? Try fishing a hex pattern – either a natural looking dun or spinner in the a.m. or on cloudy days for a pleasant surprise. These hex flies are like floating cheeseburgers often giving fish that are ordinarily shy just enough incentive to eat on the surface during the day.

The river is running “full” of water thanks to the periodic rains we have been receiving.Streamer fishing is also a good alternative when nothing is happening on top; look for the low-light of cloudy days or early morning to offer your best chance. Being a holiday week/weekend you might witness a little more recreation on it from other anglers as well as canoes, tubes and kayaks so factor that into your plans. Oddly, sometimes the extra traffic gets fish out of their comfort zones and hiding spots and out into a place where you can present a fly to them.

The Bay is fishing o.k. for smallmouth and carp. The past week the carp moved into the shallows and were on the spawn big time and offering some really good fishing. It seems that a lot of the spawning is over but you will still find fish in the shallow water if you look in enough places however getting them to eat has been tough. Persistence and good presentations are required to find the players. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another wave of spawning to take place as the long winter and cool spring really has things off in a lot of respects. Same with the smallmouth bass – a lot of fish have already come and gone, but look for a second wave of fish as well as the post-spawn fish looking to eat after their annual ritual.

Lakes and ponds continue to have some really good bluegill fishing going on right now. The bigger fish have slipped into the depths again now that their spawning is over, but you can find them moving back into the shallows to eat on cloudy days and evenings. The smaller fish are still around to make fishing fun for those learning how to fly fish. The largemouth bass mostly are done protecting their nests and are eating bigger flies both on and below the surface. Target the structure – drop-offs, weeds, docks and wood for your best results as the long bright days have them seeking structure until low-light periods.

Good luck,

Ted

bay fishing, bluegill, boarman river, carp, carp on the fly, hex hatch, hex pattern, isonychia, isonychias, largemouth bass, manistee river, smallmouth bass

Fly Fishing Traverse City for Trout, Carp, Bass & Bluegill

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 10, 2014

Trout fishing has been improving now that water temps are where they should be for this time of year and the various mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies seem to be closer to being on schedule after a slow start to the season. The rivers are in good shape – they aren’t too high, or too low. Clarity is beginning to become an issue with the high sun and lots of it.

On the Upper-Manistee a handful of bugs can be found – typically in the last hour or two of light offering some technical but rewarding dry fly fishing: sulphurs, grey drakes, little yellow stones, caddis, great mahoganies, little mahoganies, medium brown stones and a few isonychias. This menagerie of bugs will keep you working through your fly box as each day – and even at times of day – they often have a distinct preference on which one they want to eat. Spinners have been collecting in the evening and falling to the water providing the most consistent flow of bugs – dark brown or rusty spinners in a variety of sizes from 12 – 16 are a must in your box right now and are a good place to start when tying on your first fly.

To learn more on the dry fishing over the next couple of weeks read “Trout Fishing Before the Hex Hatch.”

Pond and lake fishing for bluegill/panfish has been really good now that the fish have moved up into the shallows. Look for water near breaks and cover the structure – that is docks, fallen in trees, weed lines, etc. Some pike and bass will play along too, so either target those bigger fish with larger rods and flies or hold on when they eat the bluegill you are trying to land. Surface flies have been the most fun and productive, but the small streamer and nymph have been most effective on the larger panfish.

Carp and smallmouth bass fishing is still sputtering in Grand Traverse Bay as water temps are much lower than normal for this time of year. One day they are around and eating, the next day not to be found. Weather is crucial as the sun warms the water up and wind direction blows warm or cold water into the shallows – the fish like the warmer water. Some crayfish are moving around and work better on cruising fish as they are easy to see by moving fish, however the smaller: crayfish, swimming hex nymphs, black b.h. buggers do better when the fish are nosing around in the shallows and focused on eating. Smallies are still cruising the flats but have largely remained pretty elusive so far this year for the wading angler.

Good luck,

Ted

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

Hatches and Big Bugs – Few dates remain in June for the big bugs – Isos, Drakes and the Hex.
Terestrials, Tricos and Trout – July and August fly fishing for trout on the Upper Manistee River.
Steelhead and Salmon – While Spring is late getting here, it’s not too early to reserve your Fall Dates.

bluegill, caddisflies, carp, fishing report, fly fishing traverse city, grand traverse bay, isonychias, manistee, rusty spinners, stoneflies, sulphurs, traverse city

Transitional Trout Fishing, Bass and Gills on Local Lakes

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 12, 2013

The trout fishing is in a traditional period right now – it is no longer matching the hatch in the evening and into darkness. There are some bugs emerging on the Manistee and Boardman rivers but sporadically – look for Isonychias, Light Cahills, Little Yellow Sallie Stones, BWOs, Gray Drakes (Boardman). The best hatches seem to be occurring in the evening and some in the morning. The cool evenings have been inspiring the bugs to do their thing long before darness. While the majority of bugs on the emergence schedule are beyond us, there are still plenty of flies to cast to fish that either imitate a natural mayfly or terrestrial. To read more about fishing in the weeks following the Hex Hatch, click here.

Look for terrestrial fishing (ants, beetles, grasshoppers, foam and rubber-legged creations) to only get better in the weeks ahead. Have a Hex pattern in your fly box for those late bloomers/radicals and if you’re going to be on the water in the morning bring your tricos as they should start bringing up fish any day now. Small and weighted streamer patterns fished on a floating line can be a good alternative to the heavy handed approach of sink-tips and large patterns this time of year.

Bass fishing has been really good this summer. Weed growth has been ideal on most local lakes and ponds with the fish taking residence under and nearby the vegetation. Poppers, sliders and diving baitfish are fun to fish on top with crayfish and small baitfish patterns working sub-surface. Bluegill, too, are playing along nicely with us when casting various patterns – both dries and subsurface. Spiders and beetles on top and small streamers and big nymphs fished sub-surface. A popper with a nymph dropper has been real effective in determining their daily preference.

The Carp and Smallmouth bass in the Grand Traverse Bays are mostly done, however the colder water of Lake Michigan and its flats have been providing some opportunity – cover lots of water and if unsuccessful, start thinking about next May already. On GT Bay, look for early and late in the day fishing near drop-offs to be a good place for the fly angler and smallmouth bass as they move into shallow water to eat under low-light conditions.

Smallmouth bass fishing in rivers is getting better as river temperatures warm up and they will only improve as the dog days of summer continue to warm up the lower sections of the Manistee.

Good luck,

Ted

The Summer Newsletter just went out – Click here to read and/or sign up for future delivery

Trout Fishing – Evening hatches should transition to morning trico s and terrestrial fishing as July sets in.
Bluegill & Bass – Lake fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Fall Steelhead – Its not too early to start thinking about fall’s best fishing fish. Late Sept. – Nov.

bass fishing, boardman river fly fishing, carp fly fishing grand traverse bay, isonychias, manistee, terrestrial fishing in michigan, transitional trout fishing

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