Posts tagged "learn how to fly fish"

Mid – September Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 12, 2022

Nearing the mid-point of September, it feels like the seasons are thinking about transitioning. September can be a continuation of summer or the end of the summer – just depends on the day. With the weather changes comes changes in fishing.

Trout anglers will find that they have the rivers to themselves. Hatches are relatively non-existent but this time of year you should always have a selection of BWOs, flying ant patterns and small Isonychias as they can show up. Like May, this time of year you should hit the water with the ability and willingness to fish both the surface and below.

Larger terrestrial patterns continue to bring some fish to the surface but on days when fish aren’t looking up or there is too much debris (leaves and pine needles) floating on the surface, go subsurface with some smaller streamers. It’s been a long season of the trout being pressured by anglers, but with fewer people on the water lately, they are starting to move out from their bunkers where can present some flies to them once again.

Salmon have moved into the usual rivers in decent numbers but as salmon do, they can be in a funk; weather and conditions can make the difference with bright and sunny – tough, overcast – ideal. With the abundance of baitfish in Lake Michigan, the fish are running a bit larger this year so hold on when you hook up.

The bass and bluegill fishing is winding down as it typically does this time of year. It seems they go fairly deep this time of year proving a little difficult with the fly rod, but somedays they will be along the drop offs and other structure willing to eat on the surface and more so, bellow.

Good luck,

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Finish the season with what started the season – Steelhead! Good dates available in November
2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.
Gift Certificates – Quick and easy gifts of a half-day, full-day or casting lesson for friends or family.

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Mid-July Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 15, 2022

It’s mid-July and the major hatches have come and gone on the Manistee and Boardman Rivers. With the lack of rain the past two months, river levels are low, and so is the water table, resulting in significant daily river temperature fluctuations. Our spring-fed rivers need a supplied water table to moderate our water temps but since we didn’t have them, our hatches (and fishing) never quite got into the grove where hatches were dense and/or predictable. Thankfully we have mostly had cooler evenings to keep water temps safe for fishing as trout don’t like water north of 68 degrees and experience higher mortality after being caught in temps above that.

As we progress through summer, look for mornings to offer the best fishing with hatches of Tricos and some terrestrials bouncing around for feeding brook and brown trout. The number of deer flies swarming make imitations of them a good choice in fly patterns when the Tricos aren’t around. Grasshopper and beetles, too are around and are worthy of imitating the next time you hit the water. This time of year you always want some BWOs, Isonychias, Lt. Cahills and Little Yellow Sally Stoneflies in your box as they can show up sporadically.

<<More on trout fishing After the Hex Hatch>>

River smallmouth fishing continues to be good most days. These are fickle fish with weather systems that might be moving through, but typically they are only moody for short periods of time so keep fishing streamers and poppers and your fishing is likely to change without much notice. When they eat, they demonstrate why we use heavier rods; for their size the pull and fight of a smallmouth bass is impressive.

Fishing on the lakes and ponds has been good most of the spring and summer. The larger gills have mostly gone back to the depths after another round of spawning, but they will surprise you from time to time. Plenty of smaller fish are around to keep action happening if learning how to fish or just enjoying some low-key time on the water. The largemouth bass have been sassy and are eating both on the surface and below so mix it up.

Good luck.

Ted

Learn to Fly Fish – Book a half-day trip with the idea of learning the basics in how to cast and fly fish.
Tricos and Terrestrials – Start your day on a cool river fishing for trout with dry flies from July into September.
Fall Steelhead – Although the Spring Season just ended, think fall steelhead. Good dates available in November.

bass fishing, fly fishing, hex hatch, learn how to fly fish, traverse city, tricos, trout fishing

Early July Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 8, 2021

See-saw weather continues into July making just about every day different from the previous one. From hot to cool, sunny to rainy, the weather patterns have been mixed. Despite a number of rains, the local rivers are in good shape in regards to height and color. The thirsty ground absorbed a lot of the run-off keeping the rivers fishable.

The Upper Manistee has been fishing o.k. Like the weather, it has been different from one day to the next. Bugs/hatches have mostly been non-existent save for some Isonychias, Light Cahills and some remaining Hex. A few stones have been around as well, but mostly the two months of match-the-hatch dry fly fishing is behind us leaving the options for patterns to a select handful of dries. It’s nice to have room in my gear bag again. In addition to patterns imitating the bugs noted above, it’s time to think about transitioning into terrestrials and “twitch” flies.

To learn more about fishing the trout rivers this time of year, check out “Fishing After the Hex Hatch”.

On local lakes the largemouth bass fishing has picked up whereas the bigger bluegill/panfish have slipped back into deep water. They likely will be back up for another spawn soon. Nothing new here – fish the structure (weeds, docks, fallen in trees, drop-offs, etc.) for your best success. While top water is the most fun, something fished sub-surface on an intermediate line can fool those particular bass that are wary of fly patterns that float.

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.

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Mid-August Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 20, 2019

Not a whole lot has changed since the last fishing report.

A long period of virtually no rain has the rivers running low and clear which tends to be the case for this time of year. Cool nights have kept the water temps on the upper Manistee and Boardman rivers in the low 60’s making them ideal for the brown and brook trout that reside in them.

Some mid-morning trico hatches have been providing decent surface activity making it suitable for the 4 wt. rod. It seems that the bug density is starting to wane but it’s hard to say as the season and its hatches are still a bit fragmented (I saw a hex last week, mid-morning). A few caddis are starting to show up but it is pretty much full-on terrestrial season on the local rivers – grass hoppers, ants, beetles and foam bodied/rubber legged patterns – that have been teasing the fish. Attractors and Isonychia patterns are worth tying on as well when not fishing sub-surface with some twitch flies.

The bass and bluegill fishing remains decent for those looking to either learn the sport or experienced anglers bringing a largemouth to the surface to crush a popper or slider. With the warmer weather, weed growth has continued and makes it a great place to target both species. Lakes with drop offs have been out fishing the shallow waters because of water temps. With the big moon in the sky right now, look for some of those overachieving gills in the shallows spawning one last time but also eager to eat your fly.

Good luck.

Ted

Salmon/September – No salmon or trout dates are available this September, sorry.
Trout– Terrestrial & Trico fishing for Brooks and Browns through August and into September.
Fall Steelhead – October through December – a fall favorite for many. A few dates remain open.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through August of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

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Introducing Others To Fly Fishing

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 16, 2012

Chances are if you are reading this, you already like to fly fish. If that’s the case – why not share it with someone new to the sport – a kid, a friend or family member? Below you will find reasons to introduce others, how to avoid intimidation and resources to help you along the way.

Reasons

There are plenty of reasons why introducing someone to fly fishing is advantageous – here are some which might apply to you:

It’s often nice to share the time with someone else, especially the drive to and from the water. Besides, having a friend to net the that big fish and take a picture is easier than by yourself.
Safety in numbers – what if something happens and you’re alone? Having a friend nearby can prove real smart.
Get someone involved who will get you on the water more. A good example is a friend who got his father-in-law into the sport. The amount of time he spent
fishing increased significantly — plus, he had his wife’s
support and approval.
By getting your kids out, not only will you get to spend some good time with them outdoors, but it will get you on the water more and with mom’s blessing.
Share the sport and promote conservation. We need all the help we can get with preserving and improving our fisheries – one more license bought and a future voice to speak will only help.
Pass the sport on to a kid. There are plenty of activities competing for kids attention today, and it seems like the majority of them take place indoors. Get a kid outside and mentor them – they are the future of fly fishing. Big Brothers & Big Sisters, the neighbor kid, a nephew or other relative are possible candidates – have an impact.

Avoid Intimidation

Thinking back to when I first started this sport without a mentor, I was intimidated by all there was to know and didn’t know where to begin. Eliminate that feeling for a beginner by coaching them on the necessary basics and keeping it fun. Here are some thoughts on how to achieve this:

Let them use some of your equipment at first to see if they like the sport before they buy. This eliminates the costs associated and allows them to try the sport first.
Start them off with a casting lesson on the lawn or on a pond without the intimidation of flies/hooks, moving water, picky fish, etc. This reinforces the fundamentals of fly fishing – casting and once grasped, it makes it
easier to fish.
When I first started off, a good day of fishing was measured by not catching trees or tag alders along the bank. Any caught fish were an extreme bonus. Don’t hold them to your own fishing expectations – you probably are much better at the sport than they are. Instead, help make realistic goals and encourage them. Don’t snicker at a tangled leader or the small brook trout they caught.
Pick the season and species. Bluegill fishing on ponds and lakes is a great way to learn the sport. There are often plenty of fish that eat aggressively, providing opportunities on how to set the hook and bring a fish to hand. The basics are still required: casting, line control, fly manipulation, reeling, knots, etc. Consider that there are many more places to fish panfish than there are trout rivers.
If trout fishing, determine an ideal time to get out there. Opening day or late evening spinner falls for selectively feeding fish aren’t necessarily ideal for someone starting out. Fish when there is daylight so they can see what they are doing and can feel comfortable as they learn how to wade.
If you’re thinking about getting your wife or girlfriend involved, proceed with caution. Based on observation, I think it’s sometimes best to let someone else help with this task rather than test the strength of your relationship. This is where a guide’s fee can be priceless.
Keep the amount of time realistic. Don’t push the sport and when they are frustrated, offer a hand and encouragement rather than a chuckle. Be patient – they might just pick up the tab at the tavern on the way home.

Resources

Here are some suggestions on resources to help you, the mentor get the newbie started and off in the right direction:

Get them a casting lesson to get started without teaching them any of your bad habits. Hiring a professional will streamline the process.
Hire a guide for a half-day instead of a full-day to flatten the learning curve and keep it fun. As an FFF certified casting instructor and a guide, I have an appreciation for having fun while keeping the learning on track and often into fish without overwhelming them. Make their first experiences with the sport positive.
Selfish and shamelss promotion: hiring a guide will help
make it that way.
The Traverse City based Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited offers two unique programs for kids. The “First Cast” program takes place in the summer one night a week for appx. 5 weeks. The Adams Chapter also works with The Kalamazoo Valley Chapter of TU and sponsors kids to attend a four day camp for young adults to learn about fly fishing. Check the Adams Chapter website for more information on these programs.
There are ideal books and DVDs for someone starting out, including “First Cast to First Fish” by Joseph Petralia, “Fly Fishing Made Easy” by DVD from Scientific Anglers and “The Little Red Fishing Knot Book” by Harry Nilsson.
For kids, consider “First Cast: Teaching Kids to Fly Fish” by Phil Genova and “Fly Fishing with Children” by Philip Brunquell.

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