manistee river tippy dam Archives - Current Works Guide Service

After a week of high and highly stained water, the river levels have returned to normal flows for this time of year and still have a bit of a stain, which also is normal for this time of year. Water temperatures are in the low 40s thanks to some cold nights and the lack of warm days to keep the run from running it’s course in short order.

The steelhead continue to be mixed – pre-spawn, spawning and post spawn. The males tend be a little older as they dance from gravel bar to gravel bar and have the color to show for it while fresh females are continuing to slip upstream. As with the fall run, the spring run has had more “skippers” (15-22” fish) than the larger adults however it seems lately a few more bigger fish are making a return to the river and bending the rod more. Don’t forget these smaller fish are next year’s bigger fish and the new fishing regulations as of April 1 limits harvest to only 1 steelhead/rainbow trout.

Larger flies have been working in the stained water – leeches, large stones and fry patterns tied below egg patterns and beads which have been bolder and more prominent in the stained water. Egg patterns with chartreuse have been working better than they had been, but that also usually results in an encounter with some walleye on the Manistee below Tippy dam as that’s seems to be a perennial favorite color of theirs. With the lack of rain in the forecast, I suspect smaller and more natural toned patterns will improve in effectiveness as the water continues to clear up.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Spring season is all booked, but a few dates remain available for the Fall Steelhead.
Trout Fishing – May and June offer some of the best technical dry fly fishing as we chase bugs and browns.
2025 Season – Now booking the entire season for trout, bass, steelhead and salmon – get your dates planned.

As we approach mid-October it feels closer to the beginning of the month based on conditions and temperatures.

We finally received our first nights of mid-30 degree temperatures and the water temps have dipped into the 50s which is needed for the the salmon to continue to enter the rivers. And, today we have received some very much needed rain; as water levels increase, look for the remaining salmon waiting to migrate upstream to their spawning areas and bring a few steelhead along with them.

The Betsie continues to have spawning salmon working the gravel sections as does the Manistee – primarily in the water directly below Tippy Dam. A few steelhead are around but well below what we expect for this time of year. As the weather realizes the time of year and begins to feel fall-like, look for more fish. Over the next few weeks It’s time to match the hatch and fish egg patterns that are realistic as both trout and steelhead key in on the “protein drip” – that is, the eggs from spawning salmon.

Those looking for trout will find some of bigger browns just starting to get busy on gravel – please leave those fish alone as they are future of our trout fishing – especially those rivers that are solely reliable on natural reproduction. Streamer fishing for pre-spawn and post-spawn fish on sink tips can make for some of the year’s best fishing as they are ornery and hungry. Cover water and respect the resource.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Have the Upper Manistee to yourself fishing wets, dries/terrestrials and streamers.
Fall Steelhead – Starting in October, extending into December. Fall Color Tour includes Chrome!
Late Fall Trout – After gorging on salmon eggs, streamer fishing below Tippy Dam can be outstanding.

Betsie, egg patterns, fall steelhead, manistee, manistee river tippy dam, salmon, steelhead, Streamer fishing for trout, tippy dam

Posts tagged "manistee river tippy dam"

Early April Fishing Report

Mid-October Salmon, Steelhead and Trout Fly Fishing Report

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