As April winds down, I can say I’ve never experienced one like this one before.

The steelhead fishing was affected by the lack of rain and high water from a snowpack that never happened in this El Nino year. Winter was mild and so was the run of fish as they seemed to be spread out over 3 months without any noticeable peak. I suspect the trickle of fish will continue but it will be even lighter as we approach May.

There are still some fish to be found in the Betsie and Manistee but with water temps in the low 50s, they seem to come and go quickly with some males hanging around in out for their next date to show up.

Here in Traverse City the Boardman has some fish in it for close to home fishing or in my case – fun observation from the bridge as I go to the post office. It actually offers a good opportunity to watch steelhead behavior…. like fish sitting in the deep holes behind the gravel, how a stable, solo fish in a hole changes its attitude when another fish moves in, or fish moving into the shadow of the bridge when the sun gets overhead. Anyway, there are fish around in our rivers but it is winding down.

With the warmer weather and trout season officially opening this Saturday, it might be time exchange your steelhead rod for your favorite dry fly and streamer rods. Some rivers are open all year, others extended seasons and most closed until the last Saturday in April – check the MI-DNR Regulations if you aren’t sure.

Hendricksons have been spotty but showing up most days when conditions are right. Fish this time of year aren’t overly selective, but they do need some bugs on the surface to get them to look up. When an emergence isn’t around, cover the water with a streamer. Water clarity of the upper Manistee, AuSable and Boardman is a little clearer than we expect for this time of year so a mid-sized streamer likely will be a better pattern rather than the large ones.

Good luck.

Ted