Mid October Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 12, 2015

Even though we are approaching the mid-point of October, the weather feels far from it and the fish have been acting accordingly; migratory salmon continue to trickle into local rivers like the Manistee and Betsie. Most fish are moving in and hitting the spawning gravel immediately rather than staging in deep holes in the lower river systems so look for fish in the pocket water near gravel for your best salmon fishing right now. Color change on the trees is just starting in some areas – which is also later than normal, so look for color season to be prolonged also.

The water levels are low and clear and are running warm for this time of year – the Manistee is just below 60 degrees and when things change – that is, we receive some significant rainfall and water temps drop – a good push of fish should move in. Last week’s rain mostly went into the ground and didn’t increase levels much but the forecast is calling for more rain and favorable North and Northwest winds which should only help get more fish to move upstream. Some steelhead are around but like the salmon, not in the numbers we typically expect this time of year. Those who keep their flies moving and keep at it are typically the ones rewarded with chrome and a lot of fin-attitude. Then again, the steelhead have been hard to land with the temps beings so warm but that’s one of the reasons we like to fish for them so much.

The trout fishing has been a little slower than normal for this time of year – also because of the weather. The water is low and clear so stealth is paramount. Streamer fishing the bigger sections of rivers with some meaty looking fly patterns are getting some pre-spawn browns to play, but like anytime of the year – keep the flies moving and stay positive – you are only one cast away. Terrestrial fishing continues thanks to the warm weather but mix it up and when there are a lot of leaves and other debris floating down the river, the surface fishing really slows and it’s time to tie on a streamer.

Good luck,

Ted

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

Late Trout – Brown trout fishing into late December can be some of the best streamer fishing of the year.
Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Late September & early October offers a mixed bag of both species with fall colors.
Fall Steelhead – October, November & into December is the time for steelhead on the Manistee.

Betsie, manistee, rivers, salmon, steelhead, streamer

October Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 1, 2015

Fishing hasn’t improved a whole lot since the last report. There are salmon around in local rivers, but they are not as numerous as we have come to expect for this time of year – the first of October.

The Betsie has a few fresh fish moving through it but the majority of they are either spawning or getting real close to starting that process. Surely, the numbers of salmon are down in Lake Michigan, but I think we are really experiencing the effects of unprecedented warm weather the past month. Thankfully, after some low nightly temps in the 30’s lately, we are seeing things change as water temps in the Manistee drop (low 60s) and a few days of Northerly winds will help push water and fish near the river mouths. Look for salmon to move through the rivers over the next couple of weeks with some steelhead mixed in.

Trout fishing is about the same, too. With the cool nights, get a mid-day start to let the water warm a bit. It’s the last of the terrestrial fishing on the surface and some BWOs are showing up and some fish noticing. Brook trout are vibrant right now and the browns are in a pre-spawn behavior – it’s not a bad time to cast a streamer but with the clear water, try doing it with either a small sink-tip or floating line on the smaller sections of river and going big on the larger, deeper sections.

Keep in mind that Trout Season is now closed on a number of rivers and/or sections thereof. Click here for MI-DNR regulations.

Good luck.

Ted

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

betssie, brook trout, bwo, manistee, salmon

“Fall” Fly Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 23, 2015

It’s officially “Fall”, but it sure feels like summer with the past three weeks being unseasonably warm making things feel more like August rather than the end of September. As a result the migratory salmon fishing on Lake Michigan’s rivers is off. The lack of cool weather and north/northwest winds are keeping the water at the river mouths too warm and therefore not concentrating the fish in ideal numbers to encourage a trip upstream. There are some fish in the Betsie and Manistee rivers, but they are scattered and simply not in the density/numbers we are used to for this time of year. Look for this year’s migration of salmon to be prolonged well into October with steelhead mixed in. Until then, fish the water thoroughly for those few fish around.

With the weather being nicer than normal, water conditions are still ideal for some dry fly fishing on the upper Manistee and Boardman rivers. The terrestrial bite is still going and some mid-sized streamers fishing on floating lines are providing some action. Look for the dries with rubber legs twitched near and in the wood to get some of those vibrant colored brookies to play as well as the occasional nice brown trout. Keep in mind regular trout season ends Sept. 30th on certain rivers and sections of rivers – consult the MI-DNR regulations to determine what closes and what remains open.

Good luck.

Ted

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

Betsie, Boarman, fishing, lake michigan, manistee, salmon, streamers, trout fishing

Summer-Like Fishing Conditions and Salmon

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 15, 2015

It seems that summer’s weather is sticking around with warm days and less than favorable wind directions impacting the salmon and not getting them headed up area rivers like the Betsie, Manistee, and Platte. There are some fish in the Lake Michigan tributaries, but not in the numbers that there should be for this time of year. Look for the fish to be spread out throughout river systems and after some North or North-West winds, things should change and the fish should show up in better numbers. Put some rain in the mix and fishing should be outstanding.

With the warm weather comes an extension of trout season. The terrestrials continue to bring up some fish to the surface as the foam and rubber patterns twitched seem to be a great place to start. The fish are pretty smart this time of year so when you get refusals (bumps) change up the pattern slightly and possibly go to a lighter leader. Sometimes a little more twitch helps activate these flies eliciting a bite. The brookies are really vibrant right now and prefer the smaller patterns and attractors since much isn’t emerging this time of year. It can be an ideal time to fish the Boardman for those looking for fishing close to town. If it’s a cloudy day, pull out some mid-sized streamers as the bigger browns have hit the reset button on pattern recognition after a summer of anglers fishing dries.

Good luck.

Ted

Late Trout – Brown trout fishing into late December can be some of the best streamer fishing of the year.
Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Late September & early October offers a mixed bag of both species with fall colors.
Fall Steelhead – Late September, October, November & into December is the time for steelhead on the Manistee.

Betsie, boardman, manistee, river, salmon, terrestrials, trout

Trout, Hex Hatch, Bass and more…

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 2, 2015

Trout fishing continues to be inconsistent with hatches/bugs thanks to fluctuations in the weather. Cloudy days have offered good fishing but those days have been limited where the sunny days have the fish under cover.

Water levels on the upper Manistee are ideal despite over an inch of rain the other night and it’s temperatures are fluctuating as well thanks to cool nights – last night it was in the upper 50’s. These water and air temperature conditions have made it difficult to find the hex hatch but they are scattered throughout the river system all the way to its headwaters – some nights they are there, others they aren’t. A smattering of other bugs have been in the air and on the water which include: Isos, Blue Winged Olives, Mahoganies, Grey Drakes, one or two Brown Drakes, Little Yellow Sallies, Lt. Cahills and some size 12 brown stones.

The Au Sable has had more consistent hatches on the mainstream and South Branch. The Boardman, too, has been more consistent with hex bugs but has been crowded. This time of year seems to bring out the “annual angler” on all local rivers making the rivers a bit crowded so be courteous and respectful to help ensure everyone can enjoy the resource.

Carp fishing has been tough. With the sporadic weather changes, cold winter, deeper water, and shifting winds – they simply have been difficult to find and feed this year. The same can be said for the smallmouth bass on the flats. With some good amounts of sunshine we should find the shallow flats warming up and inviting to fish, but frankly – I have no idea where we are in relation to the spawn. Stay tuned, we are just stubborn enough not to give up just yet.

Bass fishing on lakes continues to fish well with added weed growth and good water temperatures. The bluegill continue to eat dry flies – especially on days where the wind isn’t blowing. As the water warms up and lily pads become more dense, it’s time for poppers and fun surface activity.

Good luck and have a happy and safe 4th of July.

Ted

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

Summer Trout Fishing – Terrestrial and Trico fishing in July and August on the Manistee.
Smallmouth Bass – Streamer fishing on the lower Manistee is a great way to spend a summer day.
Fall Steelhead – Late September through November is the time for sassy steelhead on the Lower Manistee.

bass fishing, blue winged olives, carp fishing on the fly, fishing report, hex hatch, manistee, traverse city

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Posts tagged "manistee"

Mid October Fly Fishing Report

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

October Fly Fishing Report

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

“Fall” Fly Fishing

The Fall 2015 Newsletter just went out – Click here to read.

Summer-Like Fishing Conditions and Salmon

Trout, Hex Hatch, Bass and more…

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

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