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Posts tagged "march steelhead fishing"

March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 4, 2020

As we flip the calendar to March it’s apparent that the days have become longer, temps a little warmer, and the sun is making an appearance a little more often. Was it me or did it seem like the sun went south for the winter this year?

Much of the snow pack has diminished thanks to the recent sunshine and a continued gradual melt would be ideal as we start up our spring steelhead season. Last fall and early winter’s rain saturated the ground and filled the swamps so high water is just a weather event away.

River conditions on both the Manistee and Betsie are in good shape – clarity is fine and water temps are in the mid to upper 30’s depending on the day. A bit of sunshine can give the water a slight bump in temperature and help trigger the fish from their winter funk. Fish are mixed right now with some fall holdovers taking up residence in the deeper, slow water with some fresh fish trickling through the river systems and moving up the soft seams.

Like the fall, there hasn’t been any one pattern working better than another. With the clarity, consider using brighter eggs, but not bold, and the size should be a little larger (#6) than you would think to encourage fish to move a little to eat. Realistic nymphs like hex, caddis and black stones are all popular and proven winners this time of year whether you are fishing them below a float/indicator or bouncing them along the bottom.

Good luck.

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Only a few days in mid-March remain open for the spring season.
Trout – May and June aren’t far away and offer ideal conditions for both streamer and dry fly fishing.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates in Oct. and Nov. remain available but they are starting to become limited.

betsie river, black stone, caddis, egg patterns, fly-fishing guide traverse city, hex nymph, manistee river steelhead, march steelhead fishing, tippy dam, trout

March Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 7, 2016

With the arrival of March, so came the warmer temperatures and sunshine. After months of weekly snow and thaw cycles we are starting the spring steelhead season with a lot less snow on the ground than normal. Water levels are up a bit from where they typically are this time of year and water temps are still in the mid 30s on the Manistee below Tippy Dam and upper 30s on the Betsie river.  As the sun comes out, look for the water to warm as the day progresses and the fish to become more active.

The fall steelhead were late making their way upstream, but when they did in late Nov. and into December, they weren’t overly pressured. Look for those fish that wintered over to be hanging out in the deeper holes and just off the bubble lines/seams in the slack water. With longer days and sunlight, more fish should start to congregate at river mouths and with increasing frequency and start their migration. Any warm rain along the way will only intensify the migration.  I am guessing that because of the lack of snow pack, the spring steelhead season will be long and drawn out, unless we get substantial rainfall which often creates a burst of fish in the resulting high water.

With the sunshine, keep an eye on any remaining snow along the riverbank for little black stoneflies crawling around. As one of the first aquatic insects to get active, these little stones are important to the steelhead angler. Other key fly patterns this time of year include green caddis, hex nymphs and larger egg patterns. As the water get’s dirtier through the season, increase the size of your pattern.

Good luck!

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Good dates for March Steelhead fishing are still available.
May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

Betsie, black stoneflies, caddis, hex nymphs, manistee, march steelhead fishing, tippy dam steelhead
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