Posts tagged "mayflies"

Late May Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 27, 2025

As May comes to an end, it seems the dry-fly fishing is just starting to fall into a groove.

The cool weather and wind last week seemed to keep the hatches unpredictable. With some stable weather forecast, evening hatches should be more regular with spinner falls typically occurring at dusk. Without the stagnant heat of the day and cool temps in the evenings, things could be good either early evening or even late mornings – nature dictates, I suppose.

The upper Manistee is running full and is clear – maybe a little too clear as it’s been a while since we have had any appreciable rainfall. The Boardman and Au Sable are also running clear so lighter tippet, longer leaders and a low-profile are suggested to fool these wary trout.

It’s that time of year when there are multiple bugs that can emerge and often do at the same time making for some good, but challenging match-the-hatch conditions. Black Quills, Great Mahoganies, Sulphurs and BWOs should be expected and having some March Browns, Little Yellow Sallies and Isonychias in the box isn’t a bad strategy in the event they show up, too. Bring the bug spray as the mosquitoes have been around and seem hungrier this year.

I’ve often written in these reports that this time of year a selection of Borcher’s Drakes and Robert’s Yellow Drakes in a number of sizes will get you through a lot of emergences. Add some rusty spinners and you’ll have a good kit to get you through a lot of what’s happening on the surface.

On the lakes, the bass have finished spawning and are still aggressive in the shallows but things are starting to slow down as they enter the post-spawn funk that comes this time of year. Bluegill, too have finished spawning but they are still in shallow looking to feed. Just off the drop they are really looking to feed so if they aren’t coming to the surface, fish a bead-head nymph or micro streamer.

Good Luck,

Ted

Trout Fishing – June offer’s some of the best technical dry fly fishing as we chase bugs and browns.
Fall Steelhead – After a strong Spring Season look to the Fall Season – just a few dates remain available.
Smallmouth Bass – Now through Mid-August, come fish this rod bending species as an alternative to trout.

au sable, bass fishing, boardman, borchers drake, fly fishing, fly fishing guide, fly fishing report, fly fishing traverse city, grayling michigan, learn how to fly fish, mayflies, sulphurs, trout fishing

Late May Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 25, 2018

This weather has us thinking its more like late June than May with the warm temperatures. Water levels on local rivers are ideal – perhaps a little low – with little recent rain. Water temps are in the low 60’s and the bright days have been making the trout fishing a little tougher than we want for this time of year making the mornings and evenings the ideal time to be on the water.

If you are headed to your favorite trout river you will want an assortment of flies to imitate what you are likely to come across: sulphurs, Hendricksons, mahoganies, black caddis, little yellow sally stones, black quills, medium brown stones, march browns and just in case, some brown drakes. This time of the year can offer the most technical dry fly fishing. Spinner falls at dusk will have you squinting for sippers and you will want your headlamp with you as it often occurs just before darkness. Bring some bug spray too as the mosquitoes are just starting to show up. To learn more about the bugs/hatches you are likely to come across this time of year, click here to read, Trout Fishing Before the Hex Hatch.

Bluegill have moved into the shallows on most of the smaller lakes and are offering some good fishing. The same with largemouth bass – look for both species to be near structure and often close to a deep water break/drop off. It’s a lot of fun catching big gills on the fly rod – especially on the surface – but some days they require that you fish them sub surface with swimming nymphs and tiny streamers.

With the recent lack of rain please be extra careful with camp and bonfires this weekend.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Reliable hatches begin in May for surface activity. It’s also a great time to fish streamers for bigger trout.
Big Bugs – The big Bugs of June will be here before you know it…. Isos, Drakes and Hex – limited dates available.
Fall Steelhead – Spring Steelhead is just finishing up but it’s time to get your Fall Dates reserved – Oct. thru Dec.

borcher's drake, brown drake, brown stones, carp fishing grand traverse bay, fishing traverse city, fly fishing trout, hex, mayflies, steelhead, sulphurs, trout, trout fishing

Mid-May Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 17, 2018

Mother nature seems to have caught up with the times after some warm and bright days. Leaves, blossoms, green grass and insect hatches on the river seem to be in synch with the calendar.

Trout fishing on the local rivers continues to be ideal for those armed to fish subsurface with streamers until the surface activity begins. Water levels are ideal on both the upper and lower Manistee and the AuSable is running a little higher than normal. With temps in the upper 50s the Hendricksons continue to emerge and spinner falls are a little more predictable in the evenings with the warmer weather. Black caddis are making an appearance and building in numbers and shouldn’t be ignored if you see “slashy rises.” Be sure to have March Browns, Black Quills even some sulphurs with you just in case they start showing up. This time a year a Borcher’s Drake in various sizes can help you match a lot of the mayflies you will come across.

Fishing has been tough with the recent bright sun and fishing a streamer in the deeper runs and along cover are your best bet. Mix up your streamer patterns and presentation until you find whatever their daily preference is but, keep a dry fly rod near by as a hatch can have you changing from ripping and stripping to mending and sending in no time.

The lakes are still warming up and the first of the bluegill/panfish are moving into shallow waters on the dark bottom lakes that seem to warm up first. Bass too are starting to move in shallow water and keep an eye out for big pike looking to feed on the aforementioned as they are now in the post-spawn feeding pattern.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Reliable hatches begin in May for surface activity. It’s also a great time to fish streamers for bigger trout.
Big Bugs – The big Bugs of June will be here before you know it…. Isos, Drakes and Hex – limited dates available.
Fall Steelhead – Spring Steelhead just finished up but it’s time to get your Fall Dates reserved – Oct. thru Dec.

borcher's drake, fishing report, fly-fishing guide, hendrickson, mayflies, streamer fishing, sulphurs, traverse city fly fishing, trout fishing

Early May FIy Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 8, 2018

If feels like we skipped spring and went right to summer as temperatures approach 80 degrees. Nature is catching up with the season as the fields on the way to the river have turned from brown to green and foliage is starting to become omnipresent in the woods. So is the fishing.

Trout fishing is starting to shape up although the river levels are a little high and stained – perfect for the Hendrickson mayflies that are sporadically emerging on the upper sections of the Manistee and AuSable Rivers. A few BWOs are around on the cloudy days and it won’t be long before tan caddis should be dancing on the surface. Before the surface and bug activity takes place, now is the time to cast a streamer looking for those larger trout looking to eat big. With the stained water yellow, black, and olive streamer patterns are great first choices. With the water temps still in the mid-50s, slow the streamer presentation down and don’t hesitate to fish the inside bends.

Steelhead fishing is pretty much done. A few fresh fish moved in over the past week but they are getting in and getting out quick with the water temps being so warm. While a bit cold, overall it was an exceptional spring steelhead run as it was spread out with a good number of fish throughout without any surge of fish. And the fish for the most part were a little bigger this year making for some really nice fish photos. Already looking forward to the fall run of steelhead that begins in October.

As water temps continue to climb look for the shallow, dark bottom lakes to see a little bluegill/panfish action to start any day now – this is a great way to get tuned up with your casting while having access to some really nice gills that usually too deep. Pike anglers should find similar lakes providing an opportunity to fish shallows for post-spawn fish.

Good luck.

Ted

bluegill fishing, drakes, fall steelhead, hendrickson au sable, hendricksons, mayflies, pike, steelhead, streamer, tippy dam, trout fishing

Mid-May Fly Fishing Report – Northwest Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 12, 2016

Mid May fishing has anglers headed to their favorite trout stream and river with spring-like weather and good water conditions.

Hendricksons are still around but seem to be winding down; those armed with rusty spinners either late morning or in the evening might find themselves in a fun dry fly situation as the Hendricksons drop to the water to lay their eggs. Other bugs to have with you include: tan caddis, black quills, mahoganies and with the season being off – one never knows when sulphurs might just start coming off so have some of those with you, too. This is an ideal time to have Borchers Drakes or Emergers with you as they imitate a number of different mayflies commonly found on the Manistee, AuSable and Boardman Rivers this time of year.

Without any surface activity, try fishing a streamer on a sink-tip or even a floating line if wade fishing. If fishing from a boat, try some of the larger streamers to get something big to come out and play, otherwise, if wading try some mid-sized streamers like my Brook Trout and Lamprey Leech patterns. There is no shortage of effective and innovative streamer patterns on the market today so be sure to mix them up if you aren’t having success. Don’t discount big wet flies that can be twitched and stripped just because everyone is fishing streamers – sometimes being different is good.

Bluegill/Panfish are just starting to hit the shallow water on some of the warmer lakes and ponds. This can be a lot of fun whether you are experienced or a beginner. It’s always more fun having them come up to the surface, but you might find large nymphs and small streamers fished sub-surface could be the ticket to a slab-sized bluegill and a bent rod.

Good luck!

Ted

May Fishing – It’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and the Hex – got dates?
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

ausable, bluegill, boardman, borchers drakes, hendricksons, manistee, mayflies, streamer

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