Posts tagged "river"

Salmon

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 10, 2023

King / Chinook Salmon

Salmon start running upstream on our rivers as early as mid-August on the Betsie River and the season extends into October on the Big Manistee River.

Spending their “growing years” in the big water of Lake Michigan, the King (Chinook) and Coho (Silver) enter our rivers to spawn. After staging in holes and pools waiting for conditions to be ideal the fish move to gravel sections to spawn. In both pools and around gravel, salmon are often visible while fishing, which helps fuel an angler’s excitement.

Averaging 12 -16+ pounds (depending on the year), these fish do climb well into the 20-pound range making for more than a handful of fish. Landing these fish on fly rods is fun and often challenging at the same time in the smaller confines of a river. Angler’s love it so book early.

Methods

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Nymph fishing with either floating lines or the most effective “duck and chuck” method gets our flies to the river bottom, where the fish are typically holding.

Also known as drift fishing, this is an easy-to-learn technique for beginners; experienced anglers just get better and more efficient with this method.

When fresh fish move into the river, these salmon can be caught throwing big streamers with sink-tip lines on 9- and-10 weight fly rods. Much like trophy streamer fishing for trout, this can be exciting as you never know when a fish is going to materialize and try to pull the rod out of your hand on the take.

To realize success, anglers interested in fishing with this method must be able to cast a fly rod proficiently prior to booking a guide trip.

Spawning Salmon

Betsie River Coho Salmon Fly Fishing Northern Michigan

Coho / Silver Salmon

Rivers

Most of the rivers in the Traverse City and northern Michigan regions that flow into Lake Michigan have a “run” of salmon. Typically starting as early as mid-August, fish begin to school up at the river mouths and/or pier heads and swim upstream when ideal conditions occur, usually after a decent amount of rainfall. Join us on a guided fishing trip on the Betsie, Manistee or Platte Rivers.

To learn more about the rivers we fish salmon, click on the links below.

• Manistee River below Tippy Dam • • Betsie River •

–To preserve our fisheries all trips are catch and release —

: Coho Salmon on the Manistee

: Fly Fishing The Betsie

: Bright and Fresh Salmon

Betsie river salmon fishing, betsy, current works, drift boat, duck and chuck, fishing, fly-fishing guide, manistee fly-fishing guide, manistee river below tippy dam, platte, river, salmon, september, streamer, ted kraimer, tipy

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

Fly Hatches and Trout Fishing Improving

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 23, 2015

A week with little rain fall has left the local rivers in good shape. Clarity is ideal with a little stain, while temps are in the mid-60s and water levels are not too high and not too low. Hatch activity has been varied and inconsistent but has improved since my last report with more fish looking up. Look for Isonychias to be your best bet for the big bugs in the evening and up to dark. You will want some brown drakes and hex patterns also because you never know when the bigger bugs will be out in numbers right at dark. Some sections of most rivers – Au Sable, Manistee, Boardman has had limited hex activity but we are on the early side of things. Other flies you can expect to find on the water include Bat Flies, the last of the Sulphurs, Gray Drakes, Little Yellow Sally Stones, Lt. Cahills and Mahoganies. To read more about hatches preceding the Hex Hatch, click here.

Carp fishing on the bay has been inconsistent as well with all of the weather changes. Like the hex emergence for trout, good carp fishing really relies on a few days of warm sunshine to warm up the water up. The cold water of the bay moving in and out with varying wind directions has made it challenging for those targeting both carp and smallmouth bass. Smaller crayfish patterns are working for both species as are minnow patterns for those specifically fishing for bass.

Fishing on the lakes and ponds for bass remains solid as the fish are in post-spawn mode and have the feed bag on. Streamers fished on intermediate lines have been most productive for the larger bass when the top water and divers aren’t working. It also might find you a pike along the way which tend to bite the fly off but leave you with a good story. Bluegill continue to bend the rod but mostly the smaller ones which still make for a great learning experience for beginners or someone looking to spend a few hours on the water with a fly rod in their hand.

Good luck.

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.

ausable, carp, fishing guide, fishing report, hex, hex hatch, isonychia, manistee, river, smallmouth bass, traverse city, trout

Full On Fall

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 9, 2014

With the trees in full color and our first frost behind us, there is no denying that fall is here. What isn’t here are the usual number of fish – both salmon and steelhead in the local rivers.

With a good wind on the Lake yesterday more fish should congregate near the river mouths and start heading upstream with the solid river flows. Water levels have come down close to normal again after last week’s deluge however there is still a slight stain to the water which is a good thing.

The Manistee has the highest concentration of salmon, steelhead, and anglers right below Tippy Dam. Fish are sparsely scattered in the lower river but with enough casts in enough water you should find some fish. A few fresh salmon have shown up in the past week and the steelhead continue to trickle in. Once hooked, you will know it as these fish continue to impress as they demonstrate their jumping qualities and sometimes the color of your backing. Egg flies in #4 and #6 have been working but as the water continues to clear up the smaller #8 and #10’s should start working better – at least near and around the spawning salmon. This is the time to fish a lot of eggs as you “Match the Hatch“.

The Betsie still has salmon in it and an errant steelhead or two. Like the Manistee, the water below the dam (Homestead) is popular with fish and fisherman. Cover water and fish the slots and runs near spawning fish for fresh fish and a possible steelhead.

With archery deer season going and the full moon deer activity to and from the river has increased so be careful when driving.

Good luck,

Ted

Open dates through Mid-November: November 11 and 13

Trout – With fall here have the Upper Manistee River and its trout all to yourself.
Fall Steelhead– From now through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.
2015 Fishing – It isn’t too early to get your dates booked for next year – now booking for all seasons.

bettsie, egg patterns, fly fishing report, manistee, river, steelhead, tippy

Summer is Here and so are the Hex

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 27, 2013

It took a while but some big hex flies can be found on local rivers. The hatches have been sporadic and very isolated – each bend in the river is different so if you don’t have success in one place, go around the next bend and see if there are bugs and fish. Then again, it is the time of the year where the “Annual Angler” makes his pilgrimage to the river so you might not have the ability to cover water. Duns and Spinners have been the mix and most nights the duration – at least on the Manistee, has been relatively short. Fish fast.

While waiting for the hex bugs, the Isonychia fishing has been pretty solid sometimes providing the best shot at fish as there is still some light out and good fish eating them. Fishing a hex emerger is a good way to spend an afternoon as is swinging an oversized hex nymph near the muddy banks to kill some time before the hatch. In addition to hex and Isos, have some Brown Drakes, Little Yellow Sallies, Sulphurs and Bat Fly patterns in your fly box.

Please practice catch and release and with the water being so warm (70 degrees) – get the fish to net quickly and revive them a long time before letting go. The Upper Manistee, Boardman and parts of the AuSable are not stocked with trout so the fish’s survival is paramount to future fishing.

Carp fishing on Grand Traverse Bay continues with a lot of fish in post-spawn mode and in shallow eating the hex and drakes in the silt beds. Spawning fish are still around, but each day is different which makes this fishing so fascination and frustrating at the same time. The heat and sunshine of the week has really warmed things up and is pushing this season closer to the end. The smallmouth bass can be found from time to time in the shallows but they have mostly moved out into deeper water. Fish that are still around have gotten pretty wise to the fly angler but a well presented fly (crayfish and hex) for cruising fish and around rocks should find you a fish or two.

The lakes are still fishing good for bluegill and largemouth bass are becoming more active especially on sliders and poppers – a fun way to spend some time on the water. Work the lilly pads, weed beds and drop offs for your best chances.

Good luck,

Ted

The Summer Newsletter just went out – Click here to read and/or sign up for future delivery

Trout Fishing – Evening hatches should transition to morning trico s and terrestrial fishing as July sets in.
Bluegill & Bass – Lake fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Fall Steelhead – Its not too early to start thinking about fall’s best fishing fish. Late Sept. – Nov.

bass, boardman, grand traverse bay carp fishing, hex, hex hatch, iso, isonychia, manistee, river

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