With Labor Day behind us, it still feels like summer with the warm temperatures. While the days are shorter, trout fishing on the upper Manistee and Boardman during the lower light hours of the day seem to be best and when it is overcast -fishing is pretty consistent throughout the day.

The terrestrial bite has been decent all year and it remains that way. Flying ants have been around recently and since they are like crack cocaine to trout – have some in your fly box. Be sure to have some grasshoppers and general terrestrial attractors like Chernobyl Ants, Tar Babies, Fuzzy Wuzzys and Neversinks – the “foam and rubber” season remains. Have some smaller streamers to fish on floating lines for some subsurface action and once things start to noticeably cool down, have the streamer rod ready. The brook trout are getting brilliant with color as they are in their pre-spawn stage and a little feisty. Browns will get that way later in September as they prepare to spawn in October.

Salmon have entered local rivers with promising numbers of fish considering conditions haven’t been ideal the past three weeks. The Betsie has some fish in it as does the lower Manistee below Tippy Dam but we are still in summer like conditions and the number of fish around reflects that.  The treatment of the Manistee last week with lampricide has seemed to work its way through the system and the fish bite has returned after a few days of being in a stupor. With more rain in the forecast and cooler weather ahead, look for conditions and fish numbers to increase steadily along the northwest coast and tributaries.

Bass and bluegill fishing remains pretty good on local lakes and ponds with the water temperatures dropping a little. Bigger fish are moving back in to the shallows and are eating the fly pretty good. Interested in learning how to fly fish? This is still a great way to learn the fundamentals and bend the rod.

Good luck,

Ted

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Late Summer Trout – Have the river to yourself fishing wets, dries, terrestrials and streamers.
Salmon – A few dates remain for Salmon fishing on the Betsie River throughout September.
Fall Steelhead – Starting in October, extending into December. Fall Color Tour includes Chrome!