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Posts tagged "salmon"

October is Here and so is Fall Weather

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 2, 2019

A few trees are starting to change colors as we head to the river but they remain pretty green along the river bank. Water temps are just starting to drop below the 60 degree mark after some cooler temps and more of the same in the forecast. Another batch of rain has sent another batch of salmon upstream on the local rivers including the Platte, Betsie and Manistee. Fish continue to run big this year so bring you’re A-game and eat your spinach the night before. With a little color to the fish, lately we are finding them a little easier to move to the net, but not easy. With yesterday’s rain, look for the river to be a little higher after just dropping and also a little stained. Eggs and Caddis have been the best producers.

Trout fishing continues as we approach that time of year when the Brook Trout begin their spawning. Browns are still in a pre-spawn mode on the upper Manistee and will chase a streamer. With all the vegetation, leaves and pine needles floating downstream and decreasing water temperatures, look for the dry fly bite to basically non-exist unless a BWO hatch presents itself. Smaller streamers on smaller sink-tip lines are a great approach this time of year.

Just a reminder that trout fishing is now closed on a lot of trout streams but much of the Manistee and Au Sable are open all year round.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Good November and December dates remain open for these prized sport-fish.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through September of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

betsie river, brown trout, manistee river, platte river fishing, salmon, steelhead, streamer fishing, traverse city fly fishing, trout fishing

Late September Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 23, 2019

With Fall officially starting today it sure feels like we were in the middle of summer just last week with the 80-degree days. With a little color in some trees, it appears that fall is imminent.

The warm weather paused the migration of salmon on the local rivers, but the significant rains over the weekend and winds on Lake Michigan should restart the migration of King and Coho salmon as they feel comfortable moving up that increased river flow. Wading anglers will find the rivers higher and smaller rivers like the Betsie also dirty as some areas received over 4 inches of rain.

The warmer temperatures sure extended out terrestrial fishing on the trout rivers like the upper Manistee. Water temps are still around 60 degrees and the fish still looking up. Some BWOs and great olives are worth having in your box should a hatch occur, but tie on the bigger foam and rubber attractor and terrestrial patterns for what could be your last fix of dry fly fishing. The water had been too clear but with the rain there is some color to it. This is also the time that streamer fishing can be ideal for those looking to cover some water looking for the pre-spawn browns that have started to come out from cover after a long season of getting fished to.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Good November and December dates remain open for these prized sport-fish.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through September of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

betsie river, big manistee river, coho salmon, dry fly fishing, king salmon, lake michigan, salmon, trout fishing, upper manistee trout fishing

September Salmon and Trout Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 9, 2019

With September well underway, anglers are finding salmon in a number of the local rivers. These fish are migratory and with the inconsistent weather (think shifting winds) the run has been truncated and some days are better than others as these fish work their way upstream.

The Betsie has been really busy as this natural reproducing fishery gets started before most others – thankfully a recent increase in DNR patrolling is just starting to have its effect and keeping some “anglers” away. Or maybe fishing in the dark hours. They are fish, not status symbols, folks, and yes they are big, but respect the resource and try to show a hint of sportsmanship including courtesy when on the water. And pick up your trash.

With salmon drawing a lot of attention, the trout rivers have pretty much been abandoned. September is a nice time to be on the water as summer and terrestrial fishing winds down. Brook trout are starting to show the most vibrant colors as they approach spawning. Fishing wets and small streamers for the bigger brown trout are regaining their effectiveness as the fishing pressure has been light for a few weeks. Always have some small brown flying ants this time of year as when they show up on the water, fish go nuts for them. Also have some BWO’s as you never know when you might have some match the hatch fishing.

Good luck.

Ted

Salmon/September – No salmon or trout dates are available this September, sorry.
Fall Steelhead – Good November and December dates remain open for these prized sport-fish.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through September of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

Betsie, fishing guide, manistee river fishing, salmon, streamer fishing trout, trout fishing traverse city

Mid-August Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 20, 2019

Not a whole lot has changed since the last fishing report.

A long period of virtually no rain has the rivers running low and clear which tends to be the case for this time of year. Cool nights have kept the water temps on the upper Manistee and Boardman rivers in the low 60’s making them ideal for the brown and brook trout that reside in them.

Some mid-morning trico hatches have been providing decent surface activity making it suitable for the 4 wt. rod. It seems that the bug density is starting to wane but it’s hard to say as the season and its hatches are still a bit fragmented (I saw a hex last week, mid-morning). A few caddis are starting to show up but it is pretty much full-on terrestrial season on the local rivers – grass hoppers, ants, beetles and foam bodied/rubber legged patterns – that have been teasing the fish. Attractors and Isonychia patterns are worth tying on as well when not fishing sub-surface with some twitch flies.

The bass and bluegill fishing remains decent for those looking to either learn the sport or experienced anglers bringing a largemouth to the surface to crush a popper or slider. With the warmer weather, weed growth has continued and makes it a great place to target both species. Lakes with drop offs have been out fishing the shallow waters because of water temps. With the big moon in the sky right now, look for some of those overachieving gills in the shallows spawning one last time but also eager to eat your fly.

Good luck.

Ted

Salmon/September – No salmon or trout dates are available this September, sorry.
Trout– Terrestrial & Trico fishing for Brooks and Browns through August and into September.
Fall Steelhead – October through December – a fall favorite for many. A few dates remain open.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through August of 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

boardman river, fly fishing, glen arbor, guided fly fishing traverse city, homestead, learn how to fly fish, manistee river, salmon, terrestrial fishing in michigan, tricos, trout fishing traverse city

Early November Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 31, 2018

As we flip the calendar to November it is full-on steelhead season.  Almost all of the salmon are gone in rivers like the Manistee, Betsie and Platte but there are a few remaining chinook and coho salmon around providing an egg drop to help keep the steelhead focused on eggs.  Northwest Michigan hasn’t received significant rainfall in weeks leaving the rivers with fewer fish than we are used to for this time of year and the water low and extremely clear. Thankfully the sun hasn’t been out much giving us a chance at these hot fish.

With the clear water, water temps in the upper 40’s and well-informed anglers, the fish have scattered throughout the systems and where they are holding. Runs and holes directly below any last spawning salmon are a great places to focus on, but when those don’t produce, it might be time to look for fish hunkered in structure but still in position to collect the drifting eggs.  Bottom bouncing rigs, fishing indicators and fishing flies on the swing are all ideal right now. Natural sized eggs and beads continue to take their fair share of fish but a nymph bite is starting to build. The leaves are at a minimum, the days are getting shorter, the sun is at a lower angle – it’s all about the deep-bodied steelhead of 2018.

Trout fishing on the upper Manistee is pretty much a streamer game as the brown trout are mostly in a post spawn pattern.  As the salmon continue to drop off below Tippy Dam, look for the trout to not only look for eggs, but start to chase streamers as they have an appetite after gorging on a steady diet of eggs the past 5 weeks.

Good luck

Ted

Fall Steelhead –  Fall colors include chrome Steelhead until Winter gets here.
Fall Trout  Combo –  Target both steelhead and trout (streamers) on the lower Manistee
2019 Fishing – It isn’t too early to get next year’s fishing dates secured – booking through October

Betsie, egg patterns, eggs, fall steelhead, manistee river, Platte River, salmon, steelhead, streamer, tippy dam
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