Posts tagged "salmon"

Mid-October Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 20, 2018

It definitely feels like Fall on and off the river. The recent winds have really put a lot of leaves into the river leaving a number of trees bare and anglers putting on an extra layer.

Cooler temperatures have dropped the water temps significantly the past week as they hover around 50 degrees. Between the lack of significant rainfall, drop in water temps and all of the leaves drifting through the river, the steelhead fishing has been more challenging than it had been, but yet there are fish around and still playing the game and every day is different.

The salmon are pretty much wrapping up their spawning run on the local rivers including the Manistee, Betsie, and Platte and those eggs are what the chrome steelhead are keying in on. Natural egg patterns and/or beads have been working well, however when the leaf-drop is heavy, jumping up in pattern size can help the fish see your fly. Target the holes behind remaining spawning salmon and the end of runs bellow gravel sections. Since there are fewer salmon (Chinook and Coho) right now and therefore fewer eggs, a nymph bite is beginning – caddis and steelhead buggers have been starting to produce. With less of an egg bite look for the swing-bite to start soon as the leaves are no longer fouling the presentation/flies.

Good luck.

Ted

Schedule changes have left a few dates available this fall: November 21, 23-27

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 river, big manistee, caddis, egg patterns, manistee river, salmon, steelhead buggers, tippy dam

Early October Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 7, 2018

With a week of October behind us it’s looking and feeling like fall.

Trees have started to turn color and so have the salmon. There are still a number of salmon in the local rivers – Betsie, Manistee, Platte, but its safe to say we are past the stage of bright, fresh fish. Most of the fish are either on gravel or near it doing their spawning ritual. Fresh fish will continue to trickle into watersheds as fall advances but I’m thinking we are past the peak of the run.

As the salmon migrate upstream to spawn, so do some early fall steelhead looking to eat as many of their eggs as possible. Realistic egg patterns and beads are fished effectively directly below spawning fish or in the runs downstream. With the moderate water temperatures, the steelhead have been difficult to land as they are zig-zagging up and downstream when they aren’t jumping. There is no mistaking when a steelhead is on vs. a salmon.

More on tying and fishing egg patterns can be read here.

More on rigging for steelhead/salmon here.

Trout fishing continues to offer alternatives for anglers wanting the upper rivers to themselves. Small streamers are taking some nice fish pre-spawn browns when fished on floating lines and small sink-tips. With the warm up in the forecast this week, I think another round of terrestrials and terrestrial fishing might present itself so make sure you have a box of both small and large terrestrials for what could be the last of our dry fly fishing of the year.

Good luck.

Ted

Fall Steelhead – Fall colors include chrome Steelhead from Early October into December
Fall Trout – Fish the upper Manistee or combine steelhead and trout on the lower Manistee
2019 Fishing – It isn’t too early to get next year’s fishing dates secured – booking through September

beads, Betsie, egg patterns, manistee river, Platte River, salmon, steelhead fishing, trout fishing streamers

September Salmon and Trout Fly Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 1, 2018

With September here, so are the salmon. Heavy rains and favorable winds the past week has kicked off the migration of salmon in rivers. While there are fish around, anglers will find other anglers as well as higher water and some new logs, branches and trees in your favorite bend. Water clarity is decent on the bigger rivers but smaller rivers like the Betsie it is limited. With more rain in the forecast fish should continue to move throughout river systems. Its a good time to use big egg patterns and darker nymphs and leeches as moving fish ascend the river focusing on tail outs and other migratory seams.

Trout fishing on the upper Manistee has been fishing a little better than normal for this time of year. Water temps are ideal and a little bump in the river flow combined with the overcast weather has made for some better fishing both on the surface and below. Small to mid-sized streamers and twitch flies are working and the big terrestrial/attractor patterns are bringing some fish to the surface. On the other side of Labor Day you can pretty much have most trout rivers to yourselves as school starts up and anglers chase migratory fish.

Bass fishing continues to be fun on the local lakes when casting poppers and divers. The smaller bluegill/panfish continue to come to the surface for those learning how to fly fish. As temps decrease through the month look for low-light hours to offer good bass fishing, bigger bluegill and the toothy species to move into the shallows again.

Good luck.

Ted

Betsie, coho, fly fishing, manistee river, Platte River, salmon, salmon fishing, steelhead, Streamer fishing for trout, trout fishing

Late September Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 20, 2017

While it’s late September it feels like the dog days of summer. The cool weather we had for a while earlier this month had us thinking that it was going to be an early fall with all the fish that showed up in local rivers. But the past 10 days of bright sun, no rain the unseasonable temps have us reaching for more sun block than we do the landing net.

Salmon fishing has been tougher than it was earlier in the run. Most of the fish that were in the Betsie have progressed further upstream and have hit the gravel to do their spawning ritual. A few fresh fish are still trickling throughout but are not holding so much in the holes as their biological clock is ticking. The Platte River is still getting a near record return of Coho salmon and the anglers have taken note. The Big Manistee has salmon spread throughout it with what seems like more Coho than Chinook salmon. The water is clear and running warm but it doesn’t have as much weed /vegetation growth offering a few more runs and holes to fish this time of year. Streamer fishing for the Cohos can be a blast – they like to eat both a swung and/or stripped fly.

The trout fishing continues to be decent for those looking for solitude on the upper Manistee. The water is running clear but with the sun set a little lower in the sky and a lack of pressure, there are some fish still coming out in the sunlight to eat both dries and smaller streamers. The brook trout are spectacular as the leaves on the bank side trees start to turn. The Boardman too has offered some decent fishing for those presenting terrestrials. Just a reminder – many trout rivers close on Sept. 30 so get your time in on them before we give them a rest. (Note: Most of the Upper Manistee remains open all year.)

Good luck

Ted

Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Early October offers a chance at both species on the Manistee.
Fall Steelhead – October, November and into December, these fish will bend your rod like no other – experience it.
Trout/Steelhead – The lower Manistee offers some great streamer fishing for trout in late Fall as another option.

Betsie, betsie river, brook trout, coho, flies, platte river coho, salmon, steelhead, streamer, terrestrial fishing, tippy dam, upper manistee trout fishing

End of August Fly Fishing Report – Current Works Guide Service

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 30, 2017

As August comes to an end, September has most of us thinking about salmon and fall.

With the cooler temps the past few weeks, ideal winds and some rain, fish are starting to show up in the west coast rivers including the Betsie, Manistee, Bear Creek and Pere Marquette and should continue throughout the month. Many of these fish are staging and holding in deeper, slow holes in the lower sections of the rivers . Presentations can be difficult for fish that sit just on insides of seams and sometimes simply aren’t thinking about eating but perseverance and pattern changes can make the difference some days. Eggs and nymphs are the standard when it comes to nymphing, but those looking to put in time can sometimes get a grab on a streamer – it’s not a quantity thing, but a quality thing.

Not into the crowds, big fish and heavy rods? Trout rivers become vacant this time of year with school starting up, weekend football games taking place and vacations winding down. The terrestrial fishing can be good as the unpressured fish slip out from hiding. And as cooler temps continue with some overcast days, look for the streamer fishing to start up again. The water temps on the Manistee and Boardman are cool and the brook trout have take notice – they are about as vibrant as I have ever seen. Terrestrials, foam and rubber legged patterns and attractors are a great place to start on the surface with small streamers fished on a floating line working below the surface.

Bass fishing remains decent on local lakes with the top water fishing being a lot of fun with all of the weed growth found this time of year. The bluegill fishing has tapered off a little but are still around to put a bend in the rod for those looking for simple fishing or introducing someone to the sport.

Have a safe holiday weekend and good luck.

Ted

Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Late Sept. through early October offers a chance at both species on the Manistee.
Fall Steelhead – October, November and into December, these fish will bend your rod like no other – experience it.
Trout/Steelhead – The lower Manistee offers some great streamer fishing for trout in late Fall as another option.

betise, fishing michigan rivers, guides, nymphing, salmon, salmon fishing, steelhead fishing, streamers, trout fishing michigan

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