Late March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 20, 2024

With the official start of Spring this week, it seems that Winter is making up for some delinquency bringing us some cooler temps, wind and snow.

Steelhead fishing continues on the Manistee River below Tippy Dam and Betsie River with water conditions near ideal. It’s been a bit since we have had rain and the recent snowfall wasn’t enough to really affect levels. The mild winter brought water temperatures up to over 40 which has encouraged some early spawning in the rivers. There are still a lot of fish to come up stream over the next few weeks and these migratory fish are weather and condition dependent.

Fish are near gravel sections and others are slipping up the watersheds from the lake, preferring those soft seams to travel. The steelhead not quite ready to spawn – or those that are, on bright, sunny days – can be found in the pocket water and holes near spawning gravel.

Eggs and beads are often fished in tandem with a nymph. With the clearer water, smaller eggs have been working better and in natural shades to imitate the natural eggs in the water. Other days they take big, bright egg patterns that look like nothing in nature – that’s just the nature of steelhead fishing. Effective nymphs have been caddis, small stones, steelhead buggers and the alevin and fry bite are just starting to turn on.

Good luck.

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Just a few dates remain available in April – get your Spring fishing started right!
Trout Season – Mid-May into July offers some of the best match-the-hatch dry fly fishing of the season.
2024 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.

caddis, egg patterns, fly fishing steelhead, fry patterns, mansitee river, spring steelhead fishing michigan, steelhead, steelhead buggers, tippy dam, trout fishing

Early Winter Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 28, 2018

With November coming to an end, it is apparent that fall itself ended a few weeks ago. Winter temps and some snow have been the norm with air temps below freezing as water temperatures hover around 40 degrees on the local rivers.

There are steelhead in all the rivers, but they are spread throughout the watersheds and acting more like winter fish with their tendencies to sit in the deeper, slower holes and tail outs. There are still some fresh fish moving through as other fish transition to the cold water so don’t abandon the runs and seams that typically hold fish in the fall.

Egg patterns are still a favorite of steelhead as salmon eggs continue to trickle down the river. Small egg patterns and beads in pale colors like cream, egg, grapefruit, Oregon cheese, and buff do a good job of imitating the natural stage eggs are in after being deposited in the river over a month or so ago.

Fish eggs in tandem with some natural looking nymphs – hex, caddis and steelhead buggers are always the first nymphs to get tied on in fall, winter and spring. The swing bite continues to be tougher than we’d like as that window to get fish to chase a swung fly is getting narrower with dropping water temperatures.

Trout fishing also has slowed mostly because of dropping water temperatures. Those fishing streamers below Tippy Dam are finding natural bait fish patterns are doing a good job of imitating recently stocked/planted fish…. Dirty Hippies, Skam-Man, T&A Bunkers and bobble heads; Big trout eat smaller trout. It’s a good time of year to switch that long and heavy sink – tip for a shorter one so you can slow your presentation down without hanging up on the bottom. Nymphing under indicators close to the dam in distinct bubble lines can extend your trout season if streamer fishing isn’t your thing.

Good luck.

Ted

Early Winter Steelhead – There are decent numbers of steelhead in the Manistee and Betsie.
Fall Trout Combo – Target both steelhead and trout (with streamers) on the lower Manistee.
Gift Certificates – With the Holidays approaching fast – give or ask for some time on the water.

Betsie, caddis, egg patterns, gift certificates for fly fishing, steelhead buggers, streamer fishing, tippy dam, trout fishing, winter steelhead

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

April At Last – Spring?

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 1, 2014

Our long winter is mostly gone but is keeping a foot in the door as the forecast calls for some cooler than normal temperatures for this time of year. Days when it gets into the 40s and the sun makes its way out lets us know that it is Spring Steelhead time.

Water levels are on the rise on local rivers and starting to get color to them but things are still fishable. This can change quickly after a significant rain and the smaller rivers like the Betsie are effected more. Our near-record setting snowfall has left a lot of snow in the woods and I suspect it will be a while before it is all gone and as it continues to melt expect river levels to increase. As more water comes in and water temps warm up, look for some fresh fish to move in from the lakes. Click here to monitor the Manistee River’s flow and temperature below Tippy Dam through the USGS website.

Majority of the fish in the Manistee migrated in the fall and stayed the winter. With water temps in the upper 30’s they are in a classic pre-spawn mood and are found in deeper staging water near the gravel sections and in the slower holes. Fishing isn’t what it usually is for this time of year but each day is different and after the winter, most people are just happy to be out fishing regardless of how hard one has to work for them.

I have seen some stoneflies flutter on the water making them an ideal fly pattern to tie on as are the other spring classics – green caddis, steelhead buggers, and fry patterns fished in tandem with egg patterns. Chuck and Duck/bottom bouncing and float fishing good ways to cover the water and look for fish to move to secondary lies as angler pressure increases, water levels rise and new fish migrate.

Just a reminder – new fishing licenses are required starting April 1st.

Good luck,

Ted

Available Spring Steelhead Dates: April 16, May 1-3

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Steelhead -With fish in local rivers Spring Steelhead fishing is just starting up as both air and water temps increase.
Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

green caddis, manistee, manistee river below tippy dam, steelhead, steelhead buggers, stoneflies

Posts tagged "steelhead buggers"

Late March Fishing Report

Early Winter Fly Fishing Report

Mid-October Fly Fishing Report

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

April At Last – Spring?

Available Spring Steelhead Dates: April 16, May 1-3

The Spring 2014 Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156