Posts tagged "steelhead flies"

Mid March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 13, 2024

Significant rains after the last fishing report brought the Manistee and Betsie River levels up quite a bit and added some color which encouraged steelhead to migrate upstream. Since then, the water levels have fallen pretty much back to normal levels for this time of year. Clarity has improved, too, offering a little color and stain which is the opposite of what we were dealing with all winter.

With the water temperatures in the low 40s, some spawning activity has taken place. Look for fish in the pocket water and holes near spawning gravel and in the soft-seamed runs where fish moving upstream prefer to swim/migrate.

The bright, sunny days made fishing a little difficult so look for shaded runs when out in those conditions in the future.

The effective fly patterns have been varied – steelhead buggers are the leading nymph with stoneflies a second. Smaller eggs (#8 rags/nukes and 8 mm beads) in natural tones/colorations have been the best producers. This time of year we always run at least one egg pattern, if not two.

Good luck!

Ted

Spring Steelhead – A few dates remain available in March and April if you want to get out.
Trout Season – Mid-May into July offers some of the best match-the-hatch dry fly fishing of the year.
2024 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons thru September.

Mid April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 11, 2021

It’s approaching mid-April, but it feels more like the first of May with the recent weather. One could argue that it felt more like the end of May with the recent 70-degree days.

Steelhead fishing has been challenging as we had not received much precipitation and more anglers show up at the river for a reduced number of fish. Fish have been spawning on the Manistee and Betsie and a lot have completed the task leaving empty gravel beds. With the clear water a lot of fish slip off the gravel and wait low-light hours and take refuge in the darker pockets and runs nearby making them ideal locations to target. Drop-backs (fish that are done spawning) can typically be found in the medium flowing runs as they drop back to the lake.

We are finally getting some rain now and are forecast to get more in the next couple days which should help bring in some fresh fish to prolong the run. Suckers have been in the water well over a week and historically another run of steelhead takes place after the suckers.

The fry bite has been good as has small (Size 8 and 10), realistic looking egg patterns. With the suckers spawning, yellowish sucker spawn patterns might be worth fishing. Green caddis and Ice Buggers, too have been successful the past week.

I have not been on the trout waters but have heard a few Hendricksons and BWO’s have been coming off, but not heavily nor consistent. With the water temps still in the mid- 50’s fish tend to prefer eating subsurface until the upper 50’s. It’s a good time to go fish a streamer but have a dry fly rigged and ready should surface activity take place.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Fishing – May and June offer some of the best streamer and dry fly hatches of the year.
Learn to Fly Fish – Tailor a half-day trip to learning how to fly fish –
perfect for beginners or those looking to dial in a new technique.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates remain in November and into December

egg patterns, guide service, spawning steelhead, steelhead fishing, steelhead fishing report michigan, steelhead flies, sucker spawn, tippy dam

April Steelhead Fishing Report – Manistee and Betsie Rivers

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 8, 2017

Despite rain and some fluctuations in the water and weather, the steelhead fishing was a little slower than the previous weeks on the Manistee and Betsie rivers. While we are still catching fish, we are working harder and finding fewer – especially on those sunny days that tend to be more crowded.

The steelhead that either held-over since fall or trickled into the river through winter had provided a nice surplus of fish to play with but once the water stayed in the 40s, they hit the gravel and returned back to the lake. Except for those fish that ended up on a stringer. Keep in mind and spread the word – these fish can return multiple years if we let them; harvesting fish simply reduces the quality of our steelhead fishery in respect to both the size of fish and the number of them.

Water levels are up a bit, but not out of character for this time of year. With water temps in the 40s we are seeing more stoneflies on the warmer days and the natural sized egg patterns in realistic colors have increased in effectiveness. Other egg patterns that have been working include: clown eggs, rag eggs in Sockeye/Dark Roe and Golden Nugget Bling/Burnt Orange. Nymphs: Green Caddis, R2D2 Stones, Small Black Stones and fry patterns.

With water temps rising, it’s time to start thinking about trout as an alternative to steelhead fishing. The next two months can be some of the best streamer fishing for brown trout on local rivers.

The MI-DNR has released their trout “management” plan and are seeking comments – if interested, you can read by clicking here.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – Trout, late steelhead, hatches, streamer fishing, bluegill on lakes – don’t overlook fishing in May.
Trout – The hatches of late May lead into June making for some of the year’s best dry fly fishing – don’t miss out.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

betsie river, black stone fly pattern, black stoneflies, fonzi fry, fry patterns, green caddis for steelhead, MI_DNR, steelhead, steelhead fishing, steelhead flies, tippy dam

It’s November – Fall Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 1, 2013

The fall steelhead fishing on the Manistee has been inconsistent lately – doing well for a few days in a row and then experiencing a slow one. When its on, its on! Lots of weather systems have been through northern Michigan over the past week and even some snow fell between the rain showers which may have had something to do with the fish’s attitude. The recent rains brought the water up and should continue to bring fresh fish from the lake – there are fish from the dam to the lake. The report on the Betsie River is that there are some steelhead scattered throughout the river and a few scraggly salmon on gravel making the dark water behind them a great place to start fishing for the chrome ones. After the significant rainfall at the end of last week, most of the Betsie is running dark – be careful wading.

When fishing below Tippy dam, natural eggs and small, natural nymphs like pheasant tails and baetis are working on the pressured steelhead and brown trout. In the lower sections bigger, brighter egg patterns fished in tandem with larger nymphs and small streamers have been the ticket lately – it seems that the “bugger bite” has improved significantly since the last report. Each day is different and this is only a reference as to what has been working for us. To read the Top Five Steelhead Flies article, click here.

With the water temps hovering around 50 degrees and fresh fish around, this is a great time to swing a big fly for steelhead. Olives and tan/brown patterns with lots of gold and copper flash would be a great place to start and always have a black pattern on deck and ready to go.

Good luck,

Ted

Steelhead -A few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

Betsie, fall steelhead fishing, guide, manistee steelhead fishing, Northern Michigan, steelhead flies, tippy dam

Top 5 Steelhead Flies for Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 17, 2013

Steelhead anglers in Michigan and the Great Lakes have a lot of choices when looking to stock their fly boxes. There’s no shortage of effective flies, but choosing a select few can almost be confusing or even intimidating. This list of top 5 steelhead flies includes patterns that have produced for me and my clients over the years – both in spring and fall.

Those who have fished with me know that my fly boxes include more patterns than these. The purpose of this list is to help you identify and start to build a collection that will fish well and become the favorite, producing staples in your fly box.

Hex Nymph

Bear’s Hex Nymph

Hexagenia mayfly nymphs or “wigglers” are significant, since many of our rivers with steelhead also have this silt burrowing mayfly. One of the largest mayflies, the hex, looks buggy. Many of the patterns used to represent them also share looks similar to other important food sources, like sand sculpins and sucker minnows. No steelhead box should be without some.

Commercially Tied Patterns: Bears Hex Nymph, Schultzy’s Rabbit Hexum, Ted’s Edible Hex, Fox’s Shuck Hex Nymph

Sizes: #6 – 10

Caddis

Boogie Woogie Caddis

Lift just about any rock or log in the river, and you will find caddis cases clinging to the cover. This grub looking pupa ranges in size and color, but it seems that green and chartreuse are the most effective for Michigan steelhead. Most patterns are tied larger and brighter than real life and “suggest” caddis, but serve more as an attractor – especially when fishing stained water. Small, natural looking patterns in green, olive and cream are worthy of a place in your box when fishing low, clear water often associated with winter steelheading.

Commercially Tied Patterns: Disco Caddis, Boogie Woogie Caddis, PM Caddis, Flashy Brassie Grub

Sizes: #6 – 12

Click here to learn how to tie Caddis patterns.

Steelhead Bugger

The “Crescent wrench” of all fly boxes for most species is the wooly bugger — because it works. Tied with a touch of flash and with the natural, buggy appearance of peacock, the steelhead bugger (a.k.a. “The Steelie Bugger”) is a slight variation from the standard wooly bugger. Both patterns suggest a leech, a stone fly and who knows what else – it’s the Steelhead Bugger that seems to be even better. Make sure you have some in your fly box.

Commercially Tied Pattern: Umpqua’s Steelhead Bugger

Sizes: #6

Click here to learn how to tie a variation of this pattern.

Egg Pattern

Nuke Egg

Tandem fly rigs are the norm when targeting steelhead. More often than not, one of the flies is an egg pattern. Serving as a realistic egg imitation or when large and bright – an attractor, no veteran steelhead fly angler will deny the effectiveness of an egg pattern. To learn more about fishing eggs for steelhead, read, Egg Patterns.

Commercially Tied Patterns:
Glo Bugs (Oregon Cheese, Golden, Chartreuse)
Crystal Eggs (Peach, Chartreuse)
Nuke Egg (Oregon Cheese over Steelhead Orange, Chartreuse over Flame, Egg over Steelhead Orange.
Rag Eggs (Clown, Apricot/Dark Roe , Egg/Salmon, Oregon Cheese/Burnt Orange)

Sizes: #6-10

Stonefly

Trout Retriever

The first insect of the year to hatch in significant numbers is the small black stonefly. Tie one on when you see them crawling on snow banks or fluttering on the surface when the sun is out and water temps increase slightly, tie one on. Our waters have a variety of stoneflies ranging from the small stones mentioned above to some in excess of two-inches long. My favorites are black and cover the size range. As water temps cool in the fall and leaves start to decompose underwater, stoneflies get active making them a good choice at all times of the year. Oh, and when the bite is tough, sometimes the small stone pattern is enough to trick the fish into eating a small snack even if they aren’t actively hatching.

Commercially Tied Patterns: Mercer’s Biot Epoxy Stone – Dark, Trout Retriever, Ted’s Early Black Stone, 20 Incher

Sizes #6-12

Honorable Mention: Leech

Miles Davis

Often the spring run can coincide with winter’s thaw and/or spring showers leading to high, dirty water conditions where your small realistic nymphs can go unnoticed. Tied with rabbit strips or marabou, the black leech’s large profile, undulating motion and sometimes combined with some sparkle or flash can come up big, deserving a place in your fly collection. High and dirty water in the fall isn’t much of a concern to fall steelhead anglers here in Michigan, but those looking to swing flies on sink-tips should keep a leech handy.

Commercially Tied Patterns: String Leech, Silvey’s Tail Light, Miles Davis, Larimer’s Reverse Marabou

Sizes: Go big

Top 5 Steelhead Flies - Spring Steelhead Leech Pattern

Leech Eating Spring Steelhead

bears hex nymph, disco caddis, egg patterns, great lakes steelhead, leech, michigan steelhead, nuke egg, steelhead bugger, steelhead flies, steelie bugger, stonefly nymph