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Posts tagged "steelhead season"

Late April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 23, 2023

As we approach the end of April, it appears that spring steelhead season is also winding down.

It has been a strange spring with back-and-forth weather, following a relatively mild winter. It appeared that a lot of fish spawned much earlier this year than normal which is good as they were able to get the job done to make up for a year of fish not stocked (2021). We are still kind of waiting for another push of fish, but that might be wishful thinking.

The rivers are still in good shape with a little stain to them. Sunny days are making it hard, but there are spawning fish, drop-backs heading back and a few fresh fish trickling in. Smaller natural egg patterns and fry patterns have been working best. Most of the walleye have left the Manistee and just a few suckers have come in. It sure seems that the sucker population has been diminishing over the past decade which could indicate ecosystem issues (not to mention that trout feed heavily in sucker fry).

Trout fishing is just starting in its infancy. A few bugs have been witnessed on the upper Manistee and AuSable, but it is still early and the forecast indicates that not much will change in the week ahead including the opener (April 29). With the lack of bugs, head to the water with your streamer box but have a box of dries that include BWO and Hendricksons just in case.

Good luck.

Ted

2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons.
Trout – May’s streamer & dry fly fishing turns to the big bugs of June. Good dates to choose from.
Fall Steelhead – Just a few prime steelhead dates remain available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

au sable, egg patterns, manistee fishing, opening weekend, steelhead season, streamer fishing trout, trout fishing

May Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 1, 2018

May is here and so is some weather to make up for such a cold April. Opening day of trout season took place over the weekend and greeted anglers with slightly high river levels and water temps lower than normal. It appears a few warm days are making a difference to get the mercury to rise when taking the water temp which is needed to bring on reliable hatches of Hendricksons and active trout. Unfortunately, there is rain in the forecast and while we need it, the rivers don’t need much of it as the upper Manistee, Boardman and Au Sable rivers are all running a bit high. The next month is the perfect time to fish streamers for big browns in the higher water but have a dry fly rod rigged for when some surface activity might present itself.

As the water continues to warm, the last of the steelhead have migrated into river systems and we are well beyond peak season. That big push of fish we were hoping for never came in but rather we experienced a good flow of fish throughout March and April.  Remaining fish in the rivers are actively spawning and quickly getting it done before returning to the lake. Despite the cold April, it was a really good spring for steelhead numbers in the Manistee and Betsie rivers.

If you are still fishing steelhead rivers where they have recently stocked fish, please handle the young fish carefully as these are the big silver steelhead of the future.

More than trout season has opened up – local lakes are now ice-free and ice-out is a great time for those looking to target pike and musky in those dark, silty bays of lakes as they warm themselves up and put their post-spawn feedbag on.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Reliable hatches begin in May for surface activity. It’s also a great time to fish streamers for bigger trout.
Big Bugs – The big Bugs of June will be here before you know it…. Isos, Drakes and Hex – limited dates available.
Fall Steelhead –  Spring Steelhead is just finishing up but it’s time to get your Fall Dates reserved – Oct. thru Dec.

betsie river steelhead, fishing, hendrickson, hex, manistee, opening day trout, steelhead, steelhead season, streamer fishing, trout, upper manistee trout fishing

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

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