Late September Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 25, 2018

As we approach the end of September the weather is transitioning to what we should have had the past few weeks – cooler nights, some precipitation and some color in the trees to let us know that fall is here. More fish, too.

The extension of summer has kept a trickle of chinook/king salmon moving upstream on the Betsie and Manistee rivers but not to the level we expect for this time of year. The lack of consistent winds on Lake Michigan has the fish scattered off shore which is in part why only a trickle of fish are ascending the rivers. If the forecast proves accurate, fall fishing should kick-in fully very soon.

Fish are starting to post up near gravel sections and a few fish have even started to spawn. As eggs drift downstream look for more fish to follow upstream including the first wave of steelhead and more coho salmon.

The upper Manistee is clear, cool and beautiful with a number of trees already showing their fall color. Some brook trout are spawning and others are still coming to the surface for terrestrials thanks to the warm weather. Small streamers fished on floating lines are taking some brown trout as are short sink-tip lines. The river is pretty vacant of anglers and will remain that way for the rest of the fall – its a great alternative to the rivers that experience migratory fish.

Please keep in mind that fishing on a number of trout rivers and streams come to a close on October 1 as trout season closes.

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

betsie river, brook trout, chinook salmon, fall steelhead, king salmon, manistee river, steelhead, terrestrial fishing, trout fishing, upper manistee river

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

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

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

Late May Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 25, 2018

This weather has us thinking its more like late June than May with the warm temperatures. Water levels on local rivers are ideal – perhaps a little low – with little recent rain. Water temps are in the low 60’s and the bright days have been making the trout fishing a little tougher than we want for this time of year making the mornings and evenings the ideal time to be on the water.

If you are headed to your favorite trout river you will want an assortment of flies to imitate what you are likely to come across: sulphurs, Hendricksons, mahoganies, black caddis, little yellow sally stones, black quills, medium brown stones, march browns and just in case, some brown drakes. This time of the year can offer the most technical dry fly fishing. Spinner falls at dusk will have you squinting for sippers and you will want your headlamp with you as it often occurs just before darkness. Bring some bug spray too as the mosquitoes are just starting to show up. To learn more about the bugs/hatches you are likely to come across this time of year, click here to read, Trout Fishing Before the Hex Hatch.

Bluegill have moved into the shallows on most of the smaller lakes and are offering some good fishing. The same with largemouth bass – look for both species to be near structure and often close to a deep water break/drop off. It’s a lot of fun catching big gills on the fly rod – especially on the surface – but some days they require that you fish them sub surface with swimming nymphs and tiny streamers.

With the recent lack of rain please be extra careful with camp and bonfires this weekend.

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.

borcher's drake, brown drake, brown stones, carp fishing grand traverse bay, fishing traverse city, fly fishing trout, hex, mayflies, steelhead, sulphurs, trout, trout fishing

Early May FIy Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 8, 2018

If feels like we skipped spring and went right to summer as temperatures approach 80 degrees. Nature is catching up with the season as the fields on the way to the river have turned from brown to green and foliage is starting to become omnipresent in the woods. So is the fishing.

Trout fishing is starting to shape up although the river levels are a little high and stained – perfect for the Hendrickson mayflies that are sporadically emerging on the upper sections of the Manistee and AuSable Rivers. A few BWOs are around on the cloudy days and it won’t be long before tan caddis should be dancing on the surface. Before the surface and bug activity takes place, now is the time to cast a streamer looking for those larger trout looking to eat big. With the stained water yellow, black, and olive streamer patterns are great first choices. With the water temps still in the mid-50s, slow the streamer presentation down and don’t hesitate to fish the inside bends.

Steelhead fishing is pretty much done. A few fresh fish moved in over the past week but they are getting in and getting out quick with the water temps being so warm. While a bit cold, overall it was an exceptional spring steelhead run as it was spread out with a good number of fish throughout without any surge of fish. And the fish for the most part were a little bigger this year making for some really nice fish photos. Already looking forward to the fall run of steelhead that begins in October.

As water temps continue to climb look for the shallow, dark bottom lakes to see a little bluegill/panfish action to start any day now – this is a great way to get tuned up with your casting while having access to some really nice gills that usually too deep. Pike anglers should find similar lakes providing an opportunity to fish shallows for post-spawn fish.

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.

bluegill fishing, drakes, fall steelhead, hendrickson au sable, hendricksons, mayflies, pike, steelhead, streamer, tippy dam, 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

Posts tagged "steelhead"

Late September Fly Fishing Report

September Salmon and Trout Fly Fishing

Late May Fly Fishing Report

Early May FIy Fishing Report

May Fishing Report

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