Posts tagged "steelhead"

Spring Fishing Slowly Gets Here

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 13, 2014

The last few days have felt very spring-like with warmer temperatures, numerous rain showers and even a few mayflies. With rivers running full, trout anglers will find the streamer fishing to be ideal with slightly stained water and a tendency for the fish to be out feeding on all the food drifting downstream. Trout can be in feeding lanes where a streamer can either entice or elicit one of those big brown trout to play – a worm/night crawler/lamprey looking pattern will do the former where a big articulated pattern designed to draw out a predatory response will do the latter. It can take a lot of casts between fish, but often the fish can be substantial when casting the big rods and the big flies. Patterns tied in either yellow or black are a good place to start.

Some Hendricksons have been coming off on the Manistee with some fish coming up to eat as the water temperatures increase. Bug density and surface activity will increase in the weeks ahead and look for a lot of the other bugs to overlap as emergence schedules condense as the late start to Spring rights itself. Other bugs to be prepared for right now include black caddis, blue wing olives and black quills. Check out the Borcher’s Emerger if you haven’t already – it’s a good pattern that represents a number of different bugs when tied in various sizes.

Steelhead continue to come into local rivers, but we are well past peak as fish trickle in and leave fast with water temps in the 50s. Smaller rivers like the Platte, Boardman and Betsie have fewer fish in them while the big Manistee with a heavier flow of water has been a little more consistent. The steelhead are mostly on the spawning gravel and the drop-back fish are resting in the bigger holes and runs eating big before heading back to the lake. These drop-back fish are ideal for the two-handed caster looking to swing into fish.

The trout in the Manistee below Tippy are still close to the dam and the spawning steelhead taking advantage of their eggs as food. Look for the streamer fishing down there to pick up over the next week as fewer steelhead are around and the big sturgeon have them feeling uncomfortable in the gravel sections where they are spawning.

Lake fishing for bluegill and panfish is on the cusp of starting. Some local lakes with shallow depths and dark bottoms have just begun but most of the fishing is behind since it wasn’t that long ago that they were still covered with ice. Look for this fishing to kick off over the next week also.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout – May is a great time for mayfly emergences and streamer fishing before June’s Drakes, Isonychias & Hex.
Hatches and Big Bugs – Few dates remain in June for the big bugs – Isos, Drakes and the Hex.
Steelhead and Salmon – While Spring is late getting here, it’s not too early to reserve your Fall Dates.

Betsie, bluegill, boardman, borchers emerger, hendricksons, manistee river, platte, steelhead, streamer fishing, trout

Early May Fishing – Steelhead and Trout

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 7, 2014

Things are starting to feel and look a little more like Spring lately. The grass is greener, buds are popping and the thermometer has been north of 50 degrees a few times. There is no doubt that we are a couple weeks behind on Spring getting here in earnest as the skim ice that formed on the Bay the other night demonstrated the reality. But there is hope.

The forecast calls for a continuation of warmer temps and some rain which will improve fishing. Trout fishing has been tough on the Manistee as the fish continue to stay sub-surface eating free-drifting worms and waiting for the water temps to increase and more mayflies on the surface. It is really the time for the streamer fisherman as the fish are hungry, predatory and not looking up too much. I suspect that with the warmer days predicted ahead conditions will align and we will start seeing some more bugs on top – most notably the anticipated Hendricksons. This can be a favorite time of year for anglers – covering the water with streamers then switching over to dry fly rods when the bugs stat coming off. Have some ‘Henies” in your box along with black stones, black caddis, and blue wing olives. In the month ahead look for a number of bugs/emergences to overlap and be condensed as conditions and calendars synchronize.

Steelhead fishing has declined a little as the warmer water temps pretty much encouraged a lot of the fish to do their deed and leave. With the absence of a significant rain there doesn’t seem to be a push of fresh fish entering the system, but rather a trickle of chromers. The warmer weather has made fishing pleasant and a few steelhead to hand makes it that much better. The Betsie and Manistee have cleared up nicely leaving a slight stain to the water – temps are around 50 degrees. Now is a good time for the two-hand casters to get out and focus on drop-back steelhead as they tend to put the feed bag back on before returning to the lake. Trout fishing below Tippy dam is starting up but majority of the trout are still behind the spawning steelhead eating eggs.

Good luck,

Ted

Steelhead -While it is currently Spring Steelhead time, it’s also time to book your fall steelhead dates.
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.

Betsie, black caddis, blue wing olives, chromers, drop back, hatches, manistee, steelhead, streamer, trout, two hand casters

Lower, High Water Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 21, 2014

After a long week of really high water and a bunch of cancelled trips the river levels have returned to just “high water” conditions on the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman Rivers. All that rain last week really brought a lot of run-off when combined with the snow that had been lingering around and in some cases, reaching new or close-to new stream-flow records. While the water level has decreased, you will find the water to be highly stained with limited visibility as well as a few collapsed river banks, new trees in the water and a new look to some of your favorite sections of water.

Steelhead – both fresh run and spawning fish are in the Manistee below Tippy dam, but you better know where they are since visibility is so poor. Providing we don’t get more rain, it should continue to improve in the days ahead. In the high water, really big egg patterns and big stones worked, and as clarity improves average sized eggs (6 & 8, Oregon cheese/orange), caddis and fry patterns have been working. We are still fighting the fish as much as we are the high water so try some heavier leader and hold on. I suspect the steelhead will offer us good angling opportunity through the first half of May.

This Saturday marks the beginning of Trout season in Michigan. After a number of average and sub-average winters and good opening days, anglers will find conditions to be behind a few weeks this year thanks to a long brutal Winter and a slow start to Spring. The water is up a bit and cooler than we would like.

Water temperatures are warming up into the upper 40’s on the upper sections of rivers with virtually no bug activity/emergences. Some warmer weather over the next couple of weeks will help get things on track. In the meantime, if headed to your favorite trout river/stream, make sure you have some streamers – always a great bet in the early season to feed unpressured and hungry fish. Pike, Walleye, early Bass and Musky season also opens, but be aware, most of the local lakes are still covered in ice.

Please practice catch and release.

Good luck,

Ted

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

Betsie, caddis, egg patterns, Manistee below Tippy Dam, oregon cheese, steelhead, stones, trout, trout season in Michigan

Spring Steelhead Fly Fishing Report – April 7, 2014

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 7, 2014

Some spring-like temperatures are having anglers feeling good about April and spring Steelhead fly fishing. Rivers are running high but are still fishable. We have been lucky considering the amount of snow we received over winter and the slow rate in which it has been thawing. Most of us certainly hope that remains the case as the white stuff turns to water. For those of you down or out of state, there are still areas in the woods with over 2 feet of dense snow.

Water temps are hovering around the 40 degree mark on the Manistee below Tippy Dam. Just a few fish are on spawning gravel with majority of the fish staged in the transitional and holding water near gravel. As fish migrate up river they move through the deeper holes and sometimes take a rest before moving on making them a good place to target also. Majority of the fish being caught have been winter fish but a few fresh chromers have slipped in the past few days with more to come as the water warms, the days get longer and the water continues to flow. Yes, finally Spring.

With the water stained – it has gone from the green tinge to more brown the past few days – bigger fly patterns have seemed to do better: large egg patterns, bright caddis, black stone flies and fry. Other flies have taken some fish too, but the above have been the most consistent.

Good luck,

Ted

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

Steelhead -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.

fly fishing report, steelhead, tippy dame

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

«‹20 21 22 23 24 ›»