Posts tagged "streamer fishing"

Early September Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 7, 2016

With Labor Day behind us, it still feels like summer with the warm temperatures. While the days are shorter, trout fishing on the upper Manistee and Boardman during the lower light hours of the day seem to be best and when it is overcast -fishing is pretty consistent throughout the day.

The terrestrial bite has been decent all year and it remains that way. Flying ants have been around recently and since they are like crack cocaine to trout – have some in your fly box. Be sure to have some grasshoppers and general terrestrial attractors like Chernobyl Ants, Tar Babies, Fuzzy Wuzzys and Neversinks – the “foam and rubber” season remains. Have some smaller streamers to fish on floating lines for some subsurface action and once things start to noticeably cool down, have the streamer rod ready. The brook trout are getting brilliant with color as they are in their pre-spawn stage and a little feisty. Browns will get that way later in September as they prepare to spawn in October.

Salmon have entered local rivers with promising numbers of fish considering conditions haven’t been ideal the past three weeks. The Betsie has some fish in it as does the lower Manistee below Tippy Dam but we are still in summer like conditions and the number of fish around reflects that. The treatment of the Manistee last week with lampricide has seemed to work its way through the system and the fish bite has returned after a few days of being in a stupor. With more rain in the forecast and cooler weather ahead, look for conditions and fish numbers to increase steadily along the northwest coast and tributaries.

Bass and bluegill fishing remains pretty good on local lakes and ponds with the water temperatures dropping a little. Bigger fish are moving back in to the shallows and are eating the fly pretty good. Interested in learning how to fly fish? This is still a great way to learn the fundamentals and bend the rod.

Good luck,

Ted

The latest Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe.

Late Summer Trout – Have the river to yourself fishing wets, dries, terrestrials and streamers.
Salmon – A few dates remain for Salmon fishing on the Betsie River throughout September.
Fall Steelhead – Starting in October, extending into December. Fall Color Tour includes Chrome!

Betsie, boardman, brook trout, fishing, manistee, salmon, salmon fishing tippy dam, steelhead, streamer fishing, terrestrial fishing

Early June Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 1, 2016

With Memorial Day behind us and a flip of the calendar to June, it’s time to welcome the big bugs on a trout stream near you. 10 days of near consistent (and nice) weather has helped to bring waters, hatches, and spawn cycles up to speed. This unusual streak of weather has also helped to make the fish happy since they don’t like sudden and/or abrupt changes in the weather.

While there are still a bunch of smaller mayflies around – sulphurs, mahoganies, little yellow sallies, black caddis – you will find some larger bugs too: medium yellow/brown stones (#8), Great Speckled Olives, and a few Brown Drakes on certain sections of the Manistee and Au Sable Rivers – the Boardman should have them soon. If headed out you will want to be there until dark and maybe after to get in on the Drake action – they can bring up some nice fish so bring a head lamp and some bug spray. Pack some Isonychias because they should begin to emerge any day – this is another large mayfly that emerges in the evenings in gravel sections of rivers. This is a great time for those looking for some of the best dry fly fishing of the year – click here to read more about the bugs/flies you can expect to find on the water before the hex hatch.

Because the weather has been so nice, water levels are good but a little too clear due to a lack of rain. As such, the streamer fishing has been off a little, however downsizing your flies and perhaps size of the sink-tip can help.

The lake fishing is getting good for those looking to have some fun with the bluegill and bass. Most largemouth bass are done spawning with the males protecting the beds. Fishing lakes for bluegill/panfish and bass can be a great way to spend an evening and/or introducing someone new to the sport. On inland lakes, the smallmouth are playing along, too but tend to be a little deeper where an intermediate sink-tip line comes in handy.

Fishing for carp and smallmouth bass on the flats of the bay is still a few days out – I imagine with the continued heat and lack of strong winds turning the water over, a few carp should be found doing a bit of a pre-spawn feed. Here is a favorite carp fly if you’re headed out. The potential for fishing these will only improve in the days ahead and should extend into early July.

June is one of the difficult months to fly fish in the Traverse City region – there simply are too many fish species and options to choose from.

Good luck.

Ted

Carp and Bass – Look for these guys on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay through the month of June.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and Hex – dates available.
Salmon – Late August and September is when the King Salmon start to migrate upstream – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

au sable, boardman river, brown drakes, carp and smallmouth, grand traverse bay, manistee river, streamer fishing, sulphurs

Mid-December “Fall” Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 15, 2015

The warm Fall season continues, even though we should be thinking Winter which is scheduled to start next week. Real unseasonable weather has been around for a few weeks as there is no snow on the ground, water temps are still around 40 degrees, and the air temps have been comfortable – especially when you consider it’s the middle of December.

With the warm temps came a lot of warm rain over the weekend. The rivers are running really high and there is significant color to them. Thankfully it was a warm rain and it should inspire more fresh fish to move upstream keeping a nice inventory of steelhead in the river over the winter. Look for the fish already in the system to be scattered throughout the lower and upper sections but also sliding into the inside and shallower seams in the cover of high water – this is a pretty unusual scenario for this time of year. Time to use big egg flies and attractor patterns – an approach similar to early Spring Steelhead fishing.

As the water drops, the trout fishing should turn on again with mid-sized streamers and attention paid to inside bends and softer water near structure rather than the deep and fast runs. If it weren’t for the high water, we would be experiencing some really good fishing – as it drops, it should fish well.

Good luck and Happy Holidays!

Ted

The December/Winter Newsletter just went out – click here to read or subscribe.

Trout – Brown trout fishing into late December can be some of the best streamer fishing of the year.
Steelhead – Look for fishing to continue through December and through a mild winter on the Manistee River.
Gift Certificates – With the holidays just around the corner consider giving or asking for some time on the water.

high water, river flow, steelhead fishing, streamer fishing, tippy dam, trout fishing

Mid November Trout and Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 11, 2015

The lack of rain and seasonal weather has frankly left the river with a lack of fish. The Manistee is running low and clear with less than normal steelhead numbers throughout the river system. It appears that the other local rivers are experiencing similar conditions as we wait for wind and rain. The unseasonable weather we have had the past two-plus months has had an impact on the fish migration and the fish that are in the system quickly get wise to our intentions. The past few days we finally had some cold nights and some rain is forecast a few times over the next 10 days which should only help send more fish upstream while improving conditions. Water temps have slipped into the upper 40s which is great and the forecast of a mild winter should only help make late fall fishing good.

Trout fishing has been good thanks to the lack of cold weather. Streamer fishing on the Manistee – above and below Tippy dam – has been a great approach with overcast days being much better. The clear water and bright sun has been a bad combo as the fish tend to hide in those conditions. Various streamers have been working with white/gray baitfish (think stocked 4-5 inch skamania steelhead) patterns tending to out produce the other colors. Mix up colors and as the water temps dip, mix up your retrieve.

Firearms deer season begins Sunday Nov. 15 – if you head out to the river, wear some bright orange for safety.

Good luck.

Ted

Late Trout – Brown trout fishing into late December can be some of the best streamer fishing of the year.
Fall Steelhead – Look for the good fishing in Nov. & into December for steelhead on the Manistee after some rain.
Gift Certificates – With the holidays just around the corner consider giving or asking for some time on the water.

dear season, manistee, skamania steelhead, steelhead, streamer fishing, tippy dam, trout fishing

Late October Trout and Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 21, 2015

Even though some white stuff fell from the sky over the weekend, the warm weather trend started right up again, but not without some much needed rain and winds. The salmon fishing on the Manistee peaked last week, however there are some fresh fish still moving in – more should come throughout the month since the run has been so prolonged. We have kind of been spoiled that last few years with runs of fish being more condensed and “on schedule” with the calendar.

Just as more salmon came in, more steelhead entered the Manistee, however numbers are still lower than what they should be for this time of year. Look for the water to be very clear requiring fluorocarbon leaders and realistic egg patterns when fishing around spawning salmon. The nymph bite has improved the past week with caddis and steelhead buggers working. Fishing should only improve as long as conditions – more precipitation and NNW winds – improve. The “leaf bite” has been relentless as peak colors are taking place in the river corridor right now and making their way to the water.

The trout fishing on the upper Manistee is mixed. There are a number of spawning brown trout doing their all too important duty right now to ensure future fish for that section of water that relies on natural reproduction – please leave them alone rather than target them. Not all browns are spawning – some are still in pre-spawn mode and are eating streamers – brook trout color patterns are working well when fished on either light sink-tips or floating lines. With the recent warm up, the last of the terrestrials are around the water – its a good time to fish beetles, bees/yellow jackets and other mid-sized rubber legged patterns on top providing there aren’t too many leaves and pine needles on the surface.

Good luck.

Ted

Late Trout – Brown trout fishing into late December can be some of the best streamer fishing of the year.
Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Late September & early October offers a mixed bag of both species with fall colors.
Fall Steelhead – October, November & into December is the time for steelhead on the Manistee.

brook trout, manistee, salmon, spawning brown trout, steelhead, streamer fishing, trout

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