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Posts tagged "ted kraimer"

Steelhead

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 13, 2023

SteelheadOne of, if not the most exciting and electrifying freshwater game fish in North America is the Steelhead, and we are lucky to have them coming out of the great lakes and into our rivers. Steelhead fishing is broken down into two categories: Spring and Fall. The warmer days and thaw periods of the the winter offer some good steelheading opportunities and a chance to shake off the winter blues. The average size of the steelhead we catch is eight pounds, with some years having returns of much larger fish tipping the scales over 15 pounds.

Spring Steelhead

Steelhead - Spring Fishing on the Manistee

Spring Chrome

Spring fish start entering the river when the days get longer and water temperatures improve. From mid-March through the first of May, anglers can expect to catch these hard-fighting fish which enter the river for their annual spawning ritual. Unlike the salmon in the fall, these fish spawn and then return to the lake, and hopefully return to the river again and again, which is why they vary in size from a few pounds (skippers – first-year return) to 15 pounds + (four-year return).

For those looking for something different, swinging flies and stripping streamers for drop-back fish can be effective as fish return to Lake Michigan after successfully spawning. Start the year’s fishing off right with some steelhead.

Fall Steelhead

Fall Steelhead Fishing Manistee River

Fall Steelhead – a Beautiful Time of Year

While we aren’t exactly sure why these fish come into the river, we do know they do come, and often their eagerness to eat the fly is strong.

Because salmon are in the river by the thousands, there are literally millions of eggs drifting through the river, providing a great food to imitate with egg patterns. Catching salmon happens frequently while targeting these steelhead so be prepared for something a little bigger on the end of you line. Like the early salmon, these fish will take a streamer if presented properly. Fall steelhead season begins the end of September and extends through November. Fishing late fall and into winter is always an option especially during mild winters or when a thaw takes place.

Methods

Swinging Spey Flies for Steelhead on Manistee River

Swinging Flies on the Manistee River

The most common and effective way to fish steelhead is by bottom bouncing nymphs with either a floating line or the “chuck and duck” method. The fish love well-presented eggs and nymphs. Swinging sink-tips with large flies that are more like streamers than spey flies is becoming more popular in the Midwest. While it isn’t the most productive way to catch a fish, no one will argue with the satisfaction of bringing a steely to hand via this method. More sporting? probably, but a steelhead is a steelhead no matter if you get them with a pair of eggs, an egg and nymph combo or a big, nasty swung streamer.
Since we fish from a boat, we strongly suggestwhen swinging flies with a spey rod, do so as a single angler.

Rivers

To learn more about the rivers we fish steelhead, click on the links below.

•  Big Manistee River (below Tippy Dam) •                       • Betsie River •

Winter Fishing
Spring Steelhead
Spring Steelhead
Fall Steelhead

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Smallmouth Bass

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - January 11, 2023

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass May through August

Smallmouth Bass offer some of the best fishing when things get warm from mid-June through August.  Whether you are an angler looking to improve your skills, or you’re an advanced fly fisherman looking for a fun day on the water, spending a half or full-day river on the Manistee River is for you.

Smallies are not only eager to please, but it’s mostly a visual presentation and grab, and they can really put a bend in the rod making them a great alternative to trout. And we fish for them in daylight without the use of headlamps. What’s not to like?

Smallmouth Bass Love CrayfishMethod

Fishing slow sinking-tip fly lines and a baitfish streamer or crayfish is usually the most effective technique, but there are days when they prefer it on top. Face it — fishing on the surface is a favorite for just about anyone who fly fishes. Sometimes they sip grasshopper/terrestrial patterns other times they explode on poppers — it’s always fun when they eat.

The Smallies’ wavering ways of choosing what and what not to eat is part of the fun as anglers work to solve the puzzle but its easier to do than with trout. And when it comes together the only one not smiling is the fish.

Smallmouth Bass Fishing - Grand Traverse BayBass on the Flats

Those anglers looking for smallmouth on a flats setting should consider carp fishing in the Grand Traverse Bays as the two species share a lot of the same water. While stalking the “Golden Bones” of the bay, the smallmouth often provide opportunities some bass anglers never get. When conditions are right (late May and in June), the larger smallmouth bass come in shallow making them the primary target and focus of anglers with a fly rod.

Each year bass fishing TV programs and their hosts either discover or reveal what they have known for a while — that the fishing on Grand Traverse Bays for smallies is among the 10 best in the world.

Related Articles

  • More about the Manistee River »
  • More on Carp fishing »
Smallmouth Bass and Carp Fly Fishing - Grand Traverse Bay
Smallmouth on the Bay
Smallmouth Bass Streamer Fishing
River Smallmouth Fishing
Smallmouth Bass on Lakes
Smallmouth on Lakes

carp, current works, fly-fishing for smallmouth bass, grand traverse bay, guide trip, guided trips, manistee river fly-fishing, michigan, small mouth bass guide, smallies, streamer fishing, ted kraimer, traverse city

Salmon

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 10, 2023

Fresh Salmon - August and September

King Salmon Fly Fishing - Betsie River Near Traverse City

King / Chinook Salmon

Salmon start running upstream on our rivers as early as mid-August on the Betsie River and the season extends into October on the Big Manistee River.

Spending their “growing years” in the big water of Lake Michigan, the King (Chinook) and Coho (Silver) enter our rivers to spawn. After staging in holes and pools waiting for conditions to be ideal the fish move to gravel sections  to spawn. In both pools and around gravel, salmon are often visible while fishing, which helps fuel an angler’s excitement.

Averaging 12 -16+ pounds (depending on the year), these fish do climb well into the 20-pound range making for more than a handful of fish. Landing these fish on fly rods is fun and often challenging at the same time in the smaller confines of a river. Angler’s love it so book early.

Methods

Double Header - Salmon Fishing

Double Header

Nymph fishing with either floating lines or the most effective “duck and chuck” method gets our flies to the river bottom, where the fish are typically holding.

Also known as drift fishing, this is an easy-to-learn technique for beginners; experienced anglers just get better and more efficient with this method.

When fresh fish move into the river, these salmon can be caught throwing big streamers with sink-tip lines on 9- and-10 weight fly rods. Much like trophy streamer fishing for trout, this can be exciting as you never know when a fish is going to materialize and try to pull the rod out of your hand on the take.

To realize success, anglers interested in fishing with this method must be able to cast a fly rod proficiently prior to booking a guide trip.

Spawning Salmon

Spawning Salmon

Betsie River Coho Salmon Fly Fishing Northern Michigan

Coho / Silver Salmon

 

Rivers

Most of the rivers in the Traverse City and northern Michigan regions that flow into Lake Michigan have a “run” of salmon. Typically starting as early as mid-August, fish begin to school up at the river mouths and/or pier heads and swim upstream when ideal conditions occur, usually after a decent amount of rainfall. Join us on a guided fishing trip on the Betsie, Manistee or Platte Rivers.

To learn more about the rivers we fish salmon, click on the links below.

 •  Manistee River below Tippy Dam  •               •   Betsie River  •

 –To preserve our fisheries all trips are catch and release —

Salmon Fly Fishing - Manistee River Coho
Coho Salmon on the Manistee
Salmon Fishing - Betsie River, Benzonia
Fly Fishing The Betsie
Betsie River Salmon Fishing Guide
Bright and Fresh Salmon

Betsie river salmon fishing, betsy, current works, drift boat, duck and chuck, fishing, fly-fishing guide, manistee fly-fishing guide, manistee river below tippy dam, platte, river, salmon, september, streamer, ted kraimer, tipy

Golden Bones / Carp

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 8, 2023

Carp Scales

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Nice Mouth

Okay, admit it, you’re curious about the buzz these fish have brought to the sport of fly fishing, aren’t you?

Once considered a trash fish, anglers who have pursued them with the fly and fly rod have developed a respect for these brutes. While not exactly like a bonefish as some have claimed, I like to compare them to Redfish. When hooked, it’s similar to being attached to a big truck — they pull hard and steadily while showing you what color your backing is, often a few times before landing them. But the fight is only part of getting your “carp on a fly” fix.

Getting these fish to eat is not what you might think. They demand well-presented flies and the right fly pattern. Like most species of fish, you can have days when they are “on,” but more often than not, you need to get them to eat. This is where the fun and challenge is, and knowing when and where pays off.

As Featured in Simms Midwest Tour

RA Beattie hooked up with Current Works guide Ted Kraimer and The Northern Angler‘s Brian Pitser to fish the flats of Grand Traverse Bay for Simms Midwest Tour video series. Watch this short clip for a first-hand look at Traverse City area carp fishing.

Carp Fly Fishing in Traverse CityWhen & Where

The season for carp on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan ranges from mid-May through mid-July. Weather and hence water temperature are a big factors determining success in finding fish; you might find them happily eating on a flat one day and few fish there the next day not eating. You must get to know their idiosyncrasies to be successful with carp fishing day after day. Since the carp season tends to overlap our best dry fly and hatch season for trout, consider fishing subsurface in the day for carp, then fish the Boardman or Upper Manistee river with dries for trout in the evening.

Bonus Fish - Smallmouth BassBonus Fish

Often, Smallmouth Bass can be found in the shallows and flats looking to eat. Considered one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the country, Grand Traverse Bay, both East and West, produce fish over five pounds. They are not only are exciting to fish to, but also to bring in with their ability to jump out of the water.

Equipment

Carp Flies for the Great Lakes - Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Carp Flies – Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Like a number of saltwater species, I prefer to use 7 – 9 weight rods with Scientific Angler’s Redfish fly line, saltwater tapered leaders with fluorocarbon tippets. Crayfish and nymph patterns are my personal favorite patterns to use. These same flies are also preferred by the Smallmouth Bass that often “swim with the fishes” with my first choice always being a crayfish pattern.

This is no place for a beginner to learn to cast. Simply put, you must be able to cast anywhere from 20 to 45 feet with accuracy and often into wind. What makes this different from saltwater fishing is that you won’t need to wash your tackle free of any salt – the bays of Lake Michigan are pure, freshwater.

Carp Fly Fishing - West and East Grand Traverse BayAs the water temperatures warm, some clients choose to wet-wade rather than wear waders. It is usually a good idea to be prepared for both, based on the ever-changing temperatures. Sometimes we need to wade above the belt and when the water is cool, well, you know.

Thanks to Dave Whitlock and his articles in Fly Fisherman magazine (“Golden Ghosts,” July 1998 and “Golden Ghost II,” September 2008) for bringing more attention to this great game fish and their possibilities with a fly rod.

I have introduced more than enough skeptical trout anglers to the carp through guiding. They were more than surprised at how much fun and challenging these goldenbones are to fish for — book a day and try it for yourself.

 

 

Carp Fishing Grand Traverse Bay - Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie
Wading Grand Traverse Bay
School of Carp Looking to Eat
School of Carp
Carp Fishing with a Fly Rod
Holding on

bass, current works, dave whitlock carp fishing, flats, fly-fishing for carp, flyfishing for golden bones, golden ghosts, grand traverse bay carp fishing, great lakes, guide, guided trip, kramer, smallmouth bass, ted kraimer, traverse city

Early March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 1, 2017

It seems that since the last report we have experienced winter, spring, winter, spring and winter again – which looks like it will be here for a few days.

Last weekend’s snow  has come and gone as well as a gentle but consistent 30-hour rain earlier this week leaving water levels high and stained and likely to only get higher and dirtier in the days ahead on local rivers including the Manistee and Betsie Rivers. Here is a link to the USGS Michigan Stream Flow site for update river flow information.

With the increase of water also comes an advance of some fresh steelhead. Since water temps are still in the upper 30’s you can expect a mixed bag of winter and any fresh fish to co-mingle for a while before the steady pushes of fish come later in the month.

Because of the higher, dirty water, it’s time to increase your fly size to patterns more associated with the first of April rather than early March.   Bigger Leeches / Buggers, large green caddis, sparkle stones, bold egg patterns in Clown, Dark Roe/Cerise, Chartreuse/Flame, and Better Than Spawn( B.T.S) fry would be good choices in conditions like this. Remember the classics from yesteryear like Springs Wiggler and Dr. Toms? Having some of these tied up in bright and/or sparkle colors can go a long ways in the spring.

Ideal presentations include nymphing under floats in moderate bubble lines as fish move out of the fast water and into secondary seams as well as the big, deep holes where drift/duck and chuck methods are ideal.  It’s still early in the season but we should experience some better than usual fishing in March due to the thaws and rains. Looking outside the window as the snow piles up, it tells me it’s an ideal time to finish up tying this spring’s steelhead patterns until “spring” returns again next week.

Good luck.

Ted

Spring Steelhead – A mild winter should offer good fishing, early. A few dates remain in late March and April.
May Fishing – Trout, late steelhead, hatches, streamer fishing, bluegill on lakes – don’t overlook fishing in May.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

Betsie, buggers, egg patterns, fishing guide, fly fishing manistee, ice bugger, Manistee below Tippy Dam, michigan river flow, springs wiggler, steelhead fishing, stelhead, ted kraimer
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Fall Steelhead Manistee River

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Trout Fishing Manistee River near Traverse City Michigan

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

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