Posts tagged "terrestrial fishing"

August Trout, Bluegill, Small and Largemouth Bass

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 5, 2012

With some cooler weather and intermittent rains, trout fishing conditions have improved and so has fishing. The upper-Manistee continues to fish well in the low-light of mornings with decent trico hatches. When no bugs are present, the foam and rubber leg terrestrial and attractor patterns like Chernobyl Ants and Grasshoppers have been catching fish. Beetles have been fishing better lately as have small flying ants. Dropper nymph rigs have been taking some fish in the deeper slots and holes. Focus on shade and structure. The Boardman has been running warm but early mornings on this local river are giving up some fish on the same flies listed above.

Largemouth bass and bluegill remain fun targets on local lakes for those looking to fish at all times of the day. More frogs, it seems, are around and the bigger bass are taking note. Lily pads, weed beds and other heavy cover/structure are great places to target with frog patterns and other poppers, sliders and divers. Bluegill are pretty much throughout the lakes with the bigger fish found deep where nymphs and small streamers like damsels and leeches are working when sunk on a long leader and slowly striped back.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the lower Manistee remains an option for those willing to cast streamers on sink-tips. Baitfish patterns have been working best and look for the crayfish bite to increase. In low-light and shadows, try poppers for surface action, but look for the sub-surface presentation to be most effective. A few salmon have slipped into the river so should your baitfish streamer get slammed – hold on tight to that 6 or 7 weight rod.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout: Terrestrials & Trico hatches in August – start your mornings off on a cool, quiet trout stream.
Salmon: The end of August begins our salmon season extending through September. Limited dates available.
Steelhead: The end of September means it’s time to focus on fall steelhead – extending though November
Booking for all 2012 Seasons and through June 2013 – reserve your place in the boat

bass, boardman, fly fishing the manistee river, grasshoppers, largemouth bass, salmon, smallmouth bass, terrestrial fishing, trout

Terrestrials and Terrestrial Fishing

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 26, 2012

Some of Michigan’s most common and important examples of this classification of bugs, a.k.a terrestrials, include grasshoppers, beetles, ants, cicadas and crickets. Anglers headed to the river in the summer months should not only have these flies in their box to represent them, but also should have an understanding of how best to fish them.

Terrestrials are at home on dry land as they hop, fly and crawl on vegetation along the surrounding river banks in grasses and overhanging trees before sometimes finding themselves unexpectedly falling to the water.

Since they don’t swim, they often move erratically as they try to make it back to land, attracting attention and being vulnerable to fish that welcome them with open mouths. It is this insect behavior that we as trout anglers need to observe in order to capitalize.

Bugs, Behavior, and Best Presentation

Some bugs plop, others skitter and some chug across the water – we want to imitate the naturals. If we don’t have natural bugs to observe, a good way to identify what works is to experiment with actions and patterns on the water. My experience has been that preferences last for a few days if not weeks depending on what the natural bug is, which can really differ from the match-the-hatch approach we anglers often experience where stages of bugs over a time frame of minuets can mean the difference between catching and not.

Grasshoppers

With their large, kicking legs these good-sized bugs can not only move some water and bring attention to themselves, but often move across the water faster than the other terrestrials — that is if they don’t drown. Use hoppers on sections of water that have lots of grassy fields along the banks. Takes on hoppers can either be explosive or often very subtle by even the largest of fish as they suck them in from underneath as your fly disappears. Hit the bank and plop, twitch and dead-drift them before repeating the cycle. If that doesn’t work, try skittering them with a pause every once in a while.

Ants

Ants and Flying Ants can land anywhere on the water and usually crawl frantically with their tiny legs but aren’t as noticed because of their size and because they don’t move across much water. If you are fortunate enough to experience a flying ant hatch you will have some of the best fishing you can imagine. Always have some flying ants with you just in case – you won’t regret it. Sunken ant patterns or ants fished wet and under the surface below another fly can be real effective since the small bugs easily drown. Fish them in water likely to hold fish which isn’t too deep, since the bugs aren’t large enough to bring fish up from very deep water.

Crickets

No stranger to the trout angler, live crickets and grasshoppers have been a staple of bait fishing anglers for over a century. After hearing the chirping crickets at night, take note and fish them during the day. You often won’t see them on the water much, but they sometimes get blown in. They are best fished after a good rainfall as they often get washed into the river by the run-off. Fish these dead drift with twitches in seams along banks and over transitional holding water.

Beetles

The unsung heroes of terrestrial fishing – beetles. I think it’s most likely because they are small, difficult to see and don’t really move on the water much. But don’t let these attributes keep you from being prepared. When beetles are prolific or when fish are laid up in shallow water, they are more than anxious to eat them. Fish smaller beetles as a dropper behind an easier to see pattern serving as a strike indicator. Fish them dead-drift in seams and tail outs for best success.

Cicada

These pesky, loud, and obnoxious sounding bugs that buzz and click throughout the summer on those warm days – you’ve heard them. While we don’t have a huge population of them in the area (which is good since they are so annoying) they do end up on the water from time to time and offer a reasonably good size meal for fish. Present cicada patterns dead-drift with some skittering and twitches to bring attention to them. Fish these chunky bugs in sections of rivers that have a lot of nearby and/or overhanging trees.

Learn how to tie the Tar Baby here »

The Attractor Terrestrial

We as anglers aren’t necessarily sure why fish eat them, but large-profile, non-specific imitating patterns like Chernobyl Ants, Skunks, Fuzzy Wuzzies, Club Sandwiches, etc. do a good job of bringing fish up top. It could be that they suggest terrestrials or they actually, from a fish’s perspective, look like a particular terrestrial we haven’t realized. Regardless, these patterns are not only effective but are also fun to fish. “Foam and Rubber” is what the majority of the bodies are made of, so they float well and can serve as an indicator for dropper flies like nymphs or smaller, hard to see dry flies like small ants and beetles. Fish them in all manners described above and know that they can really be effective at bringing fish out of the deeper runs, since their profile is easy to see and their size is rewarding.

When and Where

Terrestrial activity of interest to anglers here in the northern Michigan begins in mid-May and heats up in productivity as the weather itself heats up. After the gold rush of mayfly hatches we experience in the late spring and early summer, terrestrials should become a significant part of your trout fishing approach and strategy. July and August tends to be the peak months however I have experienced good terrestrial fishing extending well through September and sometimes into October before the cold weather and frost put these bugs away for the year.

Most terrestrial behavior increases mid-day as air temperatures rise and dew-fall burns off. Depending on the river and the section you are fishing, mid-day can be tough as water levels are usually very low and the lack of rain in the summer months keeps water clear; once the sun is high and bright, the fish have gone to deep structure where your flies will often pass unnoticed. If fishing tree-shaded water you should have better success mid-day than the open sections here in Michigan. Always look for that dark, mid-deep, shaded water to hold fish – especially inside bends that have secondary currents running along them often with undercut banks. If you’re fishing the mayfly Trico hatch on early summer mornings, try fishing terrestrials before or after the hatch while fish are still out in feeding lies before the sun chases them away.

With months of evening fishing taking place before prime terrestrial fishing begins, it feels good to get an early start on the day and fish in broad daylight. On the hot days, the fishing can be rewarding simply by wet wading and staying cool, but when the fish are playing along and falling victim to your well-fished terrestrial pattern, the day just got better. Observe, experiment and choose the right fly for the right conditions and enjoy what can be the most underappreciated fishing of the year here in Michigan.

cicada fishing, cricket fly pattern, fly fishing, flying ant hatch, foam and rubber leg fly patterns, grasshopper fishing michigan, hopper fishing, manistee river, rubber leg terrestrials, terrestrial fishing

Trout Fishing After the Hex Hatch

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 16, 2012

Keep Fishing After the Hex Hatch

[Author’s Note: Last year I wrote an article on “Fishing Before the Hex,” which was intended to give the reader a better insight to the various bugs that emerge in the weeks prior to the hex hatch. This article covers what an angler can expect to find on the water the months following the hex hatch.]

The Hex hatch is what gets not only the larger fish out of their bunkers, but also what brings out more anglers in pursuit of carnivorous fish eating recklessly. When the big bugs are gone, so are the crowds but plenty of fishing opportunities exist. Here is what you can expect to see on the local trout rivers in July and August, where to find them and tips on how to fish them:

Isonychias

Ted's CDC Isonychia Spinner

Latin Name: Isonychia bicolor & Isonychia salderi
Common Name: Iso, White Glove Howdy, Slate Drake
Hook Size: #10-14

Isonychias continue to earn their appreciation amongst anglers as bug populations/densities on certain rivers not only continue to build, but also the time window of when they hatch seems to get larger. The big numbers of Iso’s typically occur in the middle of June, but bugs can be seen through mid-August in the evenings. Don’t expect to find them thick enough to cover the water,but because of their size, it doesn’t take many for the fish to notice them. When they aren’t on the water, a dry fly angler will appreciate the response a well presented Isonychia receives. When you flip your calendar from June to July, leave the Isonychias in your fly box.

Tip: Take your nice Iso pattern and bend the shank sideways making it look like a dead cripple.

Tricos

Rene Harrop's Para Trico

Latin Name: Tricorythodes
Common Name: Trico
Hook Size: #18-24

These are some of the smallest bugs Northern Michigan anglers will find in big numbers with fish actually feeding on them. Just after the nocturnal hex when an angler finds himself staying up late, the trico angler is an early riser – from first light to about noon. The cool evenings and lack of sun will delay the hatch until mid-morning, but when they come off, they typically do in decent numbers.

This mayfly is not known to get the big fish of northern Michigan rising in the bright sun, but the Tricos do however get smaller fish to key in on them and it’s a lot of fun with a lighter rod. Pay close attention to the rises – they are often small dimples in the water as opposed to slurps and even the rare but large fish that comes to snack will leave the smallest evidence on the surface. Look for Tricos to start in early July and extending mostly through August.

Tip: Since they are small, fish them as a trailer behind a larger dry fly that will act as a strike indicator.

Grey Drakes

Ted's Gray Drake Spinner

Latin Name: Siphlonurus
Common Name: Gray Drake
Hook Size: #12-14

Grey Drakes are smaller than their brown and green brothers and really like sections of rivers with gravel, often building in heavy numbers as adults to mate. Target adult spinners and the fish feeding on them in the slick water below the riffles where they hover above to do their mating dance.

These bugs start in mid-June and can extend to mid-July. An easy way to confirm a Gray Drake is to catch one and inspect the eyes – if they are outlined on the bottom with white lines – it’s them. This is the closest mayfly that matches an Adams dry fly pattern.

Tip: Bring your headlamp as you can have action into the dark hours.

Light Cahills

Extended Body Light Cahill Comparadun

Latin Name: Stenomena canadense
Common Name: Cahill (Kay-hill)
Hook Size: #12-14

Light Cahills are one of those bugs that are around for months, but rarely are found in large numbers. My experience with these meaty, cream colored flies suggests they are not a favorite of fish – they will eat other bugs on the water leaving the Cahills. Because of their numbers and their lengthy hatch period, I’m sure to have some in the box whether they are the only bug on the water and/or if the fish do key in on them.

Tip: Have them in your box but make sure fish are taking them – not another insect- before fishing them.

Blue Wing Olives

Gallpup's BWO Cripple

Latin Name:Pseudocloeon
Common Name: BWOs, Baetis, Olives
Hook Size: #18-22

The name Blue Wing Olive and Baetis includes a number of different bugs that are widespread throughout the U.S. and northern Michigan. From winter hatches below tail-waters, to their reputation of emerging only on cool, cloudy and slightly rainy days, anglers in July and August will want some “olives” in their box regardless of whether it’s raining or not. Blue Wing Olives in size 18 – 22 are a good call, and a pattern like Galloup’s BWO cripple is a great choice when fish lock in on them.

Tip: Just like an Adams should be carried in your box at all times, always have a selection of BWOs too.

Ephorons

Ted's Ephoron Emerger

Latin Name: Ephoron Leukon
Common Name: Ephorons, White Flies
Hook Size: #12

Typically hatching in the last hour or two before dark, the Ephoron will emerge heavily and fast, looking similar to snow flurries. This bug makes the transition from nymph to adult to spinner within a few hours before falling spent to the water so you will want all stages of the fly with you. Certain sections of certain rivers experience these in mid-August through September when water temperatures can be high; if it’s too high, forgo fishing as even catch-and-release practices result in a high mortality rate.

Tip: Have an emerger tied on and be prepared for a flurry of action because when the bugs come they come off the water fast. After things slow down, tie on a spinner pattern and wait for the bugs to return. It can all happen quickly so be prepared.

Terrestrials

Terrestrials encompass all sorts of bugs that play a role to the fly fisher. Insects like grasshoppers, ants and beetles are just the most common examples of these so you’ll want a box of them in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colors. I have written an additional article specifically on terrestrial fishing — Read “Terrestrials and Terrestrial Fishing” here »

Hoppers

Variation of Charlie Boy Hopper

This is the most popular insect in this category of bugs, as they should be. When the wind blows them out of overhanging grass and trees or out of the air as they fly, trout often crush them wherever you find the two. Once the mid-morning sun has burned off the dew, fish hoppers on the sunny days through the evening when the wind is at its highest. Hopper fishing is a fun way to fish from late June through mid-September; target the banks with your casts with a plop, then skitter, drag and move them on the water.

Tip: Each day is different on what presentation the fish prefer, but know that hoppers don’t feel at home when on water and they move like it – fish your flies similarly.

Ants

Ted's Flying Ant

These are always around, but usually not in numbers. However what really makes trout go nuts are flying ants – of all sizes. Any angler who has experienced a flying ant hatch has experienced some of their best fishing. Flying ants are the “crack-cocaine” to trout – once they have one, they will do anything to have more of them – even if that means moving into shallow water in bright sun to feed on them.

Tip: Have some flying ants in your box or you might miss out on the best surface activity you will experience in years. Really – it can be an angler’s nirvana.

Beetles

Peacock and Hair Beetle

Beetles are popular with the anglers who relish terrestrial fishing. Small in size and dark in color, they can be hard to track on the water. Fish them to risers that are keyed in on beetles, or fish them as a trailer to a larger fly that works as an indicator.

The size fish these small flies ((#14-20) can convince to eat can be shocking – use light tippet and a good presentation to convince them to eat along with a soft tip rod and smooth playing of the fish to get the fish to hand.

Tip: If you see fish rising but can’t tell what they are taking, look closely for any beetles that might be drifting by but are hard to see.

Foam and Rubber Hatch

Foam Body and Rubber Legs

Big flies like Chernobyl Ants tied with multiple colors of foam and active rubber legs and other natural and synthetic materials do a good job of imitating nothing, but suggest, rather, hoppers, cicadas, and stoneflies performing as a general attractor that looks like a mouthful of protein. These big bugs have a sizable silhouette, and often are enough of a temptation to pull fish out from hiding in the low water and high sun.

Tip: Fish them with and without activity, often in the middle of the river over scattered, submerged timber/structure.

Mice

Deer Hair Mouse Pattern

While it isn’t considered a hatch so to speak, big flies that look like mice imitate the naturals that hurriedly cross the river. Yes, mice do swim, and those nocturnal browns that lie in shallow water will eat the scrambling fur balls as it comes down and across the river. Right at dark and before that cold dewfall hits on the darkest nights are the best conditions for those armed with a stout leader and hook covered in hair and fur. This is also a good way to fish during the hex after the last of the bugs have emerged or floated by for the night. Glow-in-the dark fly lines and a 6 or 7 wt. rod make it easy to cast these flies and land the fish that eat them.

Cast close to the bank and inside of bends and swim that fly down and across to form a wake.

Tip: Set the hook when you feel the fish, NOT when you hear it.

The Other Hex

Recurvata Hex Spinner

Speaking of the last of the hex, the hatches experienced the last few years have been spread out thanks to inconsistent weather. Some bugs – not necessarily in thick numbers, will continue to emerger for a while into mid-July and adult spinners will often be seen on the water before dark, which can make for some great and exciting fishing. In addition to the Hexagenia limbata we are most familiar with, the Hexagenia recurvata is a smaller, darker version of the large mayfly which typically starts a few weeks after the more popular bug is done. Another mayfly that is difficult to predict but can hatch in July and into August is the Golden Drake (Potamanthus) which is similar to a hex, but larger and are more cream colored. Both of these bugs typically hatch in the late afternoon and evening and can bring up fish of all sizes.

Tip: Keep some hex flies with you from mid-June into August. As odd as it may seem, float a natural looking hex pattern in the evening or early morning well after the crowds are gone and watch what happens – you might be pleasantly surprised.

Presentation and Equipment

Having the right fly in your box is only part of the equation that is going to make your time on the water memorable. Remember: presentation trumps fly selection.

Spinner Fall

By understanding where and when the bugs are likely to emerge or fall as adults will greatly improve your chances at hitting the summer bugs. Further, imitating them with the right action can be the difference between hooking up and casting.

When the hex hatch is “over” don’t put your rods away – the next couple of months can still serve up some good fishing. If none of the bugs mentioned above are emerging or falling and if blind fishing the patterns doesn’t work, tie on Royal Coachmans, Stimulators, Patriots and other attractors to break-up the dog-days of summer – it’s a great way to fish while wet-wading your favorite stream or river staying cool and catching fish with flies that suggest rather than imitate.

Don’t abandon the streamer program at this time of year – after a rain, a meaty streamer intruding the space of a trout will trigger that predatory response. As always, practice catch and release while you have the river mostly to yourself after the busy hex season has passed.

To learn more about the various bugs, where and how to fish them, book a trip by calling 231.883.8156 or e-mailing Ted@Current-Works.com.

ants, beetles, blue wing olives, dark hex, ephrons, fishing after the hex hatch, fishing michigan trout rivers july august, fly fishing, flying ants, grasshoppers, grey drakes, hexagenia recurvata, hexegenia limbata, hoppers, isonychias, light cahills, manistee river, mice, mouse patterns, patterns, terrestrial fishing, tricos, trout

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