Posts tagged "tippy dam"

October and Fall Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 1, 2017

It’s October which undeniably means fall is here with cooler mornings and often sunny afternoons – it’s a great time to be on the water.

Those looking to fish salmon are still finding fish moving through river systems. The nice weather of September disrupted the flow of fresh fish but with some recent north winds and some rain some fresh fish have moved into local rivers.

The Betsie still has king/Chinook salmon in it and some fresh ones migrating up but the peak and bulk of the fish have moved through. Look for the river to receive spurts of fish throughout the month with most of the fish either intent on reaching spawning gravel or actively on spawning gravel. The Platte River continues to experience near record number of Cohos and that is likely to continue for a little longer.

The Manistee has salmon spread throughout it with more Cohos than Kings. Water levels are a little lower than ideal and clarity is making for some tougher conditions when the sun is out. Majority of the fish are on spawning gravel and the nearby holding water just below Tippy dam.

Trout fishing has been tough on the Upper Manistee river with the clear water. Brook trout tend to be a little more active than the browns but each day is different and sometimes only browns want to play the game. If you head to the river be prepared to fish a number of ways – terrestrials on top (ants, beetles and attractors (Skunks)) with the occasional BWO to match the hatch, and mid-sized to small streamers fished below the surface. When the winds drop lots of tree detritus on the surface go with something subsurface that might stick out and get noticed. It’s still pre-spawn mode with the browns while the brookies are bold and bright in color and doing some spawning. Just a reminder, many of the trout streams and rivers are closed to fishing beginning Sept. 30th – check the DNR regulations for what water remains open (much of the Manistee and AuSable).

Good luck,

Ted

Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Early October offers a chance at both species on the Manistee.
Fall Steelhead – October, November and into December, these fish will bend your rod like no other – experience it.
Trout/Steelhead – The lower Manistee offers some great streamer fishing for trout in late Fall as another option.

betsie river, chinook salmon, coho, fly fishing, manistee, Platte River, salmon fishing, streamers, tippy dam, trout fishing, upper manistee river

Late September Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 20, 2017

While it’s late September it feels like the dog days of summer. The cool weather we had for a while earlier this month had us thinking that it was going to be an early fall with all the fish that showed up in local rivers. But the past 10 days of bright sun, no rain the unseasonable temps have us reaching for more sun block than we do the landing net.

Salmon fishing has been tougher than it was earlier in the run. Most of the fish that were in the Betsie have progressed further upstream and have hit the gravel to do their spawning ritual. A few fresh fish are still trickling throughout but are not holding so much in the holes as their biological clock is ticking. The Platte River is still getting a near record return of Coho salmon and the anglers have taken note. The Big Manistee has salmon spread throughout it with what seems like more Coho than Chinook salmon. The water is clear and running warm but it doesn’t have as much weed /vegetation growth offering a few more runs and holes to fish this time of year. Streamer fishing for the Cohos can be a blast – they like to eat both a swung and/or stripped fly.

The trout fishing continues to be decent for those looking for solitude on the upper Manistee. The water is running clear but with the sun set a little lower in the sky and a lack of pressure, there are some fish still coming out in the sunlight to eat both dries and smaller streamers. The brook trout are spectacular as the leaves on the bank side trees start to turn. The Boardman too has offered some decent fishing for those presenting terrestrials. Just a reminder – many trout rivers close on Sept. 30 so get your time in on them before we give them a rest. (Note: Most of the Upper Manistee remains open all year.)

Good luck

Ted

Betsie, betsie river, brook trout, coho, flies, platte river coho, salmon, steelhead, streamer, terrestrial fishing, tippy dam, upper manistee trout fishing

Mid May Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 19, 2017

Trout continue to be the main focus of most anglers right now as this is a good time for those looking to do some match-the-hatch dry fly fishing. Rivers like the Upper Manistee, Au Sable and Boardman have had some decent hatches of a number of different bugs including: caddis, light Hendricksons, Sulphurs, Mahoganies and March Browns. After the cool front that came through the timing of the hatches and spinner falls will be a little difficult to predict instead of the typical late afternoons and evenings.

Until the bugs hit the water, work a streamer hard and heavy – it often takes a lot of casts but some of the fish that come to play this time of year makes you forget about all those previous casts. The lower Manistee below Tippy Dam is starting to see the number of spawning carp build and this tends to put the trout on a micro egg and small nymph bite until they clear out. Streamers (bait fish patterns) and wet flies have been working most days, but especially on cloudy days.

The bass and bluegill are moving into shallows and most lakes have fish starting to work nests/beds making for some great top water and small nymph fishing. Spiders, beetles and ant patterns work well on top but micro b.h. buggers, swimming nymphs and leeches are deadly when fished on a slow, steady retrieve.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – Trout, late steelhead, hatches, streamer fishing, bluegill on lakes – don’t overlook fishing in May.
Trout – The hatches of late May lead into June making for some of the year’s best dry fly fishing – don’t miss out.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

bluefgill fishing, boardman river, carp, dry fly fishing, fly fishing traverse city, hendrricksons, manistee river, tippy dam, trout

Late April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 22, 2017

With Spring-like weather, I’m thinking Spring is here to stay. It certainly seems like we are a few weeks ahead as I look at stream-side flora, however it appears the fish seasons are mostly in check with steelhead starting to wind down and trout beginning to get active.

Steelhead fishing is on the other side of peak. The recent rains have left local rivers high and stained and in some cases downright dirty. The Betsie is starting to clear up, but it offers limited visibility. The steelhead have been winding down on the Betsie, but fish continue to move into the system after the rains. The Big Manistee below Tippy Dam also has steelhead in it – a mix of fresh fish, spawning fish and drop-backs. The clarity had cleared up after last weekend’s rain, however the rain fall Thursday will dirty it up again by this weekend as the water in the pond changes over. With both rivers, the fresh fish are entering and leaving quickly with water temps in the low 50s.

Effective flies in the dirty water have included large bold egg patterns like Clowns, 4 Shades of Orange and John 3:16, with smaller natural egg patterns being ideal when the water is a bit clearer. Fry patterns, caddis and black stones all have all been solid choices in nymph patterns. Sunny days continue to be the curse of good fishing with overcast days offering better odds.

The trout fishing is getting going as some the first of the dry flies like Hendricksons have been hatching and at times, bringing fish to the surface. Before and after hatches, cover the water with a streamer for what is considered one of the best times to find a really nice brown trout.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – Trout, late steelhead, hatches, streamer fishing, bluegill on lakes – don’t overlook fishing in May.
Trout – The hatches of late May lead into June making for some of the year’s best dry fly fishing – don’t miss out.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

betsie river, dry flies, egg patterns, hatches, hendricksons, steelhead, steelhead fishing, tippy dam, traverse city fly fishing, trout fishing

Mid-April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 16, 2017

**** UPDATE – 4/18/17 *****

Due to significant rains over the past weekend, local rivers are running high with limited visibility. Use caution when wading or operating boats. You can gather more information on Michigan river flows/levels at the USGS Site.

****************************

With warmer temperatures around, it has felt more like the beginning of May as the grass turns greener, leaves on the tress pop out, turkeys gobble and the steelhead starting to dwindle.

The water temps are around 50 degrees which has pretty much encouraged all the early running fish to get their spawning activities behind them and return to the lake. At least the lucky ones. More fish continue to come into the Betsie and Manistee rivers but it’s like hitting a moving target with their migration as they are not sticking around long.

The Betsie has its fair share of suckers in it which is a sign that the river has seen its peak of steelhead, but there should still be fishable number of steelhead for another week or two – timing as it relates to rainfall is crucial.

The Manistee, too, is starting to see some suckers come into the system and are mixed in with the walleye. Like the Betsie, there should still be fishable numbers of fish coming and going through the river for a few more weeks with timing to rainfall and cloudy days vs. sunny days being the biggest factor leading to success. Water levels are ideal and there is a slight stain to it which has made smaller egg patterns more effective over the large, bold ones. Effective nymphs include fry, caddis, and small stone flies.

One benefit of the warmer water is the trout fishing has started a little sooner than normal. A few Hendricksons and stoneflies have been on the upper Manistee bringing a few fish to the surface. When there isn’t an emergence, cover the water with streamers to take advantage of less pressured fish wanting to eat big after a long winter. Look for the combination of streamer and dry fly fishing to be strong for the next six weeks.

Good luck.

Ted

betsie river steelhead, caddis, egg patterns, fishing report, hendricksons, manistee, May fishing, small stone flies., streamer fishing, tippy dam, trout fishing

«‹5 6 7 8 9 ›»