Posts tagged "tippy dam"

Early November Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 4, 2016

With November now here, we are still experiencing early October-like weather with warmer temperatures and some really hot fish.

Steelhead fishing on the Manistee has been decent with some nice steelhead playing along. But they often aren’t playing nice – that is, once hooked, they are really testing our skills with their ability to put space between you and them. The fish are scattered throughout the river system – in holes, tail-outs, seams and on the rare sunny day – in woody structure.

Majority of the fish are eating egg patterns with no one pattern, size or color outperforming another – mix it up. If fishing near the dam, go small as the fish are really keying in on eating the natural eggs left by the salmon. Just a few chinook and coho salmon remain directly below Tippy, spawning in the upper mile of water. Fishing nymphs in the past ten days is proving effective with smaller nymphs used near the dam and larger patterns like ice/steelhead buggers, hex nymphs and caddis working in the lower sections. This is the time to use that two-handed rod with streamers swung on a sink-tip.

Water temps are hovering around 50 degrees which is adding to the fish’s feistiness. Water clarity is a little too good, nudging us to use lighter lines which makes landing the fish more difficult. It appears that about half of the fish in the river had been eating really well out in the lake and they have some shoulders and girth to prove it.

The trout are continuing to appease their appetite after a heavy egg diet and are chasing a streamer when not scavenging on any remaining salmon eggs. On rivers like the Upper Manistee and Au Sable system, the streamer fishing has been decent for those looking to feed a post-spawn brown trout. Mid-sized streamers like the Autumn Offender and Ted’s Brook Trout fished on sink-tips is your best approach.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout – Target post-spawn browns with streamers on the upper Manistee or Below Tippy Dam.
Fall Steelhead – Warm weather is making for comfortable steelhead fishing. Oxymoron, isn’t it?
Late Fall Trout – After gorging on salmon eggs, streamer fishing below Tippy Dam can be outstanding.

Au Sable system, brown trout, caddis, fall steelhead, fall steelhead fishing, manistee, post-spawn streamer fishing, salmon, streamer fishing, tippy dam, upper-manistee

Mid-October Salmon, Steelhead and Trout Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 12, 2016

As we approach mid-October it feels closer to the beginning of the month based on conditions and temperatures.

We finally received our first nights of mid-30 degree temperatures and the water temps have dipped into the 50s which is needed for the the salmon to continue to enter the rivers. And, today we have received some very much needed rain; as water levels increase, look for the remaining salmon waiting to migrate upstream to their spawning areas and bring a few steelhead along with them.

The Betsie continues to have spawning salmon working the gravel sections as does the Manistee – primarily in the water directly below Tippy Dam. A few steelhead are around but well below what we expect for this time of year. As the weather realizes the time of year and begins to feel fall-like, look for more fish. Over the next few weeks It’s time to match the hatch and fish egg patterns that are realistic as both trout and steelhead key in on the “protein drip” – that is, the eggs from spawning salmon.

Those looking for trout will find some of bigger browns just starting to get busy on gravel – please leave those fish alone as they are future of our trout fishing – especially those rivers that are solely reliable on natural reproduction. Streamer fishing for pre-spawn and post-spawn fish on sink tips can make for some of the year’s best fishing as they are ornery and hungry. Cover water and respect the resource.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – Have the Upper Manistee to yourself fishing wets, dries/terrestrials and streamers.
Fall Steelhead – Starting in October, extending into December. Fall Color Tour includes Chrome!
Late Fall Trout – After gorging on salmon eggs, streamer fishing below Tippy Dam can be outstanding.

Betsie, egg patterns, fall steelhead, manistee, manistee river tippy dam, salmon, steelhead, Streamer fishing for trout, tippy dam

Early October Salmon, Steelhead and Trout Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 1, 2016

October is here and it’s starting to look and feel a little more like fall. Despite much warmer than normal temperatures, some leaves are starting to turn, the nights are a little cooler and some big fish are showing up in rivers.

The Betsie continues to receive some salmon, especially after favorable weather like wind and rain. Many of the fish are hitting the gravel and doing their annual spawning duties, but fresh fish are still making their way up stream. Look for fish to be running through the slots as they move towards gravel upstream. The darker holding and pocket water near worked-over gravel sections are holding staging fish, too.

The Manistee this past week has seen some of the first fish hit the spawning gravel in the upper sections and more fish stage. Water temps below Tippy Dam are about 10 degrees warmer than they should be for this time of year. Once the water temperature drops – along with some rain – the river is likely to get a big push of fish, until then it will likely be a reduced migration of fish. Word from the boats leaving out of Manistee is there are still a lot of adult fish in Lake Michigan. I think a few years of early runs have us impatiently waiting for the big push when they are just a little behind. Regardless, the number of fish this year is significantly greater than the last two years with more to come.

A lot of trout rivers and streams closed September 30th, but portions of others – like the Manistee and Au Sable – are still open to fishing. As the brookies are spawning and the browns are getting ready to do the same, the pre-spawn bite can be decent for those fishing streamers on smaller sink tips and even floating lines. Have some Blue Winged Olives and Caddis in your box just in case of an emergence. On the warmer days ahead it isn’t unusual to witness some flying ants and other terrestrial patterns on the water so make sure you have some in your fly box.

Good luck!

Ted

Available Dates in October: 19, 23 and 3oth.

betsie river, blue winged olives, caddis, manistee river, salmon eggs, steelhead, tippy dam

Mid-April Steelhead Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 16, 2016

It’s finally starting to feel like it did in March – that is “Spring like”. Warm weather has replaced two weeks of cold weather and the forecast is calling for more of it, thankfully.

Water levels on the big Manistee River below Tippy Dam and the Betsie River have dropped to normal levels for this time of year and clarity is just about right – slightly stained. Water temps are in the low 40’s but should bump up with this sunshine and warmer nights.

Fishing for steelhead the past two weeks have been pretty inconsistent with a good day followed by some slower days. It is my opinion that the fish just aren’t around in numbers that we associate with this time of year. With some warm rain we should see a nice push of fish, but until then, look for the run to be slower than normal with fish moving in daily, just not in the density we are accustom to. I think the spring steelhead fishing on the Manistee should continue well in to May this year. Again.

Fish are hitting gravel but aren’t staying there after little angling pressure. Look for your better fishing to be in the pocket water around spawning gravel and the choke points/funnels to intercept fresh fish moving through. There hasn’t been a consistent leading fly pattern, just the usual patterns. With the bright sun and improved water clarity, try dropping down in fly and leader size.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
Big Bugs – The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and the Hex – got dates?
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

betsie river, manistee river, tippy dam

Early April Steelhead Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 6, 2016

Now that we are well into April we are experiencing March-like weather. Seems fitting since March was so pleasant. After last week’s significant rains, snow and cold days and nights, the steelhead fishing has been a little more challenging that we are accustomed to for this time of year.

The water is dropping to ideal levels on both the Manistee and Betsie; however they are still a bit high. Clarity continues to improve but the water is stained while remaining fishable. Water temps are in the low 40s and the steelhead have started to hit gravel to do their spawning duties. But with the cold nights and fluctuating drops in water temperature, the fish have been found in the pocket water near gravel. Fresh fish have been moving through the Betsie and it seems that the spring run on that river is bouncing back nicely from a few lean years. A surge of fresh fish on the Manistee below Tippy Dam is highly anticipated.

There hasn’t been a magic fly pattern or one that has been working more than others, but the usual suspects are good places to start. Click here for a list of the Top 5 perennial steelhead patterns. When fishing runs and deep holes looking for fresh fish moving through the system, go with larger patterns so they have a better opportunity to see it. In pocket water, drop down in size and almost fish for them as if they were trout – the steelhead tend to revert to those characteristics once in the river for a while.

Good luck.

Ted

betsie river, manistee, steelhead patterns, tippy dam

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