Posts tagged "trico"

Late August Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 22, 2024

The fishing in the region has avoided some of the typical slow-down that usually occurs this time of year thanks to some cooler nights and much needed rain.

The rivers like the Manistee and Boardman are moving along nicely with ideal temperatures and just a hint of color. Some days we need to wait until later in the morning to start fishing so the water temps rise above 60 and get the fish looking up and active. It also helps to wait until the dew burns off and gets winged bugs active. The long-term forecast says this should be the case for a few more days before we fall back into the August pattern of warm weather.

The Trico hatch this year has been a little more prolific than other years with decent number of fish selectively sipping them. The hatch has gone longer than normal but is winding down. The terrestrials are becoming more noticeable on the banks and therefore falling in the river from time to time which has some bigger brown trout looking to take advantage of that. It’s also that time of year you want to make sure you have some flying ants as they often start showing up this time of year and can be a favorite of both the brown trout and brookies.

Smallmouth fishing in the lower Manistee is also slowing down as it usually does this time of year when the first salmon start moving upstream. I suspect they no longer feel like the predator when fish 6 times their size share the same water. Maybe that’s karma for the smallies after a summer of eating baitfish?

Good luck.

Ted

Late Summer Trout – When the kids go back to school hit the river and have it all to yourself.
Learn To Fly Fish – 1/2 Day trips are perfect for beginners! Learn how to cast before hitting the water to fish.
Fall Steelhead – Finish the fishing season with steelhead on the lower Manistee. Good dates in November remain.

fly fishing guide, learn to fly fish, salmon, steelhead, terrestrials, traverse city fly fishing, trico, trout fishing

Trout

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 12, 2023

Traditionally Trout season begins the last Saturday of April and runs through September, but some sections of rivers like the Manistee remain open year-round. Within an hour’s drive of Traverse City we have a number of trout rivers/streams, good hatches, beautiful scenery and great fishing. Here is what you can expect throughout the year.

April – May

Hatches are going in earnest by the month of May and often start earlier in April which include: Hendricksons, Little Black Stone Flies and Caddis, offering some really good dry fly fishing. Later in the month of May, expect Sulphurs, March Browns, Black Quills/Borcher’s Drakes, and others extending into June. With water temperatures rising and angling pressure low, this is a great time to be on the water for the angler willing to mix up their fishing between streamers and dry flies.

These are the months to throw streamers for some trophy fish. Streamer fishing has become common the past few years and remains a great way to cover water when the bugs aren’t on the surface. Not necessarily for beginners, we cast some big flies on sink-tip lines for big fish. There is nothing like watching a 20-plus inch fish come out of nowhere and pounce on your fly.

June

The “bug month,” June has so many different aquatic insects hatching that it can sometimes be maddening trying to determine which bugs the fish are eating at a particular time. That’s why a lot of anglers like to fish Michigan in June. Sulphurs, March Browns, Mahoganies, Tan Caddis, Borchers Drakes, Isonychias, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Big Stones, Brown Drakes, Grey Drakes and of course, the Hex (Hexagenia Limbata). Looking for dry fly fishing? Then this is a great month for you.

Note: The month of June books early for guided trips. Secure your dates »
Hex fishing is the time of the year that 2-1/2″ – plus mayflies hatch in the last minutes of light and into the dark hours of our longest days. With the dark comes those wary night-time roaming brown trout feeding on the surface, often making a noise hard to accept from a fish that is typically such a nocturnal recluse. While the West is known for its Salmonfly Hatch, we have the Hex as our claim to fly-fishing fame.

July – August

Coming off of a very busy month of hatches, we look for the small Trico hatches in the morning to bring fish up to the surface. Grasshoppers and other terrestrial patterns come out of the box and on the water making for some fun and exciting fishing. Evenings typically produce some bug activity including Isonychias and others like Light Cahills and Blue Wing Olives.

Night Time

“Mousing” — the casting of big surface flies resembling mice and other surface disruptions — can bring up those nocturnal brown trout which are out in the shallow flats looking to eat big without much work. Not necessarily for beginners, mouse fishing is for anglers who are looking for a unique opportunity to fish at night with glow-in-the-dark fly lines and big flies for big fish. Find out what the allure is to this fishing and remember to set the hook on the feel, not the sound!

September – November

With kids back in school, college football on TV and the salmon and steelhead in some rivers, trout rivers in the Traverse City and northern Michigan regions are yours to claim. Water temps have dropped and streamer fishing gets going again with some good terrestrial fishing on top. Enjoy the river and the fall colors with an opportunity to catch some trout that themselves are changing color and are as vivid as the foliage. The trout fishing below Tippy Dam at the end of October and in November can be some of the best fishing of the year on both nymphs and streamers as they are coming off a diet of eggs and looking to keep the feed bag on.

Off-Season

“Off-season” is considered fall, winter and early spring. When most anglers are in pursuit of steelhead or salmon, hit the extended season rivers and have the trout water to yourself. Both the Manistee and Boardman Rivers have sections that are open all year. Sometimes we experience warm-ups throughout the winter, and often a change of a couple degrees is enough to get some fish feeding. It’s always good to get out and get some fresh air, sunshine and hopefully fish. Streamer fishing during ideal conditions can bring out the hibernating browns that are looking to eat big — some of the largest fish of the year are taken at this time — well before the traditional trout opener arrives.

Obviously, being a fly fishing guide for trout in northern Michigan can be a year-round endeavor with each of our distinct four-weather seasons which offer unique conditions to all anglers. Simply put, we don’t get bored guiding just one species, one way. And we have lots of equipment to prove it.

Rivers

Local trout waters that Current Works offers guided fly fishing trips on include both the Upper and Lower Manistee and the Boardman River, located close to Traverse City. For more information on these rivers, check out the Rivers / Hatches section of the website.

: Winter Fishing

: Brown Trout and Streamer

: Morning Trico Hatch

Check out the local Hatch Chart for additional bug details.

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Mid-August Fly Fishing Report Traverse City Region

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 17, 2017

As we hit the August mid-way point, the fishing does too. After a long summer, the fish are starting to get wise to what we are trying to do and have been getting good at discriminating our presentations and angling attempts. In other words – they are getting wise, smart and elusive.

The Trico hatch on the upper Manistee and Boardman rivers is winding down after five weeks of relatively consistent match-the-hatch dry fly fishing for mostly smaller fish, but some nice surprises along the way, too. The water clarity has been commensurate with this time of year creating limited chances on the trout – one or two presentations before they get wise to our intentions and stop rising.

The terrestrial and attractor bite has slowed a bit too but is still a good way to cover the water and get some fish to rise to the surface. Smaller hoppers, obscene foam and rubber patters and smaller ants and beetle patterns have all been working most days. Smaller streamer patterns fished on floating lines and less aggressively than the heavy-handed streamer approach have taken some nice fish, too.

The largemouth bass and bluegill fishing remains decent for those looking for some still water fishing and it’s a great way to start or end the day in when the sun isn’t so bright. The typical water and smaller patterns (think rubber legs and X) have been working on the smaller fish while mid-sized poppers and divers have been taken some nice bass along weed lines and structure. Diving/swimming frogs are a favorite of mine (and the bass) and are a lot of fun to fish. If you are using a lighter weight rod, consider using a large Turk’s Tarantula to get a similar diving action without the wind resistance.

Good luck.

Ted

Salmon/Steelhead Combo – Late Sept. through 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.

bass fishing, boardman river, fly fishing report traverse city, manistee river, salmon, steelhead, streamer fishing, terrestrial fishing, trico, trout fishing, trout fishing traverse city

Summer Continues (or is it just beginning?)

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 21, 2014

After some significant rains on the Upper Manistee, the water levels have receded and cleared up – it was odd to see the river like it was since this time of year the water is typically low and clear. The dry fly bite had diminished a bit with all the food being washed into the system subsurface but the Tricos most mid-mornings brought up some fish to the surface. The warmer weather in the forecast should start those hatches a little earlier in the a.m. as the forecast is calling for summer like temperatures as we near the unofficial end of Summer and August.

A variety of patterns deserve a place in your box this time of year. Besides male trico spinners, you will want terrestrials including hoppers and flying ants. It seems the fish want more action in the flies than normal – mix it up as each day’s preference is different. Other attractor patterns like mid-sized dries with foam and rubber legs give the fish a reason to eat on top, but fishing some small streamers sub-surface on a floating line can save the day.

The salmon that entered the Betsie and Manistee rivers a week ago have mostly dispersed throughout the river systems and aren’t as concentrated as we would like. Without favorable cool, n.w. winds on Lake Michigan to congregate fish near river-mouths and with warm weather in the forecast it might be a while before the number of fish improve. As “fall” and early fall-like weather approaches in September look for things to change as more fish migrate upstream.

Bass and bluegill fishing on the inland lakes have improved after last week’s cooler weather. Action around the lily pads is where once should focus on casting their flies – large poppers and sliders for the bass and smaller terrestrial patterns for the bluegill/panfish near the structure – woods, weeds, and depth changes.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout – August fly fishing with terrestrials and tricos on the Upper Manistee River.
Salmon– A few great dates remain in mid-September for salmon fishing on the Bestsie River.
Fall Steelhead– From the end of September through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.

attractors, bass, betsie river, flying ants, manistee, salmon, terrestrials, trico, trout

Summer Returns – Late August Traverse City Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 23, 2013

It appears that Summer has started again with warmer temperatures and plenty of sunlight.

These conditions have been good for the trout fishing on the Manistee and Boardman as terrestrials thrive in these conditions. Hoppers, ants, beetles and foam and rubber leg attractors are the ticket for those fishing on top. Windy conditions can make it difficult to cast, but blow some bugs in and the fish are waiting. Very little is hatching: Tricos in the mid-mornings with smaller trout rising to them making for fun “target practice”. Have a few small Isonychias in your box as well as #14 tan caddis and #18 BWOs. Smaller streamers fished in the little runs and cuts around wood have been producing some fish also and days that are mixed with sun and clouds have tended to be better.

The cooler weather made for good water temps at the river mouths and some salmon moved up the area rivers. With the warmer weather the fish aren’t as eager to come upstream, but the ones that did over the previous weeks are scattered throughout the river systems. Egg flies, small streamers and classic nymphs like sparrows, stones and buggers have been producing. A good N.W. wind and some rain would really get fish moving upstream again.

Bass and bluegill are still eating the fly on local lakes. The bigger gills are harder to come by but there are plenty of small ones to keep you busy and the bigger bass have been eating the larger flies – both on top and bottom. The warm weather will improve things further for those looking to fish the weed lines, beds and structure for largemouth bass.

Good luck,

Ted

Trout Fishing – Morning Trico s and fishing terrestrials is a great way to start a day in August
Bluegill & Bass – Fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Salmon & Fall Steelhead –Salmon season is all booked and just a few dates remain for fall steelhead.

bass, fly fishing report traverse city, salmon, trico, trout