trout fly fishing Archives - Current Works Guide Service

The Hex flies have mostly finished a really heavy hatch period this year on the local rivers including the Manistee. This steady stream of bugs has left the trout fat and happy and like many of us after Thanksgiving dinner – second guessing that last serving.

The rivers are in good shape: height, clarity and temperature are all where they should be. After a significant hatch, the fish usually sulk for a little bit and wait for digestion to take place, but they’ve been known to eat a hex fly as a few late bloomers either hatch or spinners fall. Isonychias on the cloudy days can make for some fun fishing, but mostly it’s time to think about attractors, wets and small streamers as most of our hatches are over. It also means you can take some fly boxes out of the gear bag/vest since there isn’t as much match-the-hatch fishing going on.

You can read more about fishing following the Hex Hatch here.

The really good lake fishing for bluegill/panfish has slowed some with the fish going deep again after another round of spawning. Look for them in the drops near weeds and other structure. The largemouth bass fishing is ramping up as they are starting to look up at diving bugs, poppers and attractors that get their attention. Small streamers, too, fished on a floating line can also bring some fish to the net.

The smallmouth bass fishing in rivers continues to offer some good streamer fishing for those looking to change gears from the evening and night trout fishing we seemed to have been doing for the past 6 weeks. Once temperatures warm back up, I suspect the surface/popper bite might begin.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout, Tricos & Terrestrials – July & August offer fun dry fly fishing on the upper Manistee river.
Smallmouth Bass – Fish the lower Manistee with streamers & poppers this summer for fish that can pull.
Learn To Fly Fish – 1/2 Day trips are perfect for beginners! Learn how to cast before hitting the water to fish.

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Water levels on the local rivers are falling back into shape. While they are a higher than normal for this time of year, they are fishable and have a little stain to them – almost ideal. Water temperatures are still cool due to cool nights and a lack or significant warmth and sunshine the past month which is delaying some of the hatches.

Bugs have been fickle on the Manistee with the best hatches above M-72 as that water has fallen into shape sooner than the lower sections. Look for the last of the sulphurs, Isonychias, little mahoganies, gray drakes, brown drakes, yellow cahills, and some little yellow and medium brown stoneflies. No sign of hex on the Manistee but there are rumors of some on parts of the Au Sable river system.

Its that time of year that the riverbanks are active with more anglers wearing headlamps. Bring bug spray to keep the mosquitoes and ticks away, respect private property and share the resource.

Lake and pond fishing has another round of bigger bluegill in the shallow water with the week’s full-moon. These are a great species to target with a light rod and offer both experienced anglers and beginners the opportunity to bend the rod and just have fun. Some bass are around the shallow water, too, as they come out of the post-spawn funk and are a little more eager to eat both on the surface and below.

Stop your rod tip high.

Ted

Trout– Match-the-Hatch fishing through June including the big bugs. Terrestrial & Tricos in July and August.
Fall Fishing – Salmon begins in September which leads to Steelhead in October and November.

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Posts tagged "trout fly fishing"

Early July Fly Fishing Report

Big Bug Fly Fishing Report

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