Current Works Guide Service
  • (231) 883-8156
  • ted@current-works.com
  • Book a trip
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & More
    • Guide Trips & Pricing
    • Casting Lessons
    • Gift Certificates
    • Book a Trip
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
    • Steelhead
    • Trout
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Salmon
    • Bluegill / Panfish / Bass
    • Golden Bones / Carp
  • Rivers & Hatches
    • Upper Manistee River
    • Lower Manistee River
    • Betsie River
    • Boardman River
    • Hatch Chart
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
    • About Your Guide
    • Testimonials
    • Newsletter
    • Area Information

Posts tagged "trout rivers"

June Fly Fishing Report – Northwest / Traverse City Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 8, 2016

Other than a change in the weather, not a whole lot has changed on the local waters since last week’s report.

After 10 days of warm days and nights, some cooler weather moved in the past week leaving the nights cooler than ideal for hatches and spinner falls on the Trout Rivers.  Surface activity and hatches has been off a little on the Manistee, Au Sable and Boardman rivers, however covering water has found some isolated “hatch zones”. You can expect a smorgasbord of bugs right now: Sulphurs, March Browns, Mahoganies, Brown Drakes, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Caddis, Little Yellow Sally Stones, Medium Brown/Yellow Stones, and more have been seen on the water and in the air.

Water levels are still o.k. but clarity is an issue – it is too clear. Stealth and long presentations are required for the larger, selective fish but a good drift with the right fly can make it all worthwhile. On the bright days, seek shade and structure where fish are still approachable rather than tucked deep in log jams or undercut banks. Streamer fishing has been challenging in the clear water however smaller streamers have taken some nice fish lately.

Grand Traverse Bay is still running cool and as such the carp and smallmouth bass have been slow to get going. Often when you do find the carp they are moving and not feeding. As the water warms up on the flats, look for the pre-spawn feed to take place with some of the better fishing of the year. The smallmouth bass, too, are plagued by the cooler water. As the Smallies are in pre-spawn mode also and nomadically cruising , they will eat a fly – baitfish imitations and Gobies area great patterns to start with

The smaller lakes and ponds are fishing better for bass than the big water of the bay. Small streamers and even some smaller poppers and larger dry flies are working. Bluegill fishing has been mixed – some lakes are better than others and require some time to find those larger fish looking to bend your 3 wt. rod.  Look in any weeds/bulrush in a foot of water for spawning fish. They can be hard to get when they are hidden and tucked away, but it’s also a time to get some nice hand-sized panfish/gills/sunnies before they head deep again.

Good luck,

Ted

Carp and Bass – Look for these guys on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay through the month of June.
Big Bugs
– The month of June is the month of Big Bugs – Isonychias, Brown Drakes and  Hex – dates available.
Salmon – Late August and September is when the King Salmon start to migrate upstream  – get ’em while you can.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

ausable, bluegill fishing, brown drakes, carp, isonychia, king salmon, little yellow sally stones, manistee river, smallmouth bass, trout fishing, trout rivers

Lamprey Leech

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 9, 2012
Lamprey

Lamprey Leech Streamer

The Chestnut Lamprey is an important food source for the Manistee and many Northern Michigan trout rivers. This is what led me to develop the Lamprey Leech fly pattern.  I wanted a pattern that was easy to tie and had lots of motion which resulted in this fun-to-fish and effective pattern. The Lamprey Leech has become my go-to fly when the fish aren’t overly active or are acting lethargic and deserves a place in your fly box.

Each year customers bring a significant number of fish to the net with numerous Chestnut Lampreys attached to them – I can’t help but think that the fish remember these parasites and revengefully attack them when given the chance.

Lamprey - Chestnut Lamprey on Brown

Chestnut Lamprey on a Brown Trout

Lamprey - Chestnut Lampreys

Lampreys Taken Off a Trout

Rich in protein and provocative swimmers, the lamprey often swims against the current making themselves easily noticed and vulnerable to predatory trout.

Late spring and early summer is when these 4-6 inch lampreys are most active and abundant, making them significant to the fly angler. While the months of May and June are optimal, this pattern has caught fish throughout the year  perhaps because of its resemblance to worms and night crawlers, or because of its profile and action.

How to fish the Lamprey Leech Fly

Lamprey - Chestnut Fish

Trout Like Protein Packed Food Including Lampreys

Since it is tied with a bead-head, anglers can fish this fly on both a floating line or a sink-tip. The floating line approach is a fun way to fish shallow water with moderate cover, allowing you to work the fly in and around that cover.

Mends in either type of fly line are very important as it gets this fly to work in conjunction with the current to maximize its movement without stripping it out of the targeted water.  Popping  or snapping the rod tip upwards like a jig, combined with mends, can really seductively work the pattern as can two, quick strips with a long pause in between.

To learn more on an alternative presentation and approach to streamer fishing, read Seductive Streamer Fishing.

Lamprey Leech Recipe 

Hook:                   TMC 200R #4
Thread:                 Uni 6/0 Camel
Bead:                    3/16″ Copper
Tail:                       Marabou – Blood Quill Ginger and Golden Brown
Body:                    Natural Brown  Strung Saddle Hackle
Flash:                    UV Polar Chenille – Copper
Wing:                    Same as tail
Collar:                   Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Flank
Topping:               Sheep Hair – Rust


Tying Instructions 

Lamprey - Step 1Step 1. Place bead on hook and place in vise. Start a thread base from behind the bead to above the hook point. 

Lamprey - Step 2Step 2. Tie in ginger marabou so it extends close to twice the length of the hook.
I typically remove the end of the feather to keep it long and lanky to maximize motion.
Wrap on top of the hook extending 2/3 rds up the shank.

Lamprey - Step 3Step 3.  Repeat Step 2 with the darker marabou so it is the same length.

Lamprey - Step 4Step 4. Tie in a very webby (almost schlappen-like) saddle hackle by the tip and wind up over the marabou.

Lamprey - Step 5Step 5.  Tie in the Polar Chenille and make one or two wraps depending on the amount
of flash desired. Use your bodkin to pick out any trapped fibers.

Lamprey - Step 6Lamprey - Step 6.5

 

Step 6.  Use just a bit of marabou and tie in so the tips extend past the bend of the hook.

Lamprey - Step 7Step 7. Repeat Step 6 with the darker marabou feather, using just a little more product but remaining sparse.

Lamprey - Step 8Step 8. Tie in mallard flank by the tip, and fold the feather so both sides of the stem
sweep backwards. Make 1 to 1.5 turns to create the collar.

Step 9.  Tie in a clump of sheep hair on the top half of the fly where the tips extend to above
the hook barb. Tie off and apply head cement.

The wet look of the Lamprey Leech. Lots of motion and a great profile.

Print This Page
chestnut lamprey, lamprey, leech, michigan, night crawlers, streamer pattern, trout rivers
Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates

Lessons - Learn to Fly Cast or Improve

Casting Lessons

Guide Trips - Fly Fishing Float Trips

Guide Trips & Pricing

About Ted Kraimer Fishing Guide

About Your Guide, Ted Kraimer

Fish & Seasons

Trout Fishing Manistee River near Traverse City Michigan

Trout

King Salmon Fly Fishing - Betsie River Near Traverse City

Salmon

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Golden Bones / Carp

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass Manistee River and Northern Michigan Lakes

Smallmouth Bass

Fall Steelhead Manistee River

Steelhead

Bluegill, Panfish and Bass Fly Fishing on Local Lakes Near Traverse City

Bluegill / Panfish / Bass

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

© 2024 Current Works, LLC — All rights reserved
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & Pricing
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
  • Rivers & Hatches
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
  • Sitemap