Posts tagged "upper manistee river"

Tough Trout Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 15, 2015

Lots of rain has fallen over the past 10 days and the rivers look like it.

The Upper Manistee river continues to be challenging with high water, sporadic bug emergences and fish that are mostly uncooperative. Finding times when both the bugs and fish are active has been rare with the occasional good day to keep us coming back. Even the streamer fishing – under ideal conditions – has been off. Give the river 4 or 5 days to drop to normal levels and clear up and by then Isonychias should be emerging more steadily – typically in the evening and up to dark if temps stay warm. In the meantime if you are headed there you will want the following flies: mahoganies, sulphurs, little yellow stones, epeorus, brown drakes, isonychias, big golden stones, BWO’s, small black caddis and a lucky rabbit’s foot. I’ve often been accused of telling it like it is.

The Boardman has been tough to fish the past couple of weeks with the higher water, but Brown Drakes and Gray Drakes have been around with a few sulphurs and caddis in the evening. The AuSable, too, hasn’t been fishing up to its reputation with bugs and fish being off. Lots of water in that system also has had its impact on the river as the fish are able to eat well sub-surface with the higher water.

Carp fishing on the bay has improved as fish are starting to show up a little more in the shallow water as they near their spawn cycle. The water in the bay is still pretty cold so wind direction, intensity of sun light and overnight temps have a significant impact on the fishing the shallow flats. A few smallmouth bass have moved into the shallows but look for the smallmouth bass season to be spread-out and focus on cruisers and darker water for your best biting fish.

Bluegill fishing on the lakes has slowed down some for the large gills as they have abandoned their beds and moved back deep. Some lakes and ponds tend to run behind while others spawn over a protracted period and with some searching you should find those fish. By now the fish that spawn tend to really protect themselves in the structure with bigger predatory fish looking to eat them. On the up-side, the largemouth bass fishing has improved with more fish eating sliders/diving frogs and poppers. Same routine – look for fish in and around the lilly pads and drop offs for your best action.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Season – June is the month of the big bug dry fly fishing on the Upper Manistee & AuSable Rivers.
Summer Fishing – Terrestrial and Trico fishing in July and August on the Manistee, Bluegill and Bass on Lakes.
Fall Steelhead – Late September through November is the time for sassy steelhead on the Lower Manistee.

bluegill, brown drakes, carp fly fishing, carp on the fly, grand traverse bay, isonychia, michigan, smallmouth bass fishing, upper manistee river

Bugs, Fish and Sometimes Both

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 11, 2014

Trout fishing continues to keep us busy chasing the unpredictable hex fly on the upper Manistee and other local rivers, but it has been fickle with swings in the air temps and other weather fluctuations. Some nights we find bugs and some of those nights the fish are looking to eat. Even the mosquitoes have been taking some nights off. Fishing remains tougher than it should be – at least in my experience but things are looking like they are improving a bit.

We have been experiencing a few more fish looking up lately and feeding on the minimal bug activity that has been occurring and some of the fish that have been missing from their typical places – it seems – are showing up and playing along. Other bugs to have in your fly box include little yellow sally stones, Isonychias, Summer Olives, Cahills, and some flying ants. Look for the transition from evening fishing to daytime terrestrial and early morning Trico fishing as we progress further into July but be prepared for hatches that shouldn’t happen as things try to catch up from a long winter, short spring and inconsistent conditions the past couple of months.

Fishing on the bay has slowed down as the carp it appears are mostly done with their spawning and have run deep again. With the long winter I expect there to be some opportunity to fish for them if you are looking to cover water. Look for them where the warm water is getting blown into shallow flats. Sun and wind direction are key as the Bay is still so cold and any turnover can shut a good flat down with one day of wind. Smallmouth bass in the bay are like the carp – offering some shots one day, and gone the next. Crayfish are your best bet right now for both species and some minnow patterns like Clousers are ideal for the bass. Darker versions of the Clouser (orange and rootbeer) is a good one for carp.

Lake fishing for bluegill and bass continues to be good and a lot of fun. With more lily pads around the bigger bass are taking up residence nearby and eating your bigger patters or the bluegill that is on the end of your line. Frogs and poppers have been working well on the bass with smaller terrestrial patterns working on the bluegill. Flies like the Turks Tarantula have been catching some larger gills when stripped under the water and fished like a slider.

Smallmouth bass fishing in the lower Manistee river is just starting as water temps warm up and more fish migrate and populate the river from the lower sections. Streamer fishing baitfish patterns and fishing crayfish on floating lines are a great way to cover water with the crayfish fishing being best near rocks. Some popper and slider action has been working on the surface but I suspect that will only improve as summer continues.

Good luck,

Ted

Terrestrials, Tricos and Trout – July and August fly fishing for trout on the Upper Manistee River
Salmon– Fresh fish can enter rivers as early as mid-August and offer great fishing through September.
Fall Steelhead– From the end of September through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.

bass, bluegill, hex, isonychia, lakes, smallmouth bass, steelhead, terrestrials, traverse fly fishing report, upper manistee river

Tough Trout Fishing in Traverse City

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 25, 2014

The trout fishing has been tougher than it should be in Traverse City and the surrounding area. Frustrating too. The upper Manistee has been very fickle with bugs – all the emergences that lead up to the hex have been spotty at best and there have been no signs of the highly anticipated hex mayflies. As the lack of heat continues, I don’t expect much to change until the temperatures do. The future looks good when looking at the forecast but until then, we might be in for some “tough sledding”.

The water is in good shape – ideal conditions as far as clarity, level, etc. – it’s just that the fish haven’t been looking up and the streamer fishing has been decent at best. If you head to the river, you could see: golden stones, little yellow sally stones, gray drakes, brown drakes, little mahoganies, and isonychias. Have some bat flies and hex patterns in your box just in case and don’t forget the bug spray as the mosquitoes have been the only consistent bug this year.

The Boardman, too, has been off as far as bugs. It won’t take long before that gets going but I think its that warm air and hot sun that will kick things off.

Regardless of where you are fishing every day is different and you never know when the bugs will be out and the fish active. For what it is worth, the cloudy days have offered some of the better days on the water as far as fish playing.

Fishing on Grand Traverse Bay has improved over the past week. The carp are in the shallows in better numbers as the spawning is beginning. Look for the trailing fish behind the “ball of carp” to be the ones looking to eat – that’s what they often are doing – eating what the chaos kicks up. Still, these fish are picky and a good presentation is required. With Mayflies coming off of East Bay having some hex nymphs and crayfish is a great place to start. The smallmouth bass on the bay, too, have been playing a bit more although they can be there one day, gone the next. Some fish are spawning, others are cruising and some males are protecting nests. Crayfish, goby, and minnow variations/patterns should cover you in fly selection.

The lakes and ponds in the area are offering some really good fishing right now. Panfish/Bluegill continue to please both surface and sub-surface anglers while the largemouth Bass are eating bigger patterns subsurface and from time to time, diving flies. Pond fishing is perfect for those looking to spend an afternoon or evening on the water or if you are introducing a friend to the sport.

As the rivers get crowded with those once-a-year anglers seeking the hex try to be respectful and courteous to one another and remember to practice catch and release. Good luck.

Ted

Terestrials, Tricos and Trout – July and August fly fishing for trout on the Upper Manistee River
Salmon– Fresh fish can enter rivers as early as mid-August and offer great fishing through September.
Fall Steelhead– From the end of September through November – this is the time of year for Steelhead.

boardman, brown drakes, carp, goby, grand traverse bay, hatches, hex, hex mayflies, smallmouth bass, upper manistee river

Warmer Weather, the Start of Summer and Fly Fishing TC

Posted by Ted Kraimer - May 26, 2014

Some warmer weather recently has had an effect on getting our seasons back on schedule but they seem to still be off considering hatches, etc. The Upper Manistee and Boardman still have a lot of water in them and have a slight stain thanks to some rain last week but water temps are getting closer to where they should be. The high water – I think – had washed in a lot of food (worms) and both the streamer and dry fly bite was off making for some tough fishing.

With more warm weather in store look for Sulphurs, March Browns, Great Speckled Olives, Black Quills, BWO and little Mahoganies to offer some great dry fly fishing – most likely in the evenings. Between hatches and surface activity try streamer fishing with patterns that suggest chestnut lampreys, night crawlers and sculpins. If fishing waters with smaller brook trout and stocked brown or rainbow trout, use patterns that look similar. Below Tippy Dam the carp are starting to show up and spawn which can slow the trout fishing down. Consider nymphing right behind the carp as the trout often sit right behind them to eat their eggs.

Ponds and lakes are just starting to come on-line with fish moving into the shallows. The bass have been slightly more active as the bluegill begin their spawning. Some of the year’s largest fish are taken on the fly over the next month as the big and wise fish stay deep most of the year. Surface activity is slower than subsurface right now so try small streamers and nymphs retrieved slowly but have some dries ready should the wind lay down and fish start looking up.

Spring steelhead are pretty much all done on the Manistee and Boardman although you will find a fish or two throughout their spawning grounds finishing up their important work. 2014 was a great Spring run with a lot of fish moving through once winter let up. I already look forward to the fall season and if the steelhead eat in the lake as well as they did last summer, we will certainly have our hands full with some strong chromers.

The big sun, warm temps and lack of winds over the weekend will help warm up some of the shallow water on the flats and get the carp and smallmouth bass fishing going soon. Pre-spawn carp can offer some of the best fishing of the year, they can just be fickle and difficult to find. When you do find them, they will often be nose down and “mudding” looking to eat.

Good luck,

Ted

Hatches and Big Bugs – Few dates remain in June for the big bugs – Isos, Drakes and the Hex.
Terestrials, Tricos and Trout – July and August fly fishing for trout on the upper Manistee.
Steelhead and Salmon – While Spring is late getting here, it’s not too early to reserve your Fall Dates.

boardman, carp, carp and smallmouth bass, dry flies, fly fishing traverse, Manistee below Tippy Dam, steelhead, sulphurs, upper manistee river

Cooler Days, Cooler Nights and Cooler Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 16, 2012

After a long, warm summer, some cooler weather has settled over the region and changed the fishing up a bit.

Some recent rain has improved the streamer fishing for trout on the Upper Manistee. Water levels are still low and clear so adjust and use a smaller streamer pattern than what is often used in the high, dirty water in the spring and early summer. Dry fly action has improved since the last report and cold-front with the fish looking up for terrestrials: hoppers, beetles and flying ants. If the pattern has foam and rubber legs, use them and try putting a lot of action into the fly to conjure up a rise. The morning Trico hatch is winding down but you will still want some of those flies with you if you are heading to the river in the mornings. BWO’s, Cahills and Isonychias have been about the only thing hatching and by no means are they prolific, but the fish do notice them more some days than others.

Last week’s winds brought some cooler water near shore and with that comes salmon. Some fish have trickled into the Manistee and Betsie Rivers with more to come in September as their spawning urge kicks-in, the nights get cooler and the days get shorter. Early King salmon can provide some of the best streamer fishing we can experience in Michigan but this –like “trophy trout” streamer fishing is a quality thing, not a quantity thing. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Look for fish to be in the lower sections of rivers “holed-up” wondering what to do now that they are in shallow water and not crashing bait.

Lake fishing continues to offer good fishing for those looking to get their still-water and bass fix. Largemouth bass continue to eat both surface and sub-surface flies and on the cloudy days, they seem to be in shallower and feeding more aggressively. Smaller poppers have been working better than the big, loud ones and the edges of lily pads are a great place to start. Bluegill and panfish are still eager to come to the fly on the surface for someone looking to catch a bunch of fish on top. The bigger gills have gone deep and are hard to get with fly gear – look for them to move in shallow in low-light conditions as the water’s cool.

Smallmouth bass are still an option for those looking to fish rivers. The Manistee has been fishing best with baitfish patterns fished on a light sink-tip being the best fly lately. Half-and-halfs, murdich’s minnows, whistlers and circus peanuts in white are worth having in your box.

Good Luck,

Ted

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Trout: Terrestrials & Trico hatches in August – start your mornings off on a cool, quiet trout stream.
Salmon: The end of August begins our salmon season extending through September. Limited dates available.
Steelhead: The end of September means it’s time to focus on fall steelhead – extending though November
Booking for all 2012 Seasons and through June 2013 – reserve your place in the boat

bass fishing, betsie river, salmon, smallmouth bass, streamers, terrestrials, trout, upper manistee river

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