As Temps and Snow Fall Steelhead Conintue

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 25, 2013

It appears that Winter has come in fast and hard dropping both air and water temperatures not to mention some of the white stuff. Back a week ago when it was still Fall, we received significant rainfall in the region increasing water levels and the number of fish in local rivers like the Manistee, Betsie and Boardman. While the water was high and dirty, it has come down and once/if more seasonal weather comes back anglers will find plenty of fish around to play with throughout the winter. Right now the challenge can be getting to the river rather than catching the fish.

As the water continues to drop in levels and temps, look for steelhead to be sitting in those soft pockets and the tail-outs of the deeper holes. Drag free drifts using indicators and floats with egg and nymph combo on the business end would be a good place to start. Those who enjoy the two-hand approach to swinging flies will find fish still looking to eat, but that window where fish will chase a fly down is getting pretty narrow as water temps creep into the upper 30’s.

Good luck, stay warm and keep an extra change of clothes just in case.

Ted

Steelhead -With plenty of fish in local rivers it should be a good Winter. Got your Spring Steelhead dates?
Gift Certificates – Ask for or give a Gift Certificate for guide trip or lesson – Make them Happy Holidays!
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

manistee, steelhead, swinging flies

Mid-November Fly Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 14, 2013

After a change in the weather the past week it appears that mother nature has made up for the mild fall we experienced in the beginning. After some snow, rain, temperatures below freezing and lots of wind, it appears most anglers are looking to pick their days based on the weather. Traffic on the water is down with plenty of steelhead around to play with. With the dropping water temps, fish are starting to act a little lethargic when hooked, but not all of them. Look for the steelhead to start to move into the transitional water between the quick runs and the soft side of the seam and some of the larger holes. A little sunlight can make a big difference as it warms up the water a degree or two and can help trigger more activity.

Eggs continue to be the primary diet of fish as the millions of salmon eggs continue to drift down stream even though the salmon are pretty much gone. Pale colored egg patterns like nuke and rags seem to be working best: egg/steelhead orange, Oregon cheese/burnt orange, tetra yellow/light roe have been good color combos lately. Smaller natural nymphs are starting to have their effect on both steelhead and trout in waters like the Manistee below Tippy Dam – caddis, pheasant tails, and scuds are great candidates. Olive and copper streamers have been the effective pattern colors when swinging flies. Look for the streamer bite for trout on the Manistee to get going as the fish drop back into their lies after a fall of having their noses close to the spawning salmon.

More fresh fish continue to move up the Betsie and Manistee rivers thanks to the rains which have provided fish throughout the river systems. Water is slightly stained and running a little higher than normal for this time of year but is generally in good shape. Be prepared to fish a few ways – drift fishing, indicator fishing over structure and even swinging a fly on a sink-tip.

Friday Nov. 15 th is opening day of firearm deer season. Be careful and respectful of hunters and wear a some blaze orange to be safe while fishing. The season extends through Nov. 30th.

Good luck.

Ted

Steelhead -Fall fishing continues through winter and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing now that the salmon are gone.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

betsie river steelhead, fly fishing report, manistee, nymphs egg patterns. swinging flies, steelhead, tippy dam, traverse city

Rain, Steelhead and Fall

Posted by Ted Kraimer - November 7, 2013

The past week has been a wet one in the northwestern part of Michigan with significant rainfalls shuffling fish around and bringing in new ones. Water levels were coming down nicely before we received another batch of rain raising the levels and adding some stain to rivers but also bringing in some new fish as well.

As water temps continue to drop into the mid-40’s on the Manistee the fish have become a little more lethargic when hooked and the fish are starting to transition into some deeper and slower runs. But don’t overlook the water that has been fishing well the past month as the steelhead can be anywhere. While majority of the fish have been eating egg patterns – often big, bright ones in the dirty water, the nymphs and streamers have been working on fish, too. As the water gets cooler look for alternative presentations to add to your approach – indicators, swung flies and picking small buckets apart for a fish here, and a fish there.

Good luck,

Ted

Steelhead -Fall fishing continues through winter and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

fishing, fishing report, fly fishing, manistee, rain, steelhead

October Fly Fishing in Northern Michigan

Posted by Ted Kraimer - October 3, 2013

With the flip of the calendar, a look at the fall color in the trees and chrome in the water- the only thing wrong is we only have four weeks to enjoy what the month has to offer.

October Fly Fishing in Northern Michigan is one of my favorite months to fish. Cool mornings, clear days and big fish. Steelhead fishing has picked up a little on the Manistee as they take full advantage of the salmon eggs drifting downstream. There are still good numbers of King Salmon in the Betsie and Manistee Rivers with the majority of the fish on gravel doing their thing. Steelhead take note and residence in the holes, pocket water and slots below them taking advantage of the “protein drip”. Egg patterns have been the most effective patterns lately with a few nymph patterns also proving worthy – caddis, pop’s buggers, and pheasant tails. The water is still clear demanding light leaders and the steelhead have been hard to land with water temps being as warm as they are – the fish are spastic to say the least.

Even though trout season has closed on a number of rivers throughout the state, certain sections of certain rivers like the Manistee remain open. Brook trout fishing remains solid and the brown trout are becoming a little more responsive to our antics now that they are getting closer to their spawning season and angling pressure has dropped off. The streamer bite has picked up a bit – still smaller patterns with the clear water vs. the really big stuff and on top: BWOs and terrestrials like ants and beetles and the occasional smaller Isonychias.

Good luck

Ted

Steelhead -A few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.
Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.
2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

betsie river, brook trout, egg flies, egg patterns, king salmon, manistee, october steelhead fishing, trout, upper-manistee

Salmon Continue to Migrate

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 17, 2013

It’s really starting to feel like September with cool weather in the a.m. and warm weather in the afternoon – lots of clothing layers are being shed throughout the day.

Salmon continue to be the primary target of anglers fishing in the region. Most area rivers like the Betsie and Manistee have decent numbers of fish in them. Remember, these fish are migratory and they can be in a particular section one day and have moved on the next. It has been a long season already and it should be interesting to see how long fish continue to move from Lake Michigan upstream.

The king/chinook salmon continue to sit in holes staging for their spawning ritual that has actually begun for some; a few fish have hit the gravel and started mating. Effective flies have been the usual suspects – various nymphs like hex, caddis, pheasant tails, stones and even some smaller leeches. Egg patterns, too, have taken fish recently but no real favorite color has out-performed – as always with salmon, mix up the colors and patterns until you find one that works.

Trout fishing is decent – some dry fly fishing has brought some fish to the surface as the warmer daytime temps increase the water just a bit. Terrestrials and terrestrial patterns have been working but so have some generic attractors and even the classic Adams. If heading out, be sure to have some BWOs as this time of year can offer some good match-the-hatch opportunities. Streamer fishing is starting to get better but it’s the smaller patterns fished on a small sink-tip that seem to be moving the most fish. The water on the Upper Manistee is extremely clear so wade carefully and cast a ways away – the fish are weary after a long summer.

Good luck,

Ted

– Sorry, at this time all salmon dates are booked. Be sure to act early next year to reserve your dates –

The Fall 2013 Newsletter just went out – click here to read and/or subscribe

Steelhead -Just a few fall steelhead dates remain and it’s not too early to book your Spring 2014 Steelhead dates.

Trout – Late fall trout fishing can be some of the best streamer and nymph fishing once the salmon leave.

2014 Fishing – It’s not too early to start booking your 2014 dates – reserve you place in the boat today.

Betsie, fishing, fly fishing, manistee, salmon, steelhead

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Posts tagged "manistee"