The trout fishing is in a traditional period right now – it is no longer matching the hatch in the evening and into darkness. There are some bugs emerging on the Manistee and Boardman rivers but sporadically – look for Isonychias, Light Cahills, Little Yellow Sallie Stones, BWOs, Gray Drakes (Boardman). The best hatches seem to be occurring in the evening and some in the morning. The cool evenings have been inspiring the bugs to do their thing long before darness. While the majority of bugs on the emergence schedule are beyond us, there are still plenty of flies to cast to fish that either imitate a natural mayfly or terrestrial. To read more about fishing in the weeks following the Hex Hatch, click here.

Look for terrestrial fishing (ants, beetles, grasshoppers, foam and rubber-legged creations) to only get better in the weeks ahead.  Have a Hex pattern in your fly box for those late bloomers/radicals and if you’re going to be on the water in the morning bring your tricos as they should start bringing up fish any day now. Small and weighted streamer patterns fished on a floating line can be a good alternative to the heavy handed approach of sink-tips and large patterns this time of year.

Bass fishing has been really good this summer. Weed growth has been ideal on most local lakes and ponds with the fish taking residence under and nearby the vegetation. Poppers, sliders and diving baitfish are fun to fish on top with crayfish and small baitfish patterns working sub-surface. Bluegill, too, are playing along nicely with us when casting various patterns – both dries and subsurface. Spiders and beetles on top and small streamers and big nymphs fished sub-surface. A popper with a nymph dropper has been real effective in determining their daily preference.

The Carp and Smallmouth bass in the Grand Traverse Bays are mostly done, however the colder water of Lake Michigan and its flats have been providing some opportunity – cover lots of water and if unsuccessful, start thinking about next May already. On GT Bay, look for early and late in the day fishing near drop-offs to be a good place for the fly angler and smallmouth bass as they move into shallow water to eat under low-light conditions.

Smallmouth bass fishing in rivers is getting better as river temperatures warm up and they will only improve as the dog days of summer continue to warm up the lower sections of the Manistee.

Good luck,

Ted

The Summer Newsletter just went out – Click here to read and/or sign up for future delivery

Trout Fishing – Evening hatches should transition to morning trico s and terrestrial fishing as July sets in.
Bluegill & Bass – Lake fishing for both species is a great way to spend some time on the water over summer.
Fall Steelhead – Its not too early to start thinking about fall’s best fishing fish. Late Sept. – Nov.