Posts tagged ‘Grand Traverse Bay’
Rio's Dredger Line
The Detroit Free Press recently ran two articles of interest to Northern Michigan fly anglers. The first one is written by the Free Press’ regular outdoor columnist, Eric Sharp, and it relates the details of his recent trip to the Soo to fish for Atlantic salmon with well-known local guide John Giuliani. As Sharp relates, they spent the afternoon fishing out of a boat below the power plant on the Canadian side, and on the particular day that they were fishing, it was a bit cold and the bite was slow. Nevertheless they managed to boat a few fish.
As Sharp discovered, when the weather is better, the bite can already be very good at the Soo. Large numbers of Atlantic salmon are already in the area, and Giuliani stated that “Atlantic salmon will continue to arrive and stage in the river through late August, when huge numbers of pink and chinook salmon arrive. At that point [Giuliani] switches from fishing in the boat to wading the rapids, where it’s common to catch 20 to 40 salmonids of three or four species in one day.” If you’re interested, now is the time to book your trip as all available spots will fill fast.
Rio's Carp Line
Also in the Free Press recently is an article on carp fishing in Grand Traverse Bay with Traverse City-based guide Dave McCool — owner of McCool Outdoor. Fly fishing for carp on Grand Traverse Bay has become something of a angling destination in the United States at this point, but McCool was on the leading-edge of that years ago.
Carp, as he notes in the article, are really only available at a flats target in Grand Traverse Bay from May through the first week of July, but because of the growing popularity of the fish among fly anglers, McCool is starting to look to the flats along the southern shore of the Upper Peninsula as a way to extend the season for chasing carp with a fly. In the article McCool is quoted as saying “that’s what I need to find, places where we can extend the carp fishing season into August. I already have people who want to send anglers here from England, where carp fishing is huge. But we need to be able to find fish for another six weeks to make it go.”
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Manistee River in Summer
The up and down, inconsistent weather has our Hex hatch continuing a little longer than anyone would have guessed at the beginning of the season. Numerous days of cool (sometimes cold) weather put the pugs on hold while little warm-ups triggered small emergences. The heat and sun forecast for this week should get those patient nymphs out of their beds and into the air and bring an end to the hatch. Water levels and temps are good for this time of year.
The Upper Manistee River has had sporadic hex bugs and the Isonycias have been pretty solid with the fish responding well. Other bugs include: Little Yellow Sally Stones, BWOs, Light Cahills, and some big stones. Look for Tricos to start shortly in the early mornings and small terrestrial patterns turning some fish as the day goes on. Evenings are the best time to experience a hatch of the bugs detailed above. After dark, try a mouse/large surface fly that moves water and casts a silhouette.
The Lower Manistee below Tippy Dam is still fishing well for trout as the water temperatures have remained cooler than normal for this time of year. Caddis, wet flies, midge and streamers are all taking fish. The smallmouth bass in this section of river is building each day, and so look for them to be the primary target over the next six weeks.
The Boardman is still experiencing Hex duns and spinner falls and the Gray Drake spinners continue to build above riffles at dusk. Have some Little Yellow Sallies, Light Cahills, Tan Caddis (#16/18) and some terrestrials in your box.
Ode to Carp. Carp fishing in the bays is pretty much done as they have been providing action for the last six weeks. The weather has made it difficult to pattern the fish – (when and where), but with this warm-up keep your eye out as you drive along the bay – you might just find a pod to fish to. Smallmouth bass numbers are dwindling as they are moving back into some deeper water, but look for fish cruising the shallow water during mornings and evenings. With the recent full-moon, crayfish molt and become a soft-shell favorite of smallmouth.
Lake fishing is prime for small and largemouth fishing. With the weed growth, look for the largemouth bass to come on poppers, divers and sliders – a great way to spend a morning or evening. Look for the smallmouth to be on the edges of drop-offs looking to eat crayfish and baitfish patterns. Bring a hex dun pattern too if you are going to be out late – some good surface action can occur as lakes often experience a long, drawn out emergence lasting up to five weeks.
Charter Boats on Lake Michigan are reporting healthy and large salmon so far this spring and early summer. This fall’s run that begins in late August continuing into October should be a good one. If you don’t have your dates reserved for a guided trip, start your planning and be in touch to ensure a day or two in a boat on the water doing battle with fresh, strong salmon.
Ted Kraimer is a professional guide and fly tier, owner of Current Works Guide Service, and field editor for True|North|Trout. His fishing reports will continue to appear in T|N|T and on his website.
Two-Hearted and Hex
Finally after a cool spring, summer just came, and so did the hot weather. This week’s pressure-cooker and sunlight were just what we needed to get the bugs going on local rivers.
The Manistee has hex bugs, but it’s just the first couple of nights, and the numbers are decent, and it will only build over the next week or so. The heat has an effect on the bugs – they are emerging at odd times as well as traditional hours. The hatch can be short-lived and sporadic and even isolated; if you don’t find bugs, go around the corner and you might find some. In addition to the hexes, there are still some brown drakes around and Isonycias. Some more of the big stoneflies can be seen bouncing on the water and that can be a great way to get a fish to leave their lair while waiting for the night’s mayflies. Look for the smallmouth bass to continue improve on the Lower Manistee.
The Boardman, too, has Hex in some sections. A lot of the bugs are coming from the ponds, and there can be prolific spinner falls as well as emergences. Make sure you have some brown drakes in your box and also be stocked up on gray drakes – a must for this time of year on the Boardman.
Grand Traverse Bay is still fishing well for carp and smallmouth bass. The recent heat has pushed many of the fish beyond the spawn and they are looking to eat some flies after their spawning ritual. Hex nymphs, gobies and leeches are best. There seem to be fewer crayfish around for some reason and therefore crayfish patterns haven’t been as effective as in past years, but if you see some bouncing around, tie one on. The Smallmouth are continuing to build in numbers, too, cruising in the shallow water looking to eat. They can move fast so be on them quickly, with a good presentation, and hold on as they jump a few times during the fight.
Ted Kraimer is a professional guide and fly tier, owner of Current Works Guide Service, and field editor for True|North|Trout. His fishing reports will continue to appear in T|N|T and on his website.
