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Updated 05-03-08

Nice job Bill.

Fishing for trout lately has been hot, but the steelhead has been not.  The last shot of rain we were hoping to get allot more fish, and they are still passing a few but nothing like what we would like.  The brown fishing has been great with streamers, nymphs, and even a few dry fly slurps here and there, but everything but the streamers will likely slow with all the rain we got last night.  We have gotten some really good rain up here the last couple of days, so for all of you streamer freaks, this would be the time to be here.  Had a two hundred plus inch day with the Matt and Ryan, a couple of veterans, and my trip yesterday with Mr. Fettis was a success with a mild stain and a hundred plus inches of gold.  The bite, as it has been when the sun isn't out, was great with the rain and should be great if not huge today.  The water temps are in the lower 50's and slowly rising again and the trout are loving it.  I was fishing behind a half dozen boats yesterday doing the same thing and the trout were slashing at that fly all over the place.  Needless to say with the darker water the next few days streamers will be the way to go, and really big ones aren't out of the question; two days ago, while a client was bringing in a respectable foot long brown, a much larger and gator like slob came out of no where to try and rob my client of his victory, but was denied when it saw the boat.  Just goes to show you just how big a fly you can use to turn these slobs!!!

      

Browns have been the best way to go for the past few days since the steelhead run has taken a nose dive, but it has been great seeing all the trout taking a shot at the title.  The fish are aggressive, winter starved, and willing to chase it right into the boat with the right presentations.  Fishing all kinds of flies right now, and quite frankly all are working pretty good with white and black being at the top of the list.  Deer heads, sinking heads, cone heads, magic heads, even wool heads are getting attention, but for the next few days I would stick with the larger, water moving flies as the fish will need to feel the bug as much as see it in the dirty and even muddy waters.  I have heard of good streamer fishing up and down the river the last few days, as far down as the sand sections and even beyond.  The biggest fish for my boat have all been in the upper teens, but we had twenty plus on twice yesterday and once up to the boat.  Fishing pressure is still pretty high with a bunch of guys still picking on whats left of the steelhead run, but most that are in step are all ripping streamers right now.  Fish will be holding just about everywhere the next few days with the stained too muddy water, but will always favor water behind structure as it breaks the flow of the current and allows them to watch for food in heavier water.  Injury is everything in your presentation, without it, you just another fish swimming among millions right now.   Good luck out there and wade safe!!

  

Steelhead fishing has taken a nose dive, at the same time there are and will be fish around in the system for some time, and maybe even a long time as the behind or just down right terrible run has a big deficit.  Water temps still had them moving up the river, so I went lower in the river to see if it was any better on a nice cloudy day and it just wasn't.  We just don't have the numbers we had a couple of weeks ago, and even after I thought it was just going to be late, it looks to be just not happening.  The count of spring fish we got was half of what is should have been, and this after a very poor fall/winter which should have led to the larger spring counts.  What few fish we do have running around are all up on gravel and spawning like there was no tomorrow.  The hens are bedding within a couple of days of being in, and usually done in the same amount of time making back to the lake within a week probably.  The males, or whats left of them are getting tired and dark and look like they could really use a vacation, though we did land a couple brighter bulls a few days ago on my last steelhead trip.  A few of the drop backs have been showing interest in the streamers, and we have rolled many of them, and even pricked a few, but we haven't landed one yet stripping streamers in my boat.  Sounds like the best steelhead fishing going lately has been on the Muskegon as they got a good bunch of fish up on their gravels some time ago and are still doing very well.  Haven't heard much about the Big Manistee, but heard the Little Manistee was hitting pretty big with a push of fish as big as our run this year a couple weeks ago up there.  Blame it on the weir, or blame it on the dredging, but lets just try and forget the the steelhead of run of '07/'08 as it was a poor one.

 

Streamer presentation is key right now, with good action producing all of the action.  Without injury you don't have opportunity in a trout's eye.  They are seeing allot of fry, par, smolt, other trout and even eggs, this on top of all the bug life so they are living in a target rich environment.  When you present your streamer to the fish, you better make it look really interesting, injured, and believable.  Fishing pressure is wising them up, but they still have to eat, so those that have their game on, know what to use, and most importantly where and how to use it are doing all the damage where others might be just frothing up the water getting lucky here and there.  Patterns go a long way, but presentation goes even further and it shows as many colors and patterns have been working but more because of how they are being presented.  Whenever the water is colored and above fifty degrees, just know the trout are on the hunt, especially here on the PM where the smolt balls and fry eddies are rich.  Bigger flies to some fisherman seem silly and almost rude, but to a trout it is a way to bulk up faster and easier.  Unlike allot of rivers where trout favor mostly a bug diet and feed casually, PM trout are just viscous.  Say a PM trout is looking for some nymph protein, instead of feeding on the bugs, it will likely just eat a fish feeding on those bugs, especially the bigger trout.  If you can make a smaller fish not only look available but injured as well, you win as your killing two birds with one cast.  Speed isn't always the right cat and mouse game to play with them, and different is always good so mixing up your presentations till you find the right combo will get fish turning faster then sticking with the same old same old.  There are so many trout rolling and turning on your flies in any given day with different scenarios of when the takes occur that fishing with unique techniques and presentations will get you more action then the four boats in front of you trying to low hole you with just a few casts in each hole as they pass.  Myself, I can't wait to get a few days off and get some more fishing in after that toad I popped a week ago, the burn still good and fresh on my index.  Feel free to send any pics of slobs you might like to share, fish porn is something that needs to be seen!!!

Shop is looking good with all kinds of trout and summer goodies.  The fly tying materials are getting up to snuff, and the wader selection is huge for those of you tired of dragging around those old neoprenes and sweating to death.  The warm weather is sneaking in and Franko has some neat flowers starting to bloom out front.  The steelhead fishing is winding down, but trout fishing is heating up with great streamer fishing lately and the big hatches still to come including the Gray Drake hatch just a couple weeks away giving up our first good opportunities on gulpers.  The Sulfurs and Hendricksons will be the hatches to key on as soon as the water drops and heats just a bit more, and terrestrial fishing arrives with the tall grass that is getting a really good push from all the rain we have been getting lately.  Air temps and water conditions make for some really relaxed fishing around here in the summer and we can't wait to see ya.  Mouse trips can really be booked whenever with the season being so large, but the Hex season is already starting to book up because it is such a short happening, so if you looking for the big bug hatch, be sure and call soon.  Call ahead for start times and let us know if you looking for more instruction or fishing so we can establish a better time to go out; early morning is always good for the advanced streamer fisherman, where as the dry fly clients might appreciate the evening hatches and or daytime weather.  Being honest, I am kinda glad the steelhead run is over; from the time the mouse fishing is no more I am already looking forward to the next summer, we are only few weeks from waking season finally and boy was that ever a cold winter this year!!!

Good Luck and Good Fishing.........Tommy Lynch/akaTheFishWhisperer