Fishing Report 4/21/23
It’s TROUT TIME!! Spring is in full swing and everything is starting to green up. The trees are budding and it is so enjoyable to watch the process every day from the river. Michigan’s Trout Opener is next Saturday and it looks like Hennies will be on tap for the Upper Manistee!!! Whoooo Hooo! Other great news is that the didymo mats have receded from CCC to Sharon. There have been BWO’s and Hennies popping but we need to get the water temps up just a bit for the trout to rise.
The Upper Manistee should be in fine shape for opening day and smaller streamers have been productive for trout. Be sure you have dry flies for opening day! We are so excited for trout season and looking forward to seeing how the trout respond to the receding didymo blooms. We are cautiously optimistic and are looking forward to a better trout season. Make sure you get your new fishing license if you have not done so already. Enjoy some time with friends and family and create some wonderful “Opening Day” memories, dust off your cribbage game and keep your fingers crossed for rising trout.
Manistee below Tippy dam is still holding on to some steelhead and some nice trout hitting fry in the afternoons. Smallmouth bass pre-spawn is beginning and we anticipate a few fish to still trickle in during the next week or two, and then time to focus on smallmouth. It has been an odd spring run for the steelhead and we are thankful for the fish we have each day.
Ausable River has had bugs for the off and on over the past week. Sounds like things should be in great shape by opening day and look for the afternoon risers and enjoy the excitement and traditions that revolve around the Grayling area. Streamer fishing is always an option before any afternoon bug activity.
Even though the didymo blooms have subsided in some of the Manistee sections, it is still very important to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” your equipment between different rivers! Please fish ethically and responsibly and if you are in waters with rainbow trout, be cautious wading around the redds. There should be some great trout fishing behind any of the redds in streams and smaller waters that have spawning steelhead. Focus on the dark water and look for some big browns to be hiding in the shadows. Most of all have FUN and get out on the water to enjoy what Northern Michigan has to offer! Thanks for taking the time to read our fishing report and we appreciate your support of our fly shop.