Fishing Report 2/27/25
February 27, 2025 Northern Angler Fishing Report
The warm temperatures this week have started the spring thaw and we are chomping at the bit to get out and chase fish on a more regular basis! The staff has been carving out some time to get out and fish and it has been a good winter. Our winter here at The Northern Angler has been busy with fly tying events, inventory and destination travel. Join us for the Fly Fishing Film Tour this Saturday at the City Opera House. Door prizes galore and some pretty epic films should top off a great Saturday night.This is the perfect kick-off to spring.
Our guides still have a few spring dates still available, so give us a call at the shop 231-933-4730 and we can reserve a date or two for you to get out and chase some chrome! It is not too early to book May trout and smallmouth trips, so if you have some dates in mind, please give us a call and we can get you on the calendar.
Manistee River Below Tippy Dam
This winter has been very productive on the Big Manistee for those who are willing to get out and brave the elements, the reward has been there in the form of steelhead. We had a really good fall and that has continued throughout the late winter. Water levels look great with the runoff from the snow melt and a good number of wild fish are present in the system. I was out yesterday and there were fish rolling and moving which is always encouraging.
Egg Patterns, beads and nymphs have all been productive. Stoneflies were hatching on the snowbanks in the late afternoon and hex nymphs, caddis, steelhead buggers, alevin patterns are all what you need to focus on fishing over the next several weeks. On sunny days, a more natural egg color, Oregon cheese, and clown eggs have been most productive. Cloudy days, look for chartreuse and brighter colors to produce fish. The water has a winter stain to it, but the visibility is still really favorable for fishing and this stain helps to keep the fish a little bit less spooky. A nice change from the incredibly low, clear water we had this fall and winter.
Betsie River
The Betsie River is starting to pick up pace and fresh fish are showing up with the warm up in the lower end and up to Homestead Dam. Betsie had a decent winter of fish and there are winter fish scattered throughout the system. Look for the smaller systems, like the Betsie, Bear Creek, Platte, and Boardman Rivers to react more quickly to the spring thaw than the Manistee. Spring melt has brought the Betsie up a bit, but it is still clear and really fishable. Egg patterns, stoneflies are definitely the top producing patterns on the Betsie right now, but based on the number of salmon, the fry patterns will be the ticket very soon.
The Northern Angler Fly Shop is excited to see our 22nd steelhead season start to kick off and we have some great new gear in the shop. Stop by and see us when you are in Traverse City. As always, thanks for taking the time to read our fishing report.