Fishing Report 4/15/19

Well, if you haven't heard about the steelhead run you might be the only one in the state. The fish are ascending all the major river systems in Northern Michigan and anglers are out in force after them. The easiest spots to access are going to be the busiest so if you're willing to walk and hike a ways from the parking lots you'll have a much better chance of finding an open spot on the river. 

Egg imitations have been the most consistent in the off colored water we've seen the past few weeks. Beads are the most popular in bright and opaque orange colors but yarn is not dead, plenty of fish have also been taken on sizable rag egg patterns and nuke/glo bugs. Be sure to have some stoneflies, caddis, buggers, hex, and fry in your box too for that day when they decide they'd like something different. 

More rain is expected this week that will likely bring the rivers up some but also bring more fresh fish and provided ideal low-light conditions. Pack your rain gear and a dry bag with some extra gloves and layers before spending the day on the water.

If steelhead isn't your thing there are some trout willing to take streamers in our other local watersheds. Please be sure to check stream regulations to make sure you're not fishing a closed section. Unfortunately the closures can be confusing but it's much better to be sure than assume and be wrong. To be clear: The Boardman is still closed upstream of Beitner Park. Unfortunately, you have to dig through the DNR maps to find that it is a Type 1 and will open at the end of the month for trout opener.