Fishing Report 4/18/25

Manistee River

Spring has officially arrived in Northern Michigan, as reflected in the forecast. With temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 degrees during the day and staying above freezing at night, the steelhead fishing on the Manistee River has remained consistent. Most days offer multiple opportunities to hook a steelhead. Flows are gradually decreasing, and visibility in the stream is about 2 feet coming out of Tippy. Additionally, we have observed our annual walleye migration, with some impressive fish being caught.

On colder mornings, we’ve noticed that the bite improves later in the day as the water warms up. When targeting steelhead, most fish have been found near gravel. Although it's mid-April, the majority of the fish seem to be pre-spawn, with few actively spawning or dropback fish observed. The cooler temperatures we've experienced this spring have delayed this process, which we believe will extend the fishing season this year.

The most effective flies have been egg imitations, these are essential for fishing at this time of year. The colors that have been successful include bright oranges, pinks, clowns, and chartreuse. It's a good idea to have both larger and smaller sizes tied, as the fish seem to prefer different sizes from day to day. Fry patterns and hex nymphs have also been effective lately, and we expect this to improve as the season progresses. Swinging flies has yielded some success in deeper runs behind gravel areas, with bright and flashy flies proving to find some players.

This is prime time for spring steelhead fishing, so it’s a great opportunity to get out on the water. We still have limited dates available if you’d like to schedule a day with one of our guides.

Betsie River

The Betsie River has received good reports from anglers fishing both below and above the dam. Steelhead have primarily been caught using egg patterns, with bright colors proving to be the most effective. Duller or dead colored eggs have had their moments as well. Nymphs, such as large pheasant tails, stoneflies, hex, and fry patterns, should also be included in every angler’s box this time of year.

When fishing these nymphs under an indicator, remember to let them swing out at the end of your presentation. This action of allowing the nymph to rise through the water column can be a trigger for fish. This can be the key some days for the more pressured fish that have seen many other types of presentations.