Fishing Report 4/25/25
April 24, 2025 Northern Angler Fly Shop Fishing Report
Trout Opener weekend is upon us and we are looking forward to slowly shifting gears from spring steelhead to trout fishing and dry flies. The forecast looks great for opening day with favorable temperatures and conditions for Hendricksons to be happening in the late afternoons. The more “normal” spring has brought us a good snow melt and spring rains have brought water levels back up from the past couple of seasons that have plagued our region with low, clear water. It is great to look at the water levels and the spring tannin stain in our local rivers and know that the fish should be happy and looking to feed as the spring season progresses. The rivers look great and it is a great time to be a trout angler in the northwoods.
The grouse have been drumming, the songbirds singing, and sandhill cranes have set up rookeries along the swampy meadows along the lower Manistee. Each morning has been magical and the symphony of spring with everything coming to life after a long winter has been a wonderful greeting to each new day. Time to dust off the cribbage board, choose your euchre partner and enjoy a long weekend in the woods. Look for the early morels, pay homage to a favored spot, think of the fellow anglers we have lost this year, and any other traditions trout opener brings along and get out and enjoy Mother Nature in the early spring glory.
Upper Manistee
The Upper Manistee is looking really good for streamer fishing and definitely look for Hendricksons in the late afternoons to start hatching as the water temps are favorable for dry fly activity. Things are slowly gaining momentum and it seems like the season has been steadily progressing with warmer temperatures and rainfall. Streamer fishing has been good and be prepared when you hit the river with a variety of sizes from smaller realistic patterns to larger articulated patterns. Keep switching up colors and sizes until you notice a better reaction from the fish. Dark day, dark fly or bright day, bright fly is always a good place to start and vary up your retrieve rate and rod actions to mimic how hard the fish are charging the fly. Be prepared with Hendricksons, little black stoneflies, soft hackles for the late afternoons and look for fish rising around the slower riffles and pools below the riffles.
Manistee Below Tippy Dam
The Manistee below Tippy dam still has a good number of steelhead in the system. Many fish are spawning and dropping back, but we are still seeing bright chrome fish every day. Nymph patterns were productive all week with fry patterns and black stoneflies being the shining stars this week. Couple those with nuke eggs or smaller rag eggs and get ready to do battle. The water has a great stain and both Marco and Ted had clients have some incredible takes on Spey flies this week so do not overlook the swing opportunities spring steelhead can bring. Smaller tributaries that feed into the Big River have fish dropping out after their successful spawning and those fish are scattered throughout the lower river. Streamer fishing for browns and pre-spawn bass will start to pick up with the temperatures hitting the 50 degree mark.
Boardman River
The Boardman about Beitner opens on Saturday and so many of our locals are excited for the opener as the river looks to be in great shape after the winter. Survival rate for the winter should be great and fish have been gorging on worms with the high water a few weeks ago. Taking a hike up by Brown Bridge leaves even those who don’t fish wanting to pick up a rod and cast a line in the riffles and pools. Focus on streamers and larger nymphs for Opening Day on the Boardman. Heavy streamers to get down quickly and stay in the zone for the browns to come out from the undercut banks to chase the fly down. Working nymphs in the riffles should be productive and look for the Boardman to fish well this spring and summer with the higher water.