Fishing Report 6/20/25
June 19, 2025 – Northern Angler Fishing Report
There’s been a buzz around the shop all week as folks stop in to compare notes on the mayflies, Brown Drakes, and the elusive Hex. Well—they’re finally starting to go on the Manistee! While the hatches and spinner falls have been inconsistent, there have been some truly magical moments and unforgettable nights already.
This weekend’s extreme heat should really get the big bugs of June going river-wide. The HEX HATCH is on! Sleepless nights and caffeinated mornings are here. Be sure to monitor water temperatures and use heavy leaders (0X, 1X, 2X) and tippet when battling the big browns of June. At night, leader size is less critical than a good drag-free drift—so cast, mend, and stay sharp for the wary ones!
A huge thank you to all of the participants, donors, and volunteers who helped make our Annual Cheese Cup a great success! We raised just over $6,100 after expenses—not including donations sent directly to Child and Family Services for the event. It was a super fun day for a great cause. Thank you, everyone!
Manistee River – Below Tippy Dam
Fishing below Tippy continues to produce trout and smallmouth. With extreme heat forecasted this weekend, expect trout activity to slow and smallmouth action to pick up. Adjust your tactics accordingly.
Upper Manistee River
Stable temps this week have sparked more consistent mayfly activity. Isonychias, Brown Drakes, and Hex are all showing up—but not yet system-wide. You might find great bugs in one bend and nothing just a few hundred yards away. It’s the classic Manistee puzzle of chasing hatches.
The fish are definitely looking up, and dry fly fishing has been solid all week. Productive patterns include Alex’s All Day Iso, Alex’s Daytime Drake, McCoy’s Iso, and the Cherry Bomb. Attractor stonefly patterns have also been working well. We’re seeing big golden stones—“mattress thrashers”—this week. Fish these with a twitch or some movement for best results.
Streamer fishing has slowed a bit, but the rain from yesterday and last night could turn things back on for a couple of days. The fish are keyed in on mayflies right now—they’ll chase streamers, but they’re having commitment issues when it comes time to eat.
Boardman River
Thanks to the recent rain, the Boardman is in great shape after running a bit low and clear. Fish are starting to look up for attractor patterns like Hippie Stompers, rubber-legged ants, and Chubby Chernobyls. Nymphs and small streamers are also producing fish. This is a fantastic little river to explore—now’s a great time to get out there.