Fishing Report 6/27/25
Summer is in full swing here in Traverse City and it looks like we still have plenty of warm water forecasted for the next week. Please make sure you're monitoring water temperatures while trout fishing!
Boardman River
As of today, water temperatures are in the 60s, which is great to see following the extreme heat we experienced last week. Many Northern Michigan rivers reached the 70s, making it unethical to catch and release trout. The Boardman River, however, benefits from cold spring influences, and the dam removals have helped keep it cool—even during the warmest weather patterns.
Streamer fishing has remained steady during the day, with skunks, woolly buggers, and various twitch bugs all proving successful. In the evenings, you may still find Sulfur and Iso hatches. Our shop staff is eagerly anticipating the Hex hatch, and we’ve already heard reports of the first Hex flies starting to emerge in the silty sections of the river.
Manistee River
The recent warm-up significantly impacted the Manistee River, with water temperatures hitting the 70s in both the lower and upper sections—too warm for ethical catch-and-release trout fishing. Fortunately, cooler nighttime temps and rain in the forecast should help bring temperatures back into a safe range.
The Hex hatch is underway on the lower river, and the upper river is just beginning to experience it. Now is the time to get out there—but don’t forget your bug spray, headlamp, thermometer, and a good selection of spinners and duns. It’s one of the most magical hatches Michigan has to offer.
Traverse Bay
Fishing remains productive in both East and West Bay for anglers targeting smallmouth bass or carp on the fly. Bass are still on beds in many areas, and carp are around—if you know where to look.
To locate larger numbers of carp, focus on finding the warmest water temperatures available on the flats. Productive flies include small crayfish and leech patterns ranging from 0.5 to 1.25 inches in length. Use a 9-foot 1X fluorocarbon leader (or a 9-foot 8# saltwater fluorocarbon leader). On calm days, consider adding 3 extra feet of tippet for a total leader length of 12 feet; on windier days, shorten it to about 10 feet. The more separation you can maintain between your fly line and the fly—while still casting comfortably—the better your chances.