Fishing Report 7/11/24

July 11, 2024 Northern Angler Fishing Report

July is here and we are through with the Hex hatch, still seeing trout looking up only this time of year. Time for attractor patterns, ants, beetles, hoppers and really anything foam!  Super fun time of year to get out and fish in the daylight and if you really want to still fish under the cover of darkness- get out and bust out the rodents and frogs.  Bass and warmwater fish are such a great option this time of year with poppers creating the fun surface strikes that make your heart skip a beat and when they are not surface oriented, a baitfish or crayfish pattern will typically get them going.  This is a great time to also go check out some creeks and get off the beaten path.  We have a deep selection of all the flies you need for whatever you are looking to pursue.

Manistee River Report

Upper Manistee River Trout Report-Tricos and BWO’s are starting to show in the early mornings or on overcast days with some isos still happening in the evenings at dusk with some spruce moths and stoneflies thrown in the mix.  Ants, beetles and smaller hoppers have been producing good action on trout.  This is a great time to get out in the morning and fish until the temps start to rise.  Keep an eye on water temperatures with heat in the forecast.  Night fishing is on the docket for the next several weeks.

Boardman River Report

The Boardman has been great over the past few weeks.  Twitch bugs are working great and the fish are responding well to foam flies with rubber legs, attractor patterns and caddis in the evenings.  This is such a fun resource to have so close to town. The Boardman river does stay cooler than most other local streams, so on the really hot days this can be a really wonderful option. Get out and explore.

Local Lakes Report

Bass and bluegill are marauding around looking for poppers in the early mornings and evenings, and some pike are cruising the weedbeds looking for an easy meal.  Pick a lake that you have never fished before and go explore the edges and dropoffs.  One of the things we have in this area would be plenty of lakes that can be easily accessed with a canoe, kayak or small watercraft.  I really enjoy trying new lakes in the evenings and casting poppers for the bass and bluegill contained in these bodies of water.