Fishing Report 7/16/19
Weather this week looks to be hit and miss but it will be worth some time on the water to stay cool in the heat of Northern Michigan summer. It might be a good idea to pack a swimsuit on the water as either it will be pouring rain or hot and muggy.
TROUT
Most trout anglers have finished up their late night Hex missions after a great extended season of fun after dark. Surely some of the colder watersheds will still have hatches and spinner falls but fish may have wised up to our tricks so you'll have to play it out with delicate presentations and smooth drifts. While the majority of the hatches may be done, many fish can still be tempted to the surface if you drift some larger patterns in the early morning hours. ISOs will continue to hatch for several more weeks where good riffle water exists if you'd like to target fish instead of searching.
We would recommend starting to carry your terrestrial boxes full of ants, beetles, and hoppers. Cast to likely spots with shade and overhanging foliage and you might get a nice fish to blow up your fly.
OTHER
Bass anglers are reporting summer conditions starting to take hold on most inland waters making smallies tougher to catch consistently. Largemouth will continue to be predicable staying pinned in tight to the bank or lurking beneath lilly pads or concentrations of reeds. Load up the boat with a full cooler and go toss some poppers for a fun evening of topwater action and you will not be disappointed. It might be fun to take a light rod rigged with some rubber spiders or smaller poppers ready to target some of the gills that will linger throughout the summer.
GRAND TRAVERSE BAY
The bay's temperature will fluctuate on a daily basis depending on wind direction. It was over seventy degrees the other day but we all know that a south wind can knock it right back down in short order. Smallmouth are still being caught from 7-15 feet down with crayfish imitations. Carp are still around but tend to be extra spooky or busy spawning this time of year. Really work to find happy fish that are actively feeding and not just cruising and you'll have a much better shot and getting a fish to follow.