Fishing Report 9/17/18

Salmon/Steelhead

Honestly, with the high pressure and warm weather we've had the past week time has been better spent on the beaches of Northern Michigan than our Salmon rivers. What fish are in our rivers have been fished to and are wise to our games. Thankfully, we have a cool down on the way with rain mixed in that is sure to bring fresh fish into our rivers. Anglers with a need to get out might want to try casting at the mouths to fish staging just off shore. Be prepared for kings with the standard fare: egg patterns, beads, and bright nymphs. Coho are a little more willing to chase flies and can be a lot of fun if you're looking for something a little different to try, brightly colored streamers are usually best for this.

If you're new to the whole salmon/steelhead thing, check out this recent article and feel confident about your rigging, approach, and techniques.

BE SURE TO CHECK THE REGULATIONS WHERE YOU ARE FISHING!

Trout

While most anglers are focused on salmon, trout fishing has quietly been awesome. You'll still have to cover plenty of water but you're likely to have it all to yourself. Fish are still responding well to hopper and ant patterns on the surface so "boondogging" your way down the river is a great way to go. Make sure you have a few patterns to match Isonychias and white flies for the occasional picky fish. Streamers have also begun to catch attention on our rivers. With clear water keep your flies on the smaller side in neutral colors such as white, tan, and olive. If we get the rain predicted later in the week it may be time to go big in colors they can see such as yellow, black, and chartreuse.