November 2024 News

From Brian:

The fall season started off with an incredible trip to Angler’s Alibi outside on King Salmon Alaska. The trip was amazing in so many aspects and the group that went have been lifelong friends with a commonality for the love of fishing. I started guiding some of the anglers in the group back in 1998 and what an awesome experience to share with customers which have become friends through the years. It was truly a trip of a lifetime and everyone that went had an absolutely great time mainly targeting rainbow trout on the Alagnak River. The fishery is pretty amazing. Some days we landed 5 or 6 different species in one day. Some of the group did flyouts to other rivers or made the run up to “the braids” to chase trout while the bears fed on the salmon.  Local Mangled Fly guide, Jeff Topp has spent the last twenty five summers in that area, mostly on the Alagnak and it was an incredible experience to spend the week and having him show us around his “summer home” on the banks of a premier Bristol Bay watershed. 

Returning to Michigan the fall migratory fish season kicked off and despite the low water coho and king salmon were running in mass from mid to late August through the first week of November. This year on the Manistee River felt like I had stepped back in time to my early guiding career with the number and size of the salmon. Each day I hit the river I was amazed by the resource we have and the abundance of fish in the system. Watching the eagles migrate through, waterfowl and all the bankside critters tying into the life cycle of the salmon leaves me awstruck that the river is my office on a daily basis. With the salmon, the fall steelhead followed and this year has been much better than expected after such a dismal run in both the fall of 2023 and spring run of 2024. 

Those of you who know, realize how much I love the fall steelhead season and despite the incredibly nice weather, the fish have shown up to play. It has been an absolute joy to spend days on the river with all the loyal clients that have fished with me throughout the past 27 years.  So many great memories made and times shared, thank you all. Those relationships are why I guide and it has been one long strange trip. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds with our ever changing fisheries and sharing more adventures together. 

The shop is going well, thanks for your support and we have some really exciting things planned for the Holiday and winter tying season. Keep in mind we have a website and ship orders out daily right to your door for those of you who cannot make it to the shop. Matt has worked diligently on the website, social media, podcast and youtube channel and we will be adding more content this late fall and winter. He does an amazing job!  We are really excited to have added two new staff members, Marco Ross and Cliff Buell. 

Marco joins us from West Yellowstone where he was managing Big Sky Anglers and he is a Spey junkie and is really excited to be back to Michigan and chasing steel on swung flies. He and his wife Mackenzie have found a beautiful spot to call home.  Welcome Marco!!

Cliff Buell is back on the river and in the shop after moving to Indiana to raise his two daughters. He has added a great dynamic and energy to the shop and it is so great to see his smiling face and jovial demeanor on the river. 

I am really excited for the coming year and thank you all for your support. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Get out and fish!