So yeah… That was a doozy of a winter indeed, but certainly more normal than the 6 before it.  It fell on us in late November, and save a few melts and lately a few milder days, we have had us a Real Michigan Winter.  Water table did need it in fact, and though I may bitch and moan about my limited outings due to such conditions that even froze the river for several weeks this year; these types of conditions help rebound the resource as a whole as we were low for a number of years. Where small ponds and lakes were evaporating, we are now officially out of a drought scenario when temps would sore in the summers, and still will, but will be cushioned by more flows, originated from a much colder season before.  It’s coming up on April, and the snow is just now finally letting up, even though it snowed last night, and will likely a couple more times I’m sure just to rub some salt in it. Myself, I’m flat tickled that I’ll be able to engage watersheds with added flows, putting more upper sections back on the menu, as well as enhanced streamer conditions that consist of higher, cooler, and colored flows keeping the predator on deck more often then not.  If you’re looking to enhance your streamer prowess, I mean at a level few instructors can convey, this would be a fantastic year to put my ass to work.  Conditions are favorable and Trout Season is just around the corner… I’ll post my openings below for what I’ve got left for the Spring Strip & Rip Season.

Really wish I had more to report from such a long period, but again, that was quite a winter and temps, snow, and ice ups on the river left very limited options, this and the fall winter run of fish was about as bad as it gets, and though now, we have very strong numbers of steelhead/lake bow in the system, it only occurred following the new year and only after a massive higher water melt event that finally triggered some real flows, and then the runs that compliment. Since then we’ve had much stronger numbers of fish in the system, and for that matter throughout, as the river has been running higher now for over a month and looks to level out at a higher overall average as we still have allot of winter to drain long after the snows completely disappeared. Size of fish is average, nothing crazy, but again, the numbers are very solid right now, and the browns are already on step and on the hunt, as they too suffered that cold and need some calorie reboot. Last fall finished rough, it got cold, and the fishing wasn’t there, with fish getting poked most days, but us working very hard, and covering allot of water to get those few/four tugs a day. Streamer brown trout fishing, with the occasional steel/bow mix in was our best alternative as the numbers of browns still moving kept my folks tickled and in the game, this versus all around us that were simply spot jumping with beads, which looks about as fun as watching paint dry if ya ask me, though I’m sure opinions will vary. This spring will be a great and a welcomed coming as simply seeing the ground, versus a glacier has me prancing around in my plans for the incoming trout season… Here Here!!

So again, following that drought killing winter we are living down, the conditions started giving some good angling opportunities about a month back, though still here and there, the river kept its wadeability up till a couple weeks ago; since then it’s been pumping, leaving most of the fishing to the boated community, save the diehards that know where to wade without seeing where to do so. For the next month, most of the fly water will be overrun by fishermen looking to mostly line & snag steelhead off their beds, be it the pocket behind, or right on top with Chuck & Dork Strategies… Any real streamer anglers would be wise to avoid those beats on the weekend as it’ll be tough to fish in between that bump army. That said, there are plenty of other, less graveled sections that yield less people, and still a bounty of trout and steelhead willing to take, and those sections strip better early in recent years. Streamer bite has been stellar as of late, and I’ve done a few hikes myself with very good resolve considering it was a couple weeks ago before the water bumped big, and managed one 5 hour hiked where I was 3/5 on Lake Bow, and just enough browns I forgot how many. Colors and retrieve always vary a bit more that the rest of the year in those early and cold flows, more so to the browns, and I’m not sure if steelhead actually get cold with a lower favor in temps… They seemingly love that strip fly the best deep in the winter leaning into string. Could recommend some openings middle in April for some strong streamer steel/brown mix up as the temps rise and the fish really start to key up on the salmon fry and steel smolt. Be it boated or hiked, these trips are very productive while the color is still holding in the watershed!

Nymphing can be straight deadly this time of year, this in the clearing of the winter, and into the deeper egg bite for the winter starved browns. Early on, before the eggs really start pumping with larger numbers of lake bow spawning, there’s a stone fly nymph activity that is so very strong, and the browns key on it. Loosening banks, bumping flows all encourage the nymphs movement, and you can easily play sight games with browns on bars, and leaning on holes. With a floating line and proper rigging, and indicator, you can do incredible things long before having to mix up the caviar. Fly fishing is based on a tapered line of some sort, manipulated to fold in such a way that a fly can be presented with that taper in mind… If you choose to “Euro Hero” your nymphs, you walk away from all that which makes fly fishing harder instead of shortcutting in the name of numbers. Euro nymphing is a terribly effective way to catch a fish on a fly, and is a equally as terrible a way to learn how to fly fish. Chuck & Duck isn’t even designed to get a bite, so much a line, bump, and snag fish wherever and however they would gather. You should know the difference between these techs, and don’t let your guide teach you, at best, these shady tactics. Proper nymphing requires mending, casting, taper awareness, and line control… All following the choice of which bug, and where one might angle it. Don’t shortcut fly fishing, your just shortcutting yourself; sport and the need to improve on it is why fly fishing is hard… If Thin To Win is your motivation, you should just try night crawlers, they catch more than anything we can tie, and for that matter are fished “EURO” style, you don’t even need to change reels. For me, I believe most of the sport in Fly Fishing does in fact reside in the cast and presentation of flies delivered by fly lines and in such way we would fool the fish with skills improved, not bypassed… Just Sayin

Dry Fly Season is already here, and I’ve noticed plenty of fish on a few different rivers since the break up already keyed on smaller midge and even excited by the few early black stones, which will certainly improve for another few weeks… Hendrickson trips come recommended, and this year we can move back up stream while doing it on the Manistee.  Streamer being the mainstay, pre rise, will be a highlight missed the last half dozen years due to lower flows and early warmth.  Streamers will play a key role in our guiding for at least another two months with the added melts and extended cool.  Will be tickled to see if our higher water also would yield a larger mass of Grey Drakes that have slipped allot since the drought.  It’s been rougher in May the last several years, and I for one would like to believe what good friend Matt Supinski offered as the best reasoning behind failed cycles, is simply that the drought more or less chokes the bank burrower with lack of flow during the lower flow that exposes much of the bank, that historically is under water, or at least completely saturated.  Sulfurs actually keep hitting pretty ok considering where the other mayflies cycles have been.  Look for the best mayfly action to be pre Hex these days.  That Hex Hatch has been over promoted, over fished, all this in very limited sections that yield the happening.  If ya haven’t seen the hatch, it is one I would recommend seeing, but the best of those days have come and gone when it comes to fishing prospects, and we do far better chasing other big bug cycles…Goldens!!!

By far our longest running big bug hatch here in MI… THE GOLDEN! These larger stones cycle for months, (though nothing like out west), and often give up the best fishing around the same time everyone concentrates themselves into a few/four miles in every watershed, leaving the rest for us. Not limited to this section, that river or this one… They seemingly find a sporadic window from later spring, and then most of the summer before the last ones are scene. You can fish them aggressively, without pause, or need to hug foam or even banks… Almost like hopper fishing with attitude. Skating the bugs across the surface sells like hot cakes as they are egg layers in their visit to the surface, most of them dying in the trees. Larger tippets, explosive takes, and fish that typically wouldn’t consider the midday favor, will all find reason to rise to this occasion. Will be able to highly recommend this style of fishing till the end of my career, and for that matter to all caliber of anglers, beginners to advanced, as the hatch is river wide, where the fish are numerous, and my casters fish all day instead of a shortened window with a few opportunities. Book a trip and see why it’s not only a better hatch to engage, but how much more fun it is fishing a hatch where you don’t have to wait for it to happen, for it to work, and get to cast all day instead of waiting for the rise… INSTEAD, MAKE HIM RISE… The Golden Stone is the Big Mac to the Mayfly French fry, and it’s no wonder why it’s my favorite season to guide dry flies in Northern Michigan! Think last week of May, through early August… Give a ring and we can set ya up with a few days, and I’ll fish ya on different rivers, or different sections, you make the call. Full moons are best as most of my dark moons are spoken for on the mouse game.

Mouse dates should be considered for any that prefer the better, darker moon phases that yield more action in the black. Having several regulars that come for the dark side approach every year, my dark moons get spoken for fairly quick… However, there’s plenty of half moon into the dark moon that give up some great fishing, with a little visibility to do so. Obviously we will begin with assorted techniques, including The Beetle Juice Project, mixing some muddlers, and assorted leach flies pre-peak grass in a couple more months. As soon as the nights are giving way to some kind of warmth, and there’s any darkness, this all following the exodus of the steelhead around the end of next month… It’s On! Early on is always our numbers season, and our late season mouse, leaning into October, is our big fish season on the rodents and assorted night routines; with a little of both right in the middle of summer, and a half night of rodents with a golden stone evening warm up is really a proper way to spend a summers night… First come first serve on the mouse dates as that’s a season I can’t afford to miss this year; as last year with the low flows, I had to cancel 13 trips due to water temps. This passing winter should guarantee better flows, and then better temps as a result with any luck, and I can play some catch up on last years drought. Mouse fishing is the shortest distance between you and a 20” fish on a fly, as nighttime it’s his job, and not just a temptation as it is when the lights are on. Technique is pretty low, fish commitments are solid, all this and you don’t have to deal with canoe traffic, or the noise that comes with them. Early on, 20-40 fish moved a night is par, breaking 20” mark typically 1-3 times a night pending bite, and section chose. Later season is fewer fish moved, but quality goes up, and typically the time of year we find a pre spawn bite sneaking into our larger, wild fish… All of which are residents, and I have quite the address book, this my 35th year of guiding!

Following the hatches, or at least the thick of that emergence season, we begin leaning on the terrestrials as our means of angling the midday game. Though not quite as productive as the Goldens, they are fished much the same and can yield GIANTS when you least expect, this because they still gotta eat, and it just gets boring staring at the under side of the under cut… Feel me. Water conditions beg for the better, more distant cast, and presented with your target in mind, all this within a few inches from the bank whenever possible. From the boated position, and targeting just down stream and across, one needs to find that extra 10’ of presentation, and do so with a more sincere leader length, upwards of 10-12’ as the water becomes clear, low, and as a result the fish are more aware. Unlike the Golden cycles where leaders and casting distance can all be shaved back, the bank bug game of the late season will make ya a better caster whether you want to or not. With their critical eye in check, we begin leaning on some of the smaller water and streams to encourage the blind spot approach, which does in fact shrink, but so does the watershed, so the discipline of the harder cast isn’t lost. You would be fascinated by some of the fish that give up the midday, full visual take on the back 9 of summer. This later summer, middle July-September, I’ll be offering some walk and wade options to those looking to tap into arguably the best hopper fishing for trout that time of year, and these come highly recommended as I’ve nailed down hundreds of beats to choose from across the state, including some great September hopper options for brook trout in their glorious pre spawn colors. Reason I tie flies like I do ALL WINTER LONG, is so that I don’t half to during the tailings of summer; our state is just flat magical in August & September, and thankfully everyone starts chasing Kings around the same time, leaving the entire landscape as a trout amusement park all to ourselves! Only bad news for the small water walk and wade trips, is they will be one person only trips, as the second person wouldn’t get any action walking the stream as we do. These aren’t for beginners, the corridor is tight, the target is comparable, but between the sport, arena, and visual candy from the close takes… Let’s just say your fun card will get a few punches.

Our passing fall steelhead runs in west MI were rough, save the lower ends of the bigger rivers, and a few higher water events that gave us a brief window or two of good fishing, but overall… It was one of the roughest Fall/Winter pushes I’ve ever seen.  Coupled, and likely due to the lowest water record of October in 20 years… Go Figure, but don’t wonder why were sucking so bad last fall.  Get yourself booked up for November if your coming as that month goes quick these days, and look for the better fishing to start as early as middle October down low as they move up.  For bookings, December is the most consistent month of fishing as it’s following all the fall pushes potential numbers, this based on water, but bookings are solid till Christmas typically before winter gives us the gut punch.  Water equals life, and runs of fish for that matter, and we had little of it.  Again, right now we have some quality fishing for lake/bow & browns, this following an epic winter, and I have some openings for any that might want one more “Swing” at it, but we will be loosing that swing bite very soon; likely by the end of the first week of April you’ll be more likely to get one to bite a stripped fly, than anything drifted or swung, as they will be all spawning, and instead of feeding, will be fending the flies away as they procreate.  In those those higher gravel areas, you will find allot of shady fishing going on with the bed liners and rippers, but everywhere else is open for business.  Again, nymphing some stones right now will slay the butter, and should have some caviar in the consideration as the lake bow are spawning semi hard now; target the edges of the steelhead winter holding water for these happenings.  Salmon fry are hatching and there are reasons to be excited, as that really tips the streamer bite into full gear once we start floating the upper 40’s subsurface for a day or two.  Streamers will be lasting this spring with the extra flow, which doesn’t break my heart as you might have guessed.  Larger drunks are finally back on menu, and bigger prey picks a fight with bigger predators that would hunt in those conditions.  Again, it just started getting good 10 days ago on the strip, as only a week or so before that it was flowing ice; and that strip bite shouldn’t fade till mid May my guess as those fish need to make up for the lost feeding time during freeze up and anchor ice events.  Salmon fry streamer fishing is the absolute easiest way to dip your feet in the streamer pool without diving head first into the bigger stuff.  This time of year, fry are like brown trout Skittles, in a bag that never empties, as when they are new and naive, they are very easy to reach for… What makes it easy way to engage is that they can be fished on a 5wt, they don’t need to go deep, and even mistakes in presentation can be rewarded.  When doing it right, due to the size of the pattern being exceptionally small for a streamer designation, two fry are better than one.

Again… Still have a few openings middle next month for the strip and rip, dry fly mix ups will certainly be better this year, but just a bitter later as we get rid of this winter a bit later than the last 7 before. Mouse trips start once we hit a lower plateau for waking/swinging flies on floaters, so middle May instead of early. Goldens should be middle May depending on the heating, later if its cooler, but it should last a bit longer as well. Grey Drake rebound should be on step, and we will know by middle May much more about the ground saturation influence, potentially rebooting the failing hatch. Deep summer I’m hoping to run more and more of these walk and wade style trips, one person at a time, as well as mix up some rafted options for those smaller water engagements. Think middle July on for the smaller water terrestrial game, that has been impressive the last three summer going, and I’ll be doing at least a couple weeks of guiding late season Brook Trout/Brown Trout walk and wade/raft options up north to avoid the salmon armies that take over later August here on the West Side of MI. This will likely be my last report for awhile as trout opener is only a hop and a skip away, and I’ll be fishing like winters coming the moment it does. Please reach out for a solid report, or booking anytime, and if you are interested in not just going for a boat ride, but improved casting and presentation skills, I’ve got ya covered. We never teach level line short cuts, we only push for good fly fishing practices… and pride ourselves on that improvement, as it’s still the highlight of my job, watching folks turn the lights on with their casting prowess, and presenting every cast in the idea it’s being watched…

One the side not, I wanted to stress my concerns about the PM, and the growing community of people that descend on The Flies Only Section during those times when wild migratory fish choose to spawn on that very rocky, and reproductive friendly section.  There will be several days this Spring where they run over 120 boats, through a 7.5 mile section of river, and allowing another 25-50 smaller canoe too inflatable rafts, with hundreds of walks in, all in the name of playing mouth hockey with bedded fish, with no intentions of getting a bite, so much as hooking a fish.  As bad as all that is, I’ve given up on trying to steer some of the local guides on my train of thought; silly of me to think that guides, knowing full well what they are doing is shady too downright wrong, would give up any of their paycheck to do the right thing… But the sheer pressures on the habitat, be it the mono littered trees, some with dead birds, hooks embedded in every structure to a point I won’t let my boys swim in up there anymore, bank trails beaten to dirt, trees and bushes burnt for the campfires so they can stay warm in the dark to hold “THE SPOT”… fist fights over said spots, and so many people the idea of solitude is lost is all aspects, and so on, and so forth; I fear, the DNR will simply close it as they would any other trout stream, leaving no fishing it for 6 months.  Now, for me, this doesn’t sound so bad, as that section would be allowed to heal, the browns would become silly, and frankly larger again, and wouldn’t be harassed during these peak spawning events, leading to an overall better section of trout stream… However, it would be sad to loose such a section of river, on a year round basis as it’s already shown that it can, for the most part, take it.  Regulation is the only logical next step for a section all but overrun; think it can’t happen, just look below Homestead Dam on the Betsie, and understand that it’s coming, just a question of when.  They are complaints from the land owners that are compounding year after year, this now that we have the terrific enforcement of bank laws by our CO’s who are terribly efficient and knowledgeable of the watersheds now, parking issues already in an overflow parking lot, only 7 years old, that is already overflowing on those days of peak, bank erosion issues due to foot traffic, habitat degradation by all the litter and beaten vegetation…etc, etc.  It’s all adding up, this and a guide community not willing to turn the corner, all this because 95% of them wouldn’t be able to call themselves guides, or at least be able to make a living doing it, without the crutch of these shady practices they know they shouldn’t be teaching, but justify by saying “Everyones Doin It”.  Here’s the truth pill they should consider… Sooner or later it goes one way or the other, either it gets closed like all the trout stream upstream of it, (which at this point, with this community of guides/stewards is more likely to happen), or it gets re-regulated to a FLY FISHING ONLY, versus the current status of Flies Only, which allows a level wind angler to tip a hook with yarn, fish straight Kevlar, and peel fish off a gravel with all the same ethics, and legality, as the guy dressed up in 15K worth of gear, doing the exact same thing.  All Fly Fishing Only would change is the type of line everyone has to use, and therein the rods needed to propel the tapers properly; and if you guides, are really fly fishing guides, this shouldn’t be a big ask, and aren’t you supposed to be stewards of the watersheds anyways??  This regulation wouldn’t really address the snagging and lining issues, but it would encourage the fishing pressures on the PM to mingle downstream a bit, versus choking up the entire top 7-8miles of year round water.  Does this take a less than legitimate poke at the honest Euro Nympher looking for a good take… yes, and there in is the only casualty of the regulation, but just think of what ya get for that need to just change to an indicator and floating line to sell the same morsels.  You cut the fishing pressure in half out of the gate, CHUCK & DUCK BUMP FISHING IS GONE, (fly fishing guides start teaching people how to actually cast, present… go figure), people become aware of the cast and are a step closer to realizing why they wanted to fly fish in the first place… THE SPORT!  Mono may still be found here and there, but not in yards, draped from the trees from lines breaking at the reel instead of the lower tippets, banks begin growing a little more vegetation, hooks are still present, but less pressure means less of that too.  State of MI wins too, as it’s no secret that actual fly fishermen, learning too novice, catch very little, but pay allot more to do so, in out of state license sales, lodging, food, gear…etc… One day soon I hope the powers that be, realize the older mold of hatchery, or stocked fish with creel limits doesn’t sell too out of state anglers as much as a quality watershed with wild fish.  Again, not holding my breath here, and for that matter, maybe I would prefer just closing it, but my guess is it’s coming, and I can’t imagine any of the PM guide community, outside myself, can make any kind of a living without the gravel seasons of Flies Only… And if you think you can, just imagine how little gravel is spread downstream, and those now 120 boats looking to Chuck and Duck those same limited areas, and don’t forget that walk in army.  Hate to break it to you gravel guides of peak season, you Chuck & Duck Crusaders, but if you don’t start leaning on some FLY FISHING ONLY REGULATION, I’ll bet within a decade more of fishing pressure growth, the DNR won’t push for the FLY FISHING ONLY, they will just close it, and for the record, if it were up to them, The Flies Only, would currently be artificial only, with creel limits, so I wouldn’t wait on them.  Just food for thought… We always talk about the petition to advance to the NRC to start this conversation, but we never take a step… If we don’t start considering this, the DNR will take the step for us.  Again, makes little difference to me as it’s so busy during peak up there, running streamer trips just doesn’t make allot of sense, but for those guides, who run the shady gravel trips, might want to pull your head out of the hole and have a look around on where this is heading.  

Folks… Really looking forward to the incoming trout season to fill the void of staring at the fly vise ALL winter long, and dreaming about just seeing the ground.   It’s here and we made it, and that one was real enough to have us gather up all the days we can muster on the rivers this year.  We lucky in MI, the DNR has done a great job of gathering great access on so many rivers all over the state, making for variety without end.  Not knowing what’s around the next bend is far better than knowing, and thankfully, I’m still not running out of new water.  Streamers, Hatches, Hoppers, with some nymphing sprinkled in… It’s all inbound, the ground in my yard is all but snow free, and the waters are starting to drop, all this and in a month they will open all the rivers to add to the menu.  Don’t forget to get your fishing license, and be advised on getting your state sticker on your plate, as I believe the DNR, just like Forestry has been doing for years, is officially dropping the hammer on state usage.  Ryan, our local CO, mentioned to me the best place to find it is at the DNR station located just north of town on NE Corner of 10 & 37.  My client got nabbed at Sulac just the other day, when it’s been OK for years before, this and they have yet to put a envelope pay system at these locations.  Thanks again those of you that came despite those fall runs of fish last year, there’s no doubt that next year will be better, as it has no where to go but up.  Again, I’ll post some Spring Strip & Rip Dates below, which may lean into the hatches/mousing pending the normality of spring rains still due.  Don’t forget some snacks and beverages, as I haven’t made a lunch in years, and for that matter I’m not in business because I have you lining fish off beds, nor does it matter what I cooked you for lunch; I’m your fly fishing guide, and I’m kinda a one trick pony in that respect, however, I’ve gotten not only very good at that trick, but also how to convey those habits on my clients to improve their overall game, not shortcut it.  If you coming for a lunch, I’ve totally missed in my marketing…

Drive Safe & Watch For Tree Cattle 

Tommy 

April Openings:2,3,7-9,11,14-16,21,23

May Openings:5-8,10,11,18-22,26,27,30