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Fishing Reports

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Manistee/Boardman/Betsie Rivers
April 03, 2005

Posted by Streamside Orvis/Orvis Michigan Fishing Schools
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Current Report
Posted by Streamside Orvis/Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing Schools Current Report Manistee/Boardman/Betsie Rivers April 3, 2005 Posted by Streamside Orvis/Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing Schools Current Report: Note: STREAMSIDE HAS OPENED ITS NEW LOCATION AT 223 E. FRONT ST. IN DOWNTOWN TRAVERSE CITY. Streamside Orvis and the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School (231) 933-9300 info@streamsideorvis.com Orvis Endorsed Lodge and Endorsed Guides TROUT AND STEELHEAD GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE DAILY! Conditions: Manistee and Boardman Rivers: REMEMBER, BOARDMAN RIVER ABOVE SABIN DAM IS CLOSED. BELOW IS OPEN FOR SALMON AND STEELHEAD (check regulations for specific open water). Warmer temperatures are finally breaking the back of Winter and allowing for some successful fishing on Boardman, Manistee and area waters. Temps on the "flies only" water in the low 40's already. There are steelhead on the Manistee below Tippy dam, but few agressively feeding or on gravel yet. Wintered-over steelhead are above Bear Creek, while downstream there are fresh fish. It won't be long now. A little rain will help. Boardman and Betsie Rivers also have fish, but few fresh steelhead yet. Up stream in the Manistee's "flies only" water, small black stoneflies are coming off in warm sun and moving some fish. Streamer fishing is fairly slow going. The Manistee "flies only" water is open until the last Saturday in April as "catch and release" water. The warmer weather has made fish more agressive. Note: This author has seen steelhead on the Boardman this week while preparing the new store for its opening. Betsie: Some steelhead in. Fish up and below dam. Few new fish. Few steelhead in not quick to feed yet. A little rain will help this week. Hatches: Tiny black stoneflies are moving fish when the sun beams. So keep a look out on sunny days in the upper water between 1:00pm and 3:00pm. Below Tippy, we may see some midges go any time. Black stones will come too. They will come as warmer water comes down stream. Higher flows will allow for it and one should not be surprised to see midges bringing up feeders below the launch to Suicide. Patterns: #14 Hemingways are matching the stoneflies well and fooling a few fish. Hare's ear, pheasant tails (#14 and #16) copper john nymphs (#14) will move fish too. Keep a few #20 gray/olive or black midge emergers or larva patterns handy. Guides had good days of streamer fishing before the cold. Sink tips seemed to be the key difference. Zuddlers #4 in yellow and white best. Brown, black and olive also good. (Hard to beat an olive/black bugger.) Nymphs include copper Johns #16, and #14 in, red and copper. Caddis pupa patterns #16 and #18 in green and #14 and #16 in tan. Manistee below Tippy has best numbers of steelhead in. Best success has been on hex nymph patterns of all sorts. Steehead Hammers and single yarn eggs have taken some fish too. Sparrows and Jeff's Hex or Andrew's Headbangers are good. Fair numbers from the dam down to Sawdust. Some anglers are having great action for resident browns on streamers with a soft hackle dropper below Tippy Dam. Best lake run fish are found down below Rainbow on eggs. Betsie has a few steelhead, but their moving up stream all the time. You'll have to check levels though with the runoff and rain this week. Forecast: Warming sun seems to feel like little stonefly weather. Temps in the 50's this week with rain midweek. Looking for cooler later in week, but still warm enough to move some fish in and bring a few stones to emerge. Check in by phone for the latest. CHECK THE WEATHER BOX ON THE TOP OF OUR WEB PAGE (www.streamsideorvis.com) TO GET TO THE LOCAL WEATHER. Check in directly by phone if coming this week. (231) 933-9300.

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