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Fishing Reports

Midwestern States

Manistee/Boardman/Betsie Rivers
April 24, 2005

Posted by Streamside Orvis/Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School
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Current Report
April 24, 2005 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 UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY. BELOW IS OPEN FOR SALMON AND STEELHEAD (check regulations for specific open water). Boardman and Manistee are clear, relatively low and wadable. Water is clear. Cold weather and heavy wet snow (6-10 inches in some areas) has shut things down temporarily on Manistee and area waters. Don't dismay though. Our school students saw fish and caught fish this weekend. Steelhead in on all rivers with suckers behind. Hatches improving daily on all rivers as well. Temps on the "flies only" water have been in the upper 40's to low 50's already. But the cold will stop it for a while now. Water temps in the low 40's. Some reports of low 50's already last week and anglers looking for Quill Gordons and Hendricksons. There are steelhead on the Manistee below Tippy dam with suckers, walleyes, and feeding brown trout. 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 still, though some good fish have been fooled. The Manistee "flies only" water is open until the last Saturday in April as "catch and release" water. Betsie: Plenty of teelhead in with plenty of suckers with them. Fish up and below dam. Some new fish. A little rain will help this week. Hatches: Tiny black stoneflies are moving fish when the sun beams. On warm cloudy days, keep an eye out for some bwos. The big mayflies are not far off. With water temps approaching 52 last week, Hendricksons and Quill Gordons will be coming soon. So keep a look out on sunny days in the upper water between 2:00pm and 5:00pm. Below Tippy, we may see some midges go any time. Black stones and baetis 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. Have some Quill Gordons or Red Quills handy in #12 and #14. 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: Snow tonight with accumulations 2-4 inches. Cool this week with highs in the 40's and low 50's and rain midweek. 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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