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Fishing Reports

Midwestern States

Manistee and Boardman Rivers
May 03, 2005

Posted by Streamside Orvis and Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School
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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: Boardman and Manistee are relatively low and wadable. Water is clear. Our school students caught a nice Hendrickson hatch on the Boardman at about 2:00pm Sunday and found about a half dozen nice feeders. Manistee flies only water has Hendricksons going regularly and good streamer fishing as well. Steelhead in on all rivers with suckers behind. Water temps are from morning readings in the mid to upper 40's and late afternoons in the mid to upper 50's. Some spinners but windy and cold conditions kept them from the water. Fish were on the baetis duns emerging on both upper Manistee and Boardman Rivers. Later fish moved onto Hendrickson. Hatches improving daily on all rivers as well. But the cold tomorrow will slow it for a while. Up stream in the Manistee's "flies only" water there are good Hendrickson emergences (#12-14) as well as baetis (#18-20) a few little black stoneflies (#14) and a few midges (#22 black and gray). Hatches: Tiny black stoneflies are now replaced by Hendricksons as the dominant hatch. Baetis are chosen over Hendricksons here and there, so if your Hendrickson patterns aren't working, look a little closer on the water for the #20 baetis... especially when the sky is gray. Keep a look out 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: #12-14 Hendrickson emergers, parachute and thorax males and females are matching the Hendrickson hatch well and fooling a few fish. No need for spinners yet, but any day we'll see some falling. Spinner pattern of choice is Dennis Potter's River God spinners and emerger if choice is Sam Surre's deer hair spinner. Thorax and Red Quills are of course traditional winners too. Hare's ear, pheasant tails (#14 and #16) copper john nymphs (#14) will move fish below the water. 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, but the past week has been dominated by the Carpet Hex. This soft pattern is deadly and will undoubtedly be a good pre-hatch pattern for the hex. Steehead Hammers and single (pink) 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 below Tippy are having great action for resident browns on streamers with a partidge soft hackle dropper. Forecast: Cool this week with highs in the upper 40's and mid-50's. 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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