July 16th, 2019 | Hotness

Lots of options this time of year, even as the big bugs dwindle. Sounds like there are still some hex flying around and hatching up north, but overall, the hatch is way past peak. Right now, most of us are focusing on the daytime trout program. Morning hatches, daytime attractors, and evening spinner falls. Mousing is becoming more of an option, with water dropping and clearing, giving the fish fewer food options. With the warmwater stuff holding steady, this time of year provides endless opportunities for the Michigan angler!

Smallmouth have been good, with lots of fish coming on boogle bugs and small foam rubber legged patterns. Small weighted streamers in deeper holes have been great as well. Ron and Tom got into a mess of them this week. 

Bridgett got her first trout this week. Strong work! Nymphing for trout in the summer is a great way to get some action when nothing else is happening. Small beadheads and czech setups are are safe bet. 

As the air temps heat up, and water levels drop, remember to head upstream to find some of the cooler water in the system you're fishing. The upper branches and tributaries of our rivers will still be fairly cold, which generally translates to more active trout. 

Back in the Spring, we had a really solid fundraiser for The Fly Squad, at Rockford Brewing. They just got back from their trip to Montana, and clearly, they had a great time. Thanks for all who contributed to their trip!

Looking forward to the next couple months. Most of us will be looking for warmwater fish on the surface with poppers and terrestrials. This week looks to be quite hot, which doesn't really impact the bass or pike, but can certainly affect the trout. If you recall last season, it was extremely hot and dry for the second half of the summer, which was not ideal for the trout. Looks like we might be entering that same scenario. Handle trout with care, and focus more on the early mornings when the water is still relatively cool. Don't have to worry so much about the smallmouth and pike, as they are just fine with the heat, and sometimes seem even more active the hotter it is. 

We've got some classes coming up too, check out the schedule HERE. Please RSVP! 

Finally, there are a few spots open for our hosted trip to Brace Lake Ontario this August. If you are interested in joining us for a week of Fly Fishing for monster pike in Canada check out the details here and drop us a line. 

Thanks for all the support!