Michigan Trout Fishing Report RSS

Now that it's August, we are entering the final phase of summer. Attractor flies for trout is a good option, nymphing is productive, and mousing at night can be epic. Tricos fished with extremely light tippet and super small flies can be fun (if you're into that sort of thing). Hoppers, ants, and beetles are also on the menu. Daytime smallmouth fishing is in it's prime. August is great for smallies. They are widespread, and willing to chase and eat nearly any type of fly as long as you don't spook them. Everyone loves to fish poppers and topwater flies, but...

Summer is here and it's HOT. This weekend will be in the upper 80s, which will continue into next week. It's always fun to think back to the polar vortex, when everyone was hunkered indoors, thinking about those long summer evenings on the river. It's here, get out and take advantage of it!  We've been mainly targeting smallmouth bass. Lots of topwater action, requiring long stealthy casts with little foam bugs and poppers. It can be pretty challenging, especially when fishing narrow rivers, where you have to place your fly a long way downstream from the boat. Many times, they...

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...

It's Wednesday, and the weekend is looming. Plans are forming, and reforming, by the hour. Strategizing for the hex hatch can be stressful. Seems like everyone scrambles to form a plan designed to outwit everyone else. It can be an endless loop of pivotal decisions.  "Where are we going!? What stretch are we floating!? Are the bugs happening yet!? Are we too early?! What if we try downstream farther!? But are we gonna be too far downstream!? Should we be higher up!? Where will the crowds be!? AGGHHHH!!"   "Why don’t we go way upstream, to the headwaters, and hope for...

Lots of great things happening lately. Weather has been all over the place, but the next several days look relatively dry and warm, which is very much welcomed. Many of our rivers have been high and stained for the better part of May, which has made hatches (and rising trout) somewhat hard to predict. The only thing that has been really going strong lately has been the grey drakes. Sounds like late last week, there were some truly immense spinner flights. Apocalyptic type swarms of bugs. We have seen some nice trout caught, and one story of a true giant that...