Monday, March 23, 2015

Spring Steelhead


Hi All

Spring is here and it is still chilly...We have had some nice days helping to melt the snow. We still have snow in the woods and enough ice on the lake to ice fish safely. So we haven't kicked winter's grip completely by any means..Water is still ice cold too...I have had trips for the last couple weekends. I have been on the water 14,15,19,20,21,22 and each day we have caught Browns or Steelhead or both and fishing has improved some each day..You can make a day out there and put some fish in the net but it's still not on fire or easy...

Water was dirty and ice cold with high flow last weekend after a heavy melt on 58 deg. Friday the 13 th...On the 14th./15th. 1/2 day trips Kevin caught his best Brown at 19 1/2" and his brother Tom caught a 22" earlier in the a.m. both on nymphs and egg flies..Steelhead were slim pickings both days we only had 2 on and landed 1 nice fresh chrome skipper that wiggled away from the camera but the bigger Browns helped fill the gap in tough river conditions..

This week/ weekend the Steelhead fishing improved a bunch when the water started to drop and clear and the Trout fishing followed suite as well with the better river conditions..On Thursday John Robinson from BBT and I scouted the river for a few hours of fly fishing and we did well.. The water level and color was perfect this weekend but cold keeping the fish glued to the bottom...

We hooked, landed and pictured a bunch fly fishing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday but wanted to go mid river Sunday to enjoy some peace and quiet away from the crowds and find some BITERS..The kind of Steelhead that want to take your rod & reel away from you along with your favorite lure or streamer. We didn't find lots of fish #'s mid river but found peace, quite and new water was enjoyed along with enough fish to make it worth the trip...Sunday we landed a dropback hen and lost a epic battle 10-12lb. double stripe buck to a mono snag...That fish hit us in some really heavy water with log jams above and below..Tough spot and a big fish...

My new Clackacraft Eddy got here on the 15th..On the 16th. I dropped it off and it's getting worked on with a River Larry wench being installed and new cover being made at Armstrong Display both in Newyago Mi...I'm geeked to row it once it's all done and ready for the water... Hope it's done soon..

I have some week days open this March 24,25,26,27,30,31. if you would like to do a trip and hook up some fish... We also have rooms open as well...Give us a call....

Tight Lines
Clint










Friday, March 13, 2015

Spring Is Coming


Hi All

Spring is on it's way..The weather has been pretty darn nice and the river is open for fishing. The Steelhead run is off to a slow start. It's still winter like conditions with lots of snow and ice still to melt..So until that is all gone don't expect any warmer water temps. Cold nights are still the norm also..The river is running lower and clearer than you would expect up in the fly water..Mid river has a better stain and flow and a few fresh fish coming up out of the lake.. Lower river is still pretty icy from what I here Indian bridge to the Lake Michigan. M-37 to Walhalla is free of most of the shelf ice and there is a few trees that you can get around but are far from easy passage. So you will need to bring your "A" game rowing wise all Spring.. Pack a saw and a 100' of rope for a while just make sure you reach your take out safely.. Be safe and use good WISE judgment of river conditions. Use extra caution at the launches they are a icy mess. Pulled a friend out this a.m. from M-37..

There is fish to catch but the hookups are winter #s and the fish are still easier to land like winter Steelhead..The fish I have hooked are still rolling and slow head shakes and there barely getting down stream of the hole from where they were hooked.. They will find a couple more gears as the fresh fish make there way up and the water warms up some...

Steelhead are being caught with all methods and in all sections of the river..Lately most of the fish I have hooked have been on 10' 7 wt. with a 9wt. Salmon /Steelhead taper fly line indicator rig with eggs or nymph flies.. I haven't had a abundance of trips yet so I have been scouting and walking in or fun fishing with friends. I have some trips next week and that is the start of the season for me..Thank god I'm so sick of cold long hard winters..Let's pray next winter isn't like the last 2 years... I have lots of good dates open for the next few weeks and some left in April. Give us a call if interested in a fishing trip or need some lodging...

My new boat will be here on March 15th. and my old one is sold..After it gets dropped off it will take about week to get the wench and cover made if all goes well ..Then I'll have a squeaky clean new 16' Eddy Clackacraft to row this season..It will be nice having a new river ride..

Other than that I have been snowmobiling a little, ice fishing all winter and plowing and shoveling snow daily and keeping up with projects around the lodge. Sean Mc Donald and I did a ice fishing tournament out of Hamlin Grocery and I took  8th. place out of 58 fishermen. I had 25 Crappy and 4 Perch. Sean and I took a large group of 12 guys in January out on the ice for some ice fishing action.. My son Adam turned 18 March 1 st. and is growing up quick. He graduates HS this year and will be going to Farris State in the Fall. Kicking around some summer classes also.. That's all I have for now..Hope to see you all out on the river or at the lodge for another great Steelhead and Trout season..

Tight Lines
Clint