This is a short video from this spring and summer about the baitfish on the Muskegon River. It was almost as much fun chasing small fish as it was big! Thanks Jon for letting me post…
The Baitfish Video of the Muskegon River from Kevin Feenstra on Vimeo.
I have had a chance to hear them, I’ve found a shuck before, but I have never had a chance to photograph one. Floating down the Manistee River yesterday I just happened to look down and saw this little bugger resting on a limb. I like the new foam flies that I will be developing now. Live and die by the big dry fly!
Photo is clickable to my new Smug Mug page. Working on having images for sale on this site. New to smug mug so bear with me. But have had printing done through there labs and it’s pretty amazing stuff.
Not all cool things happen during the night in June. Day time glory caught on film. Have more filming of what happened here. This is only a screen shot. But some really cool daytime things are happening that we are going to expand upon.
It is the season of the big bug, with Hex grabbing so much of the attention anglers really do over look the early June season. As Iyso’s, stones, and now the “new” Manistee river Gray Drake. As I was talking to Ed McCoy last night, when do you ever remember seeing so many Gray Drakes? Will be fun to watch over the next couple years, how this hatch and spinner fall effects our June fishing. Especially the early season, it has been a day saver some nights this year. Not that we didn’t have Gray’s before, but we do not remember in our short guide careers having this many, and for this long. I’m so glad that I had McCoy’s Gray Drake Spinner from Orvis this year. It is still undefeated haven’t been refused by a fish yet.
Kean O. below with a stonefly eating michigan brown trout.
Driving home from the river the other day saw my first signs of hex, on an northern michigan inland lake the streets and overheads lights to illuminate the streets were covered in this Michigan Mayfly.
Common Name – Great Mahogany, Borcher’s Drake, Black Quill
So from time to time you see a bug on the water, and at certain time of year it stands out. It separates it’s self from every other bug on the water. When this happens it must be funny to be the birds in the trees, watching me chase after the bug in my Clackacraft. Rowing as fast as I can forward, backwards, and side to side. Making the boat spin and dart the best I can to get the angle to grab this bug. What fishing guides do to learn more about their craft and the environment they fish in.
Now if you have ever fished with me for dries I’m a simple match the size and match the color kind of guy. My first questions about bugs on the water always is, are the fish eating them? But the mystery bug below if it can come out in enough numbers will for sure have fish looking up. So with my limited knowledge I always ask Ann Miller author of the best Hatch Guide book I know of for the Midwest.
Current word is still out, feel free to add your input. The reason for the problem is the 2 tail dilemma. Will have it figured out shortly but just wanted to post the pic. Trout fishing has been real good, still have one day open in June the 5th if you want to get out for a prime Iyso period. Shoot me an email.
I like the reflective nature of this picture. Had to shoot at 640 ISO because of how late in the evening this was so thus the grainy nature of the image. Plus no tripod in the boat.
A gray drake on it’s last leg. With the next couple days coming back to normal, look in the evening sky for this great bug. Also if you havn’t already picked up your gray drake spinners pick up a hand full of Ed McCoy’s Gray Drake Spinner.
Here is a little lesson for you to learn. You know those patterns that you fished last year that you put back in your box. Make sure to check the hook closely. As this trout taught us, after we hooked him, he made quick work of us and lost him, because the hook did not make it. This guide standby pattern had rusted out through the winter and was too weak to land a nice trout eating sulphurs.