POD – Hoydenpyle Trout
/in michigan trout fishing, Trout Fishing/by Jon RayPicture of the Day – Hoydenpyle Trout
One thing about fishing the Hoydenpyle is that you need to come to that section with a full cup of belief and a whole bunch of desire. Stripping streamers on a bright sunny blue bird day will test all that desire in this section. Trout below came in the bottom of the 9th with two outs.
Let trout season begin – Picture of the Day
/3 Comments/in michigan trout fishing, Trout Fishing/by Jon RayPOD was actually taken Monday with a last minute cancellation, I personally had a chance to venture out and throw some fur and feathers around. Great to throw overhead again, and get back into the game. With my spring steelhead season officially over for the year, time to focus on other species, hatches, and inland lake mysteries.
Sipping Dries
/in Trout Fishing, Videos/by Jon RayHad a great email back and forth session with Simon today, check out one of his videos. Working on getting this type of footage and working on getting this good in the editing room. Thanks for sharing Simon! Nice work!
Sipping Dry trailer from Sharptail Media on Vimeo.
Stoneflies and Michigan Trout
/5 Comments/in Trout Fishing/by Jon RayStoneflies make easy meals for Michigan brown trout |
One of the bugs that I’m falling more and more in love with for Michigan trout is the stone-fly. With so many species of stone-flies in Michigan rivers, trout are very accustom to seeing and feeding on stones. While michigan does not get the notoriety of having a “salmon stone-fly hatch” like some of western rivers. Here in Michigan we do have plenty of stones, and as an angler we need to have a little understanding of the what’s, where’s, and when’s of this big morsel.
One of the biggest misperception of stone-fly nymphs is that they are not very active swimmers. Actually the only stone-fly that curls up in the fetal position is the Pteronarcys. The Pteronarcys is the big boy that we have all read about. But unlike the Pteronarcys all other stone-fly nymphs are great swimmers, their wiggle like swimming motion pulsates them threw the current. Letting them move around and feed and find shelter. Now they do not dart around like sculpins or black nosed dace. But there is no need to dead drift most stone-flies.
Most definitely my favorite stone is the Golden Stones or Paragetina, which run size #6-8, and are very common in the Upper Manistee river. These yellow to olive colored stones can be found in gravel runs, on downed wood, and are found in a variety of water conditions. Making them very easy to target in the nymph or dry fly phase.
Understanding that stones are always in our rivers lets us know that trout are used to feeding on them, but May and June you should really take notice as they stones start to crawl around even more and become active, as it’s time for them to emerge. Stones are crawlers, you will find them on random stumps and logs near river banks. When you don’t see fish rising in early season to Hendrickson’s or Black Caddis don’t be afraid to put on a stone!
A big meal that is easy to fish |
Using Ice to Learn more about Trout
/3 Comments/in Picture of the Day, Trout Fishing/by Jon RayRuss Maddin showing me the way on the ice |
So January and February are for the most part a michigan fishing guides off season. Besides breaking down the rivers and learning new spots for the up coming spring run, or tying a couple hundred more flies. I’ll try to venture out on the ice a few times a season on the vast amount of inland lakes. Living in northern michigan, more lakes than I previously thought are stocked with trout. I have to be honest, I am way more adept at reading a river than I am a lake. But with the use of a couple maps and a Vexliar getting my bearings on the breaks and drop-offs is not that hard. Also with the added benefits of having a good friend and ice fishing master in Russ Maddin showing you a couple hot spots helps too.
The key reason for venturing out on the ice this time of year is to have those bearings for when the ice out occurs. As you can argue my next point all you want, but it’s the honest truth. If you are a big trout chaser, the biggest brown, rainbow, or laker trout are going to come from a lake. This light-bulb was turned on after reading Bernie Taylor’s book 5 years ago. Example is the world record brown trout caught a few years ago from the Manistee River. This was not a river trout, it was a lake-run brown that ventured up the river. Big trout meaning trout over 10 pounds, get big in a lake not a river. Trout that live in a lake can eat and be lazy, while a river trout has to keep battling current.
With so many inland lakes being stocked with trout (browns, rainbows, and lake trout) the fly angler has a great opportunity to target these trout in the spring after ice out. All three species are going to be looking for that warmer water in the spring, and most days this warmer water is shallow. Perfect for the fly angler! Thermal warming from the sun brings the bait-fish shallow, and if you can find the bait-fish you will find the predator’s that hunt them.
Now how I use the ice, is when you can’t find these trout shallow, you have to know where to find them when they go deep. Just like in a river their are certain hunting grounds that hold fish. Being able to find these hunting grounds with a foot of ice underneath you will give you a head start for the upcoming spring melt. Michigan anglers have so many opportunities, getting out and finding them is the fun part.
Inland lake brown caught on a smelt pattern |
Brook Trout Fall Colors
/1 Comment/in Picture of the Day, Trout Fishing/by Jon RayAmazing colors from a brook trout from the Upper Manistee River, late summer and early fall are some of the best times of year for fishing and for photography. This brook trout was on full display. I can’t wait for the coming weeks as news of a couple steelhead are around, and fall browns start to show off their yellows.
Big Fish Chase
/in Trout Fishing/by Jon RayWow have things changed in the past 24-48 hours, from highs of 90’s to now highs in the 60’s with blustering 20-25 mph winds out of the north. Feels more like fall now instead of summer. For more than just a few people, this change of seasons brings the feeling of hunting season rather than fishing season. I for one getting the feeling this is the time of year to hunt for the biggest fish in our rivers and lakes.
Biggest Trout Memories
/in Trout Fishing/by Jon RayBeing a fishing guide first and photographer second, being part of somebodiesbiggest trout ever is always something special. First to be there and walk them through the experience of the the fish you can hear but just can’t see. Helping them locate what log the fish is sitting near, how to wade into location, how to make the cast, how to mend the fly, and what to do if the fish eats your fly. As a fly fishing caddy, helping the angler choose the correct angle like a pro golfer working with his caddy before a really important putt on a difficult green.
Trout fishing with Dry Flies
/in Trout Fishing/by Jon RayWarmer days have really kicked in the dry fly fishing the past three or four days! Is there a better way to catch a trout than with a Dry Fly? Watching a trout no matter what size come up and taking a dry fly is such a special part of fly fishing. With May and June being the prime time months here in the state of Michigan to get your full enjoyment of the dry fly season.
For the next 6 weeks look for the best dry fly fishing of the season. I am working on trying to get that perfect shot of a trout eating a bug. Never did relize how much work it was going to be. Almost had it last night on video, working with zoomed in shots with a tripod in low light, and a unstable platform (by boat) is not that easy. But I love the challenge an I look forward to the next evenings spinner fall.