Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Capt Owen of Clear Water Angling

Smallmouth bass fishing season in Northern Michigan for Mangled Fly guides is in its last few weeks, as we transition towards the Big Manistee and Fall Steelhead  But by no means does this indicate that the fishing is slowing down, I highly recommend reaching out to Owen at Clear Water Angling if you have the smallmouth itch this fall.  As fall is a prime time to hunt some of the biggest fish of the season, as they put on the feed bag before winter.

Baitfish

One of the key indicators of the fall transition is when you find big Baitfish concentrations.  Baitfish are grouping up in huge baitfish balls, and predator fish take advantage.  Yesterday on Grand Traverse Bay when we found the bait we found not all smallmouth, but Cisco and even a King Salmon feeding on the baitfish.

Northern Michigan Smallmouth BassWhile Grand Travese bay is still in the upper 60’s for tempature as of mid September, which has kept most of the Smallmouth out deep, it is only a matter of time before Baitfish and Smallmouth go shallow.

When they go shallow throwing A-rigs, or jig and a minnow type outfitters will serve you real well, currently with them hanging on the deeper edges drop shot is the name of the game.

Fishing Drop Shot

Fishing with a drop shot rig for smallmouth bass during the summer months has beeen highly effective for a number of reasons. Smallmouth bass tend to be more active and aggressive during the warmer months, making them more likely to strike at a bait presented in a drop shot rig. The drop shot rig allows for precise presentation of the bait at different depths, which is crucial when targeting smallmouth bass in the late summer as they may be holding at varying depths depending on water temperature and oxygen levels.

Additionally, the drop shot rig is a finesse technique that allows for a subtle and natural presentation of the bait, which can be particularly enticing to wary smallmouth bass in clear water conditions. This can be especially beneficial during the summer when bass may be more selective in their feeding habits. Overall, fishing with a drop shot rig for smallmouth bass during the summer months can increase your chances of success and help you catch more fish.

Some of my favorite late summer finesse baits to fish on a drop shot are Baby Z Too (Arkansa Shiner)  KVD Dream Shot (KVD Magic) , and Roboworm 4.5″ (Aarons Magic)

Booking a Smallmouth Trip

Interested in booking a Smallmouth Bass Trip or going for Lake Trout on light tackle, drop us a message via email, or text/call us directly 231-631-5701.

Jon Ray

Mousing for Trout with Ed McCoy

Mousing for Trout

In this video, the Northern Angler crew interview Ed McCoy and take a deep dive into mousing for big trout. For years, Ed has dedicated his summer months Night Fishing down the Manistee River in the dark finding fish to chase mouse and frog patterns. He shares what he has learned so you can try it for yourself.

Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing

 

Manistee River Trout Report

Upper Manistee River trout fishing report

The Upper Manistee River Trout Fishing report for the First week of September has us transitioning into some early fall fishing. Fall is in the air, you could feel it this past week during the cool down. As we enter September, we will focus more on the Terrestrial and Streamer fishing. Our hatches have mostly phased out at this point, but the fall Isonychia is a favorite and still to come.  The cooler mornings and shorter days will get the streamer bite going and the warmer parts of the day will still provide some dry fly opportunites.

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Manistee River Steelhead Report below Tippy Dam

Manistee River

Manistee River Steelhead Report

Spring Steelhead fishing Below Tippy Dam

Manistee River Fishing Report

April is flying by and that means Spring Steelhead is about done on the Manistee River below Tippy Dam. I can imagine that dropback steelhead will be in the river for about a month longer, and I’m sure some fresh fish will continue to trickle in.  But for the majority of our guiding, we will be focusing on Trout and Smallmouth Bass.

Manistee River  Water levels are about normal for this time of year.  After some big water nice to have normal flows again.

Spring Steelhead Fly Patterns

Spring steelhead fishing calls for a selection of flies that match the conditions and feeding habits of these migratory fish. As water temperatures rise, steelhead become more aggressive, making it a great time to experiment with a variety of patterns.  Water levels currently require throwing some big stuff.  Big yarn or rag style eggs, the biggest soft bead you can find, and black marabou with some bright flash. 

Egg patterns, such as the Glow Bug or Beads, remain highly effective, as steelhead are still keyed in on spawning activity. Nymphs like the Stonefly, Hex Nymph, and Fry Patterns also produce strikes, especially in slower runs and pockets.

Swinging streamers, can trigger aggressive takes as the water levels drop, particularly in stained water. Bright colors like pink, orange, and chartreuse at the head of the streamer work well in high water, while more natural tones excel in clear conditions. Adjusting fly size and presentation to match the day’s conditions will help maximize success. This is especially effective in a few weeks on the Big Manistee as water temps break 40’s again. 

Smallmouth Bass

One of the best time of years to target the largest smallmouth of the season is right now, as Lake Michigan smallmouth are migrating the river to eat and setup for the spawn.  With millions of salmon fry and thousand of steelheads smolts.  Baitfish, Baitfish, and more Baitfish is the pre spawn menu.

Once water water temps reach 45 degrees (already 47 as of 4/21) smallmouth can be found down stream of the Tippy Dam.  Casting streamers or using light tackle with crank baits is highly effective.  Fishing for smallmouth is a great way to spend the day.  Plus it’s less about the conditions being perfect (ie trout fishing on sunny days) and more about finding the smallmouth.  Early season these fish are aggressive and make a great way to spend a day on the water.

New Swag

Booking a Trip

Manistee River below Tippy Dam is one of the best west side rivers in the state of Michigan.  Mangled Fly guides are available all winter fishing trips so give us a call soon to join in the fun at (231-631-5701) you can also shoot us an email.  We are currently booking spring Steelhead, but also a great time to get your Trout Streamer Trip or Early Season Smalmouth Bass Trip in the books.  

Jon Ray

Pere Marquette Fishing Report

Pere Marquette Fishing Report

Pere Marquette Trout Fishing

 

Hello fishing friends! I hope this spring season finds everyone healthy and finding fish! The spring season is in full swing. It has been great watching nature waking up after a long cold winter.

Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead fishing has been good. Our best fishing has been in the dark water down river of shallow water. The pre-spawn fish have been staging in the deeper runs close to the spawning gravel. There has been a good number of steelhead spawning. It is nice to see them making more for our future fishing. As the spawn continues the dropPere Marquette Trout Fishing back steelhead fishing should start to gain momentum. Fishing beads under floats has produced some good action. The stone flies are starting to hatch and the salmon fry are starting to show up in the slow water and eddies.

Minnow Patterns

With this starting look for the steelheads to start keying in on stonefly nymphs and minnow patterns. When this time of the year happens it is time to put the float rods away and get the streamer and lure rods out. Great fun watching the chase down your bait and punish it! With the water warming the brown trout fishing has been getting better everyday. At this point the best trout fishing has been behind the areas that steelhead are or have been spawning. But that being said this will be changing shortly. With the insects starting to wake up and the steelhead spawn slowing, the brown trout should start to transition into more of a classic holding water. Back into the log jams and bubble lines. This is a great time to catch a good brown on a dry fly, streamer or lure.

The river has dropped and is looking real good. Wading should be doable this week. Spring has sprung! Get out there and enjoy some therapy time in nature. We still have a couple open dates in April if you would like to float. May is the time to start chasing smallmouth bass and that is something to look forward to. If you haven’t fished bass with us yet you should! They pull hard! Be safe out there!

Captain Jeff

 

2024 Fall Fishing Review Video

New YouTube Video

Have you checked out the new YouTube Video?  Ed, Jeff, and I sat down with Brian Pitser from the Northern Angler to discuss our thoughts about the 2024 Fall Fishing.  This is a new format that we tried and I’m open to any thoughts you have or comments.  So please drop us an email positive or negative on what your thoughts are.

With still a few weeks left before the Spring Steelhead season, we would like to kick out some more content before the season ramps up again.  Thank you for watching.

Jon Ray

 

 

 

 

Fishing the Moon Phases

Can Moon Phases Influence your Angling Opportunity?

Fishing the Moon Phase

Understand how to fish the Full Moon

Moon Phases are known to influence both fish and wildlife populations.  The major effects experienced during the new and full moon phases primarily occur through changes to ambient light and gravitational forces.  A full moon will produce more ambient light and stronger gravitational forces creating stronger tides.  These influences can alter the behavior and feeding patterns of fish and wildlife.  Furthermore, the moon phases are believed to impact the reproductive cycles in some species.

Certain animals time their breeding seasons around the lunar cycle.  This is a possible strategy to ensure their offspring are born under favorable conditions.  One advantage for open water fish species is the tidal dispersion of eggs.  This is more favorable during a full or new moon phase due to tidal influences.  Another Hypothesis is that fish experience brighter conditions during a full moon allowing greater nocturnal activity.  For example, bass tend to lay their eggs during a full moon, as do bluegill.  It’s theorized the increased lighting aids in nest building, mate recognition, locating suitable spawning sites, and protecting their eggs from nest invaders.

While the lunar influences are interesting to consider, it’s also important to note that there are other environmental stimuli.  For Example, spawning activity is often closely associated with water temperature and photoperiod.  The new and full moon phases may in fact act as a secondary trigger significantly altering the amount of ambient light available.  Many nocturnal animals, such as owls and bats, benefit from the increased lighting during a full moon.  The increased light at night aids in hunting and navigation.

Heightened Feeding Activity

Fish tend to come to the surface during the full moon.  This is mainly because the brighter lunar lights attract them.  Some prey species will follow phytoplankton towards the water’s surface.  This behaviour typically peaks during a full moon making prey species more vulnerable to predators.  It’s theorized that the full moon’s increased light levels at night can stimulate feeding activity in predatory fish.

Muskie for example, is a species relying heavily on its eyesight to hunt.  The additional light gives them an advantageFishing the Moon Phase in low-light conditions. Muskies, often called “the fish of 10,000 casts,” are apex predators that prefer to ambush prey. The full moon enhances their ability to feed at night and can make them more active and aggressive around the full moon.  This heightened activity should increase the encounter rates of Muskies for anglers fishing around the full moon.

Conversely, prey species might also adjust their behavior to avoid predators.  During the new moon some predators may struggle to hunt while prey species might take advantage of the reduced visibility to move around more freely.  Brown Trout, known for their nocturnal habits, tend to become more active at night around the new moon.  During the full moon, the brighter ambient light seems to have the opposite effect.  The larger Brown Trout may experience more vulnerability under the brighter full moon while patrolling shallow waters for food.

Alignment of Lunar and Solar Influences

Fishing during the major moon phases has long been a topic of debate among anglers.  Some chalk it up to folklore, but many experienced anglers agree that moon phases impact fish behavior.  Peak feeding activity times for fish such as Muskie and Brown Trout can align with lunar events.  Anglers can use this information to plan fishing efforts in advance.  The alignment of the sun and moon during the full and new moon can create “major” and “minor” feeding periods.  These periods indicate peak fish activity and are considered peak fishing windows for anglers to target.

During a full moon, lunar and solar gravitational forces align to create strong tidal effects in marine environments.  Even larger freshwater systems like the Great Lakes can experience subtle water level changes.  While these effects may not create visible tides in freshwater ecosystems, they subtly influence fish behavior, including feeding and movement patterns.  Water clarity is also a strong influence on fish behavior as it relates to ambient lunar light penetrating into clear waters.

Steelhead are a freshwater species that tend to show a strong movement pattern around the full moon.  We will often see increased Steelhead movement associated with a full moon phase.  As the full moon approaches Steelhead accelerate their upstream movements every fall and spring.  Many anglers have also observed that species like Muskies and Brown Trout are often active around moonrise, moonset, and other peak lunar periods during a new or full moon.

Solunar Calendars

Solunar fishing calendars are a popular tool used by anglers to target specific times of increased fish activity.  These charts are characterized by two “major” and two “minor” periods during a 24 hour day.  The major’s are during the moon overhead or moon underfoot times.  The minor’s are typically focused around moonrise or moonset.  These same conditions can be found during both the new and full moon phases.

More emphasis has been put on the full moon phase as the ambient light at night is greater and therefore is considered to have an extended influence on fish behavior.  The best fishing days and times are typically found around the new and full moon events each month. The best fishing times on those days are typically detailed as “major” and “minor” times.  Typically I find the better days of fishing are associated with either 2 “major” events and 1 “minor” period or 2 “minor” events and 1 “major” period during my outings.

I have used Solunar calendars with some success targeting both Muskies and Brown Trout during my fishing trips.  Personally I feel there is a greater correlation with using Solunar times as a predictor of fish feeding behavior for pursuing Muskie.  I have found the moon rise and set times during a full moon to coincide better with increased Muskie activity while fishing.  Brown Trout on the other hand tend to break the rules and more often than not I find that predictable Brown Trout activity is situational at best.

Conditions Still Matter

In summary, the moon’s phases have a multifaceted impact on fish and wildlife populations from influencing their behavior, feeding habits, reproduction, and to their overall survival strategies. While the major moon phases can offer excellent opportunities, success also depends on other factors, such as water temperature, weather conditions, and local fish habits. Conditions still matter and you must still consider the local weather and water conditions.  By themselves, Solunar times are simply a best guess recommendation.  For optimal results, pairing new and full moon insights with local knowledge and conditions is the key to expanding your success.

Cold Weather Fishing Gear

Cold Weather Fishing Gear
Cold Weather Fishing – New Updates Dec, 2024

Fall and Winter Steelhead Gear

One of the more difficult challenges we face in the Midwest during Steelhead season is staying warm. This leads to many questions when preparing for your fishing trip. What do I wear? What cold weather fishing gear do you bring on your trip? With over 30 years of fall/winter steelhead fishing under my belt, I thought I would share how I layer myself before each steelhead trip.

I live by the philosophy that if I get hot I can always take it off. I’ll also share a few bonus tips, tricks, and some new technology along the way. We found some new tech last year that we used with great success and I’ll share that as well.

Base Layer

Once I determine wether the day is going to be wet or dry and what the overall forecast is, I can make my base layer choices. I have two layering systems that I can choose from based on what the weather forecast might be for the day. If I believe it’s going to be wet I prefer my base layer to be a Merino Wool based material. Having tried almost every other type of layering fabric, wool is my go to choice for wet days. No matter how cold and wet I get, wool based materials still keep me warm. The majority of my favorite wool base layers I purchase have been from Patagonia and now Duckworth. Duckworth is a new company for me, but to say I’ve been impressed is an under statement . Make sure to check out the Mens Powder Hoody, you will not be disappointed.

One more quick tip here, no matter if it’s a wet or dry forecast, I will NEVER wear cotton based materials! Even on the unseasonable warm days I still go with a synthetic base layer on dry days. Synthetics are always my go to base layer, wether the forecast is wet or dry. I always start with some sort of wicking layer for my base. Some of my favorite wicking layers range from our hoodie less sun-shirts to any of the Simms fabrics.

To complete the base layer system I choose for the day, I may double up on my base layers depending upon the low and high temperatures for the day. It’s not uncommon for me to start with lightweight layers and then add a mid or expedition weight base layer before adding one of my favorite layers of all, the Puffy Jacket.

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Match the Hatch with Ed McCoy

Ed McCoy Podcast

Since Jim Bashline wrote the Bible on night fishing in 1973: “Night Fishing for Trout”, our passion for stalking big Truttasaurus browns at night on big mayfly hatches like drakes, Hexes, Isonychia and big stoneflies has become an obsession! Add in the whole new mousing craze, you now have fly fishing in the night a state of art much different than just feeling the tug and hearing creepy things that go “ bump in the night” . With Infrared night vision head lamps, and glo- in- the dark lines and fly materials, we have perfected the passion to the next level. Our Night Stalker guest is a trained fisheries biologist and guide who rows in the night in search of sounds foretelling a big, night monster Truttasaurus brown on the hunt for flesh and blood- don’t miss this one!

Trout and Steelhead on the Manistee River Podcast

The Wadeoutthere Fly Fishing Podcast

I had the opportunity to give my opinions on a few different topics ranging from Steelhead to Trout and everything in between on the Wade Out There Podcast.  If you looking for a fly fishing podcast to listen to give this one a try.

I go into some of my thoughts on what fish see.  How I use colors, sun, and water clarity to crack the daily code of catching a few fish.