New Hawkins Steelhead Video

Just uploaded a new Hawkins Steelhead Video Highlight.  Had the chance to capture hours of footage and here is a short 4 min clip from the banner 2011 fall.  Hope to create another video during the next few weeks.  Hope you enjoy!

Muskie on the Fly, a bucket-list fish

Guest Writer : Jerome Seid

Writing about his Musky Adventure that we took this September. Enjoy.

Jerome’s first Musky on a Fly

Getting the Muskie Off My Back


Not that I needed to drive so far to find the damned fish. But it seemed like a great way to put myself in a position to accomplish that which I had been unable to do for several years – hook and land a muskie on the fly. Sure I had gone out with other guides on Lake St Clair several times. The reputation as a world class muskie fishery kept me coming back. Yet each time I tried, the conditions weren’t right, my double haul deteriorated into only a single and the wind and temps wouldn’t cooperate. Needless to say I was becoming quite frustrated at the prospect of not hooking and landing one of those toothy creatures. Once I even fooled myself into thinking that the resistance I felt after a great cast with my over-lined 8 weight Sage stick was a strike – never saw it but it made me believe a bit more. So when JR came up with some hare-brained idea to hit the river for a couple of days for muskie, I couldn’t refuse. I had to do this – it was on my fishing “bucket list’ and I knew it must be done.
The mid-September morning started out with a mist eerily shrouding the launch site – making it difficult to see but a bluebird sky was in the forecast. The tannin stained water moved slowly, almost oozing, and the center trough looked deep and menacing – I could only imagine the mayhem lurking beneath the surface. As we slowly made our way down (or was it up) stream, I could barely conceal my excitement. The thought of stalking such fish in such a remote and tranquil place was overwhelming. Maybe 50 – 60 feet wide at some points, the edges held weeds and steep drop-offs – no way was I going to wade into that. The banks were swampy looking – no place to stand easily. Lots of small baitfish were visible in the shallows and the sandhill cranes were busy along the shore –a good sign if you ask me. So we slowly drifted, using the silent trolling motor casting from the boat deck, taking turns. They say that muskie are fish of 10,000 casts, and that may be an underestimate! Throwing large 6 inch streamers over and over again was starting to wear me down, but we kept at it. Beaver dams the size of small cars, weeds, river elbows – any ambush point – we hit – over and over again. I can’t recall how many miles we covered that first day. Then, JR had one hit and hooked – Sure enough, I was looking the other way when it happened –isn’t that always the case – but it was still the first step toward our, that is my goal. The fight wasn’t what we’d expected, but the fish was gorgeous – we spent several minutes taking photos, video and even an underwater release. My photography skills need to be honed a bit, I’ll admit but I think some of the shots were decent. Okay, my turn, I thought. Cast #5,285, cast #5286, cast #5287…. Where is that bastard? Okay – Have a snack, smoke a cigar, settle down now, it’ll happen.
JR gets into another slashing fish – nicer than the first one – more video and still shots. By this time it was getting late, and we had little idea how long it would take us to motor back to the launch site. With a few stops at some of the previous holes that we had fished on the way down and marked on the GPS, it didn’t take long for us to cover the distance. Hell, there was no one else on the whole river for those many miles. We even tried some video footage as we sped upstream (or was it downstream?). Then I am feeling a tug – not quite the explosion I was waiting for – northern pike – Hell, at this point I’ll take anything. 3 or 4 Northerns later as the sun was setting, I’m disappointed, wondering if I’m destined not to have my muskie today or any day. Now I was feeling the pressure to get it done the next day.
We sat at the local restaurant that night reliving the day’s experience, planning our next day – feeling exhausted but exhilarated. I had to console my partner – he had hoped it would have been my first that
day, but he quickly got over it as we enjoyed the photos and video that evening back in the room. It didn’t take long for either of us to pass out in front of the football game on TV.
Monday started out rainy and cooler – we put on waders and rain gear to provide extra warmth – glad I did – September in that part of the state can get cold – we joked how we could be standing in snow in 2 weeks up there. But the gray skies made the visibility better – I had vowed to fish hard and deliberate that day. I couldn’t match my partner’s casts for distance, but I soon learned that the distance didn’t matter. Within the first hour as I was stripping that yellow streamer from the weed edge through the deepest part of the river, not 10 feet from the boat, I saw the fish come up from the depths , look at my offering, and turn – first away (keep stripping, keep stripping!) then back and accelerate towards it. Thwack! I yanked at the fly line and felt the fish shake its head and the hook was home. It didn’t take long to get the bastard to the net – photo stills and an underwater video of the release completed the deal. I was done – the rest was gravy. We had many additional opportunities that day followed, both of us with swings and misses – even strikes on large poppers along the banks. These monsters truly required work and JR and I both felt that we had done our fair share over those two days. My shoulders and elbows were paying the price, but I had gotten the fish I had been dreaming of for years, on my terms, on the fly, on a river of immense beauty and solitude. What more could I ask for? I had gotten that muskie off my back.

Jerome

Check out the short musky_clip for additional highlights!

See Spot Swim

Question of the day, why do some steelhead have more freckles than other steelhead?  This buck at last count has a couple hundred.  There is really no answer to this question, but I thought this was a good shot of a great migratory michigan rainbow, catching his breath before release back into the Manistee River.

Great Week for the Streamer

With water temps, river level, and an abnormal amount of big fish around.  Streamer fishing for steelhead has been really good.  While not the “how many” method of steelhead fishing, streamer fishing for them gives you honestly the best opportunity at targeting the big boys.  While just like brown trout fishing, when you throw the bigger meal you can pretty much count on the alpha male being the most interested party.  Couple pictures below of a great week of streamer fishing on the Big Manistee in Northern Michigan.

1st day hunting chrome and I forgot one thing


A short video from my first couple hours swinging flies for 2011.  Did make a mental note to next time trim my tags a little tighter on the custom sinktips.  Oh well.  Win some and today I lost one!

Video can also be seen at Mangled Fly’s You-Tube page

Let the Hunt for Chrome Begin

October, November, and December are the months to hunt fall steelhead.  Let the games begin!  I have the itch and the next three months are by far my favorite months to be on the water.  I’ll try to do my best to update and take some unique photo’s over the following three month period.  For more pictures and information , follow the river reports via hawkinsflyfishing.com and or find us on facebook for updated reports, and information.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Jon Ray

Northern Michigan Salmon Pursuit

With a mixture of Chinook and Coho here in Northern Michigan we have many opportunities as a surf or river fisherman.  A very short teaser clip from the past week.  As water temps where about perfect and the beach as a great place to be.

Enjoy this video at Mangled Fly’s You-Tube page – http://www.youtube.com/mangledfly

Erik Rambo with Snap T Pictures

Thank you Erik Rambo from Snap T Pictures for taking the time and shooting a little short video of Ed McCoy and Russ Maddin in the dark.  This video will give you a small glimpse into what Ed and Russ both love, fishing after hours for the big boyz of the Manistee.  Nice job guys!

To watch this video in a larger format go to http://youtu.be/FsPrRUFD7QA

Thank you again Erik Rambo!

Start of my favorite fall colors

As the predominate southern wind turns into the northern wind, this initial change brings with it the  smell of fall.  Driving down the twisting turns of Northern Michigan or floating down a narrow trout stream.  You will start to see the sugar maples are turning already to the bright hues of red, orange, and yellow.  Fall is on our doorstep and our native brook trout and brown trout are starting to change as well.  September is a wonderful time to take an adventure out on the water.  Only one way to truly enjoy all the colors of fall.  Get out and fish!

Loving the hopper this year

Need I say more?  Foam body, deer hair body, I don’t care what kind of body as long as it’s a hopper body.  Hoppers are working on all  Michigan trout streams this year and I’m loving it!