Tag Archive for: Jon Ray

Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

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Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass fishing season in Northern Michigan is in full swing, making it the perfect time to hunt for some of the biggest smallmouth bass of the year. The pre-spawn bite is on, with migratory smallmouth bass on the Big Manistee River and most Northern Michigan inland lakes in the 50-degree range. The smallmouth bass are pushing shallow and hungry after a long winter.

Fishing for Pre-Spawn Smallmouth Bass

For those looking to target smallmouth bass during the pre-spawn, now is the time to throw big flies. Big streamer patterns are the top producers on the river or inland lakes. Baitfish are spawning and steelhead smolts are migrating out, making this the best time of year for streamer anglers.Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass

Inland lakes are producing well with perch colors, as post-spawn perch make for easy meals for smallmouth bass and northern pike. Feather-changers, deceivers, and jerk baits like the Berkley Stunna in perch color have been successful choices.

May and June are the best months for targeting big fish in Northern Michigan, as pre-spawn fish are aggressive and willing to chase bigger baits.

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.  We are have open dates for May and June if your looking for an opportunity and a Big Northern Michigan Smallmouth.

Jon Ray

Fly Fishing Insider Guided Podcast

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Fly Fishing Insider Guided Podcast

Scientific Anglers

I am honored to be selected to be part of the Fly Fishing Insiders Guided Podcast series, this series features the Scientific Anglers Ambassador’s and Advisors . This being episode 15 in the series, the host of the show Greg Keenan and I decided to discuss Northern Michigan Smallmouth Bass.

Smallmouth Bass

Greg mentioned he had not had the opportunity to interview anyone yet as it relates to smallmouth bass. I did my best to cover the different ways that I like to target smallmouth bass in Northern Michigan. Going over a few different lines and setups. A key tip I disclose is how I use smallmouth bass to help me later in the year show me those off the radar steelhead spots. Make sure to give the podcast a listen and let me know what you think.

Podcast

Jon Ray

D Loop – Picture of the Day

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Warp Speed – Pic of the Day

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Erik Rambo shot this picture of me rowing down the upper manistee.  Very cool effect Erik thanks for sharing.

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Working on Something New

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Getting closer to releasing something new that Erik and I are really excited about.  First trailer is coming in the next 10-14 days.  Also have new logo for this series, just a quick teaser below.  Getting hard to not share more details.  But the last couple weeks editing, email with musicians and fancy logo designers has gotten to the boiling point and had to post something.  Check back here shortly for the first trailer.

something new

Inland Oceans Book Now Available

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One of the greatest most unexplored fly fishing frontiers finally has a book that will help more people tap into a great resource.  Jerry Darkes is the author, of this well written, full of information, fly patterns, stories and maps to help anglers get into fishing the great lakes.  With endless miles of shoreline full of browns, coho, chinook, smallmouth, carp, and muskie.  It’s almost impossible to hit all the ports, harbors, and river mouths in a lifetime.  This book will help narrow in the hotspots if you have a desire to fish this great resource.

Buy this at your local fly shop first, but if they won’t get it for you, here is a quick link.

fly fishing the great lakes

Scott fly rods

Scott T3H Video

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Had a great time working with Erik Rambo on this little project.  Great job Erik you do amazing things with the camera and at the editing desk.  Thank you Erik for all your hard work.

Thank you Brad Petzke and Kevin Feenstra for helping in this project as well.  And thank you Scott rods for making such a good product.  If you like the two-hand rods, you owe it to yourself to pick up one of the new T3H’s, they are sweet.

Swinging with the Scott T3H from Mangled Fly Media on Vimeo.

Big Appetite Smallmouth

Big Appetite Small mouth DVD is now available!

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Happy to announce the Big Appetite Small Mouth DVD is now available, I have copies of the DVD in stock and ready to ship.  Here is a link to the products page to purchase your copy.  Thank you to everybody for their patience as this  project was an amazing experience.  Thank you Kevin Feenstra and Erik Rambo, it was an honor to work with both of you for the past 2 years.

Big Appetite, Small Mouth contains beautiful imagery of one of the great warm water fish, the smallmouth bass.  Footage includes fly tying and fishing with streamers, crayfish patterns, and surface poppers.  If you are an experienced smallmouth angler, or just getting in to it, you will enjoy this exciting DVD!

 

Big Appetite Smallmouth
Smallmouth Bass DVD