Tag Archive for: Tips and Techniques

Changing Floats based on Water Type

Changing Floats based on Water Type

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I can still remember the day when the light bulb turned on and I finally understood the need to change my float to match the water type I was fishing. Changing floats based on water type isn’t something you hear much about. Actually it’s a simple change that can make a big difference, especially in the spring, when steelhead themselves are changing the water types they utilize.

Fishing Story

Let’s start with a real world scenario, or as I like to commonly refer to it, my lightbulb moment. It was December and I just spent the past 60 days fishing for steelhead on the lower Manistee River, the section closest to Lake Michigan. Most of those days were spent primarily fishing floats in the lower end of the river. I had my confidence rig all setup and ready to go and for whatever reason I decided to change it up and shift the guide trip towards Tippy Dam.

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Hendrickson Hatch

Prepping for Trout Opener

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Trout Opener

With the Michigan Trout Opener quickly approaching, are you ready and prepped for Trout Opener? It seems like a simple question, but there is a series of steps you can follow. My hope here is to outline some routine things I do while prepping for Trout Opener. Spending a few short hours inspecting my gear contributes to my overall success, especially on the Upper Manistee. The goal here is to eliminate the obvious shortfalls that will hinder positive outcomes.

Fly Box Organization

Most of us spend our winter tying flies to bulk up our fly inventories.  This is a great way to pass the idle winter months and it gives us something constructive to do. One important step you can take while prepping for Trout Opener is to organize your fly boxes by “hatch”.

I typically organize my fly boxes around a single “hatch”. For example, I have one box entirely focused on the Hendrickson hatch.  Another box for Sulphurs, and so on and so forth. In each of these “hatch” boxes I will have an assortment of nymphs, emergers, duns, and spinners.  I always try to have the appropriate size and color to match each hatch stage. Having all of my fly choices laid out in front of me is a good way to determine if my fly selection has any shortfalls.

Another recommendation is to carry a second box containing basic “attractor” patterns. This box should have an assortment of your favourite old stand-byes. I like the classics such as the Adams, Robert’s Yellow Drake, Borcher’s Drake, Stimulators, and Elk Hair Caddis. Organizing my fly boxes in this manner allows me to make better choices in the heat of the moment. While transitioning from one hatch to another just replace the previous “hatch” box from your vest or boat bag with the next series of flies.

Prepping for Trout Opener
Organizing your fly box

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