Ted's Fishing Report-Holding Pattern

Fishing Report June 23, 2011 Holding Pattern What was shaping up to be a great two-weeks of dry fly fishing came to halt with the weather system that seems to have pretty much parked over us for a number of days. Trout fishing had been good with decent bugs on top and some streamer fishing below the surface. In step with the season, lots of different bugs were coming off with spinner falls dropping in the last light and fish noticing. With this cool down, BWOs are pretty much what you can expect to see in numbers and as soon as things heat up again look for the Isonychias, Brown Drakes, Bat Flies and Mahoganies to pick up where they left off. A few hex have been seen around, but no major hatches on the Boardman or Upper Manistee Rivers – look for this to change with the weather as the silt beds are perforated with holes from nymph activity and some heat will pop them out. If fishing the Boardman stay late for the gray drakes which should start up when the typical weather returns. With the water being up, and the water temp slipping a little, now is a good time to fish hex nymphs subsurface and/or fishing streamers on a sink-tip line for aggressive fish. This method continues to provide some of the largest trout of the year and is a great way to spend time waiting for a hatch. The carp fishing on the bay was really fishing well, but since the fish are sensitive to change, the storms and lack of sun slowed things down a bit which isn’t necessarily all that bad which might result in prolonging the season well into July. Smallmouth bass too are in post spawn mode on the flats and are they often are eager to chase down a crawfish or baitfish pattern. I haven’t been on the lakes in a while but I am confident that the Panfish are still active and this can be an also be an awesome time for both small and largemouth bass fishing with a fly rod as they are in post spawn mode and can be targeted near breaks and structure including the recent weed growth. Good luck and wherever you go, take along some bug spray – the mosquitoes are hungry this year. Ted