Unbelievably warm air temps have been present lately over the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan-this warm air has dramatically warmed up some rivers and others have been virtually unaffected.  Good insect activity has been present in the late evenings on most Trout streams in the central U.P. (Brown Drakes, Cahills, and Caddis).  The St.Marys River has been warming up extremely slow this year (currently 52 degree water)-seems like Lk Superior just does not want to warm up with the winds that have been present.  It should start warming very soon though-currently there is a good amount of smelt present &  fish have been taking some advantage of this.  Some midge activity has also been present during parts of the day, but as of now there has been no mayfly activity & only a few caddis are around.  Some great Atlantic Salmon are available, but be prepared to put in some time for your prize!  Some nice Lake Whitefish also began to make an appearance this week, these guys sure make for a tasty dinner! 

Summer in the U.P.- the good life!

As water temps warm the upstream migration begins-this is the current story on the Atlantic Salmon of the St.Marys River.  Currently water temps are in the low 50’s – Atlantic Salmon, Steelhead, and Spring Chinook are present.  Not huge numbers of fish are around, but proper presentations with patience will result in some quality opportunites.  These fish are really angry and some epic battles have made for some very memorable days on the water.  I had the pleasure of fishing with fellow guides Jon Ray and Ed McCoy of Hawkins Outfitters (www.hawkinsflyfishing.com) this week.  They offer guided fly fishing outings on some of lower Michigan’s finest waters for everything from Steelhead to Bass, a first class operation to say the least.  They were rewarded with some absolutely world class fish during their visit here on the St.Marys River and some very exciting moments!   Fish are mainly chasing baitfish right now as not much insect activty is present.  Warm weather has been bumping up water temps slowly this week & should continue to do so for some time.  Resident Trout fishing remains very good as Brown Drakes, Cahills, Caddis and a few BWO’s have fish looking up.  Trout fishing should remain good for a while as water levels remain steady & Trout are happy!  Don’t forget your bug repellent if heading out on the Trout streams,  it been cold & they are hungry!

 

Summertime in the yooper & livin’ is good!

Stable weather has been present lately here in the U.P. making for some great fishing conditions.  A steady rise of  willing Brook and Brown Trout has made for some very memorable outings.  A variety of Mayflies have been present (Brown Drakes, Black Quills, Cahills & Mahogines)-both emergences and spinner falls have fish keying into eating up top.  Water temps are ranging from upper 50’s to lower 60’s and a ideal water level.  Dry fly fishing for Trout is pretty much as cool as it gets- the visual of actually seeing a fish come up & nab your pattern is about as real as it gets!  When everything comes together with dry fly fishing it is truly a special occasion-we were lucky enough to share a few of these experiences with the crew from Colton Bay this past week.  Many thanks!

Yooper Trout-a family tradition!

Downright nasty weather has been present lately here in the U.P. making for some unseasonable fishing conditions. Not much has been happening on the dry fly fishing end of things with air temps in the low 40’s and water temps barely above 50 degrees!  A few BWO’s and Sulphurs have been present, but most of the fishing has been done subsurface.  The future is looking promising though as finally some warmer temps are moving into the Upper Peninsula.  Water levels have been great this year, no lack in that dept for sure.  We received another dump of rain on Monday as it came down all day.  Trout have been fat & happy with lots of food around!  Just need some warmer water temps to get them feeding up top with more regularity.

Two Tracks with washboard-you know yer Trout fishing in the Yoop….

Resident Trout across the Upper Peninsula seem to be reacting nicely to the warm up in temperature!   A good rise has been present most of the week making for some quality fishing conditions.  Strong numbers of Sulphurs have been coming off on the cooler cloudy days while Caddis and a mix of other various Mayflies (Hennies, Mahoganies, Brown Drakes, & March Browns) have been present on the sunny days.  River levels have stabilized and water temps are right around 63 degrees-forecast is calling for some light rain over the next few days as well as cooler weather.  We are currently entering the peak of dry fly fishing & transitioning into an evening fishery.

Dry Fly Fishing-a holy time in the Yooperland!