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12-20-07

Slow & cold. That pretty much sums up the fishing, weather, and water temps! The first time the mercury rose above the 30 degree mark in over two weeks was today, it felt like the skies had opened & a chorus of angels were chanting hallelujah as we enjoyed the warmth! HAAA! This next week temps are supposed to be a bit better with some precipitation in the form of snow & freezing rain should help raise river levels a bit. Very few new fish have entered the rivers lately & the cold water temps are making for some technical fishing. Good casts & persistency is key this time of the year, covering water thoughly catches Steelhead in cold water. Best wishes to all this holiday season!!

12-08-07

Burrrrrrr... That word pretty much sums up the weather here in the U.P. as of lately. Winter is here with a vengeance, subzero temps at night have the rivers running very cold/clear at the present time. Steelhead and Trout are resting comfortably in their Winter lies waiting for an easy meal that they don't have to exert much energy to grab. Sorry for the lack of fishing reports over the past few weeks-I migrated south with the cold weather to work in Grand Rapids laying bricks and rehabilitating wetlands. The trip south made me realize how special of a place the U.P. really is, there was a small stream that ran by the worksite & every time i would pass over it I found myself daydreaming about the place we call home. Quiet, peaceful, and undisturbed by mankind-the U.P.

11-22-07

Persistency & well placed casts pay off this time of the year when water temps begin to drop-with water temps in the upper to mid 30's we are entering our Winter fishery. While most were in the woods chasing the illusive whitetail buck, the rivers across the U.P. were void of other anglers. Always a great week to try for some chrome! The past week has seen some above average fish in the net-large lake run Brown Trout and Steelhead have been pulling on streamers and gobbling nymphs with some good consistency. Only a few coho remain in the rivers, so the egg bite has slowed. Slower water has been most productive as allot of fish have moved into the Winter lies. Snow & cold is in the forecast-looks like Winter may be just around the corner! This is the time of the year for the true Steelheader to enjoy the solitude of the U.P.

11-12-07

Some stable weather has finally fallen across the U.P. this past week-water temps are in the low 40's and no major precipitation has the rivers still very clear. Some absolutely great fish were brought to the net during the last week of fishing. The fall fishery this year has been lots of fun-swinging streamers and nymph fishing gives quite the differing approach for fall fishing! Steelhead, Coho and Lake Run Browns are very spread out-pocket water, holes, wood, and all other dark water have been holding fish. Looks like the weather is going to hold on as no significant snow or cold weather is headed our way for a while. Prime time to catch some big fish on the swing!!

11-06-07

High winds, snow, & rain have been the norm here across the U.P. the last week. Last night parts of the U.P. received a harsh dose of Winter reality when 10 plus inches of snow fell over the higher terrain! This cold front has lowered water temps to the low 40's & made for some very clear water conditions. Nonetheless fishing has still been solid as Steelhead, Lake Run Browns, and resident Trout have been quite active on egg patterns, nymphs, and streamers. The majority of the Salmon spawning is a thing of the past here as the egg bite has slowed dramatically. Some fish are still being taken on egg patterns, but streamer fishing has been lots of fun! Hopefully this next week the winds lay down a bit & some rain heads our way to bring a fresh push of chrome in to contend with. We are transitioning into our late Fall fishery where a some fish are finding their Winter lies as other new fish are entering the river systems & filling in different areas. Deer hunting? Why sit motionless in the woods when you can have a flyrod in hand hand during one of the finest times of the year to be on the river!

10-27-07

Winter is in the air here in the U.P.-with the forecast calling for a half inch of snow tonight water temps are dropping everyday. Currently rivers are running in the low fifties to high forties and they have cleared up considerably since last week. Salmon numbers are quickly lowering as the bulk of the run is over-a few new fish have been tricking in daily. Our focus now is Steelhead and Lake Run Browns-this time of the Fall is the best time to swing streamers for exciting strikes! The past week has been quite productive for both swinging flies and the egg bite. The Steelhead still seemed to be keyed in on the eggs with the large amount still present from the Salmon, but the Lake Run Browns have been chasing well presented streamers. Fall Steelhead and Trophy Lake Run Browns-the finest of the Fall fishery! Take a look at the pic below of the Brown Trout, i realized something wasn't right when fighting the fish.. at first i thought that it had a lamprey wrapped around its midsection-but upon landing the fish i was in disbelief.. it appears to be some type of a metal ring that sometime in the trout's life it managed to swim through.. weird.. the ring was safely removed by sliding it forward over the fishes head.. any ideas of what the ring is from?

10-22-07

Increased water flows across the Upper Peninsula have our silver friends moving upstream to take advantage of the egg bonanza that is currently happening. Many Steelhead have moved into the rivers here in the past week following up the Chinook Salmon that are actively spawning. Check out pic below to see how the Steel have been keying into eggs! Water temps are in the mid to upper fifties and most rivers are a bit high with clarity on the dirty side. Larger egg patterns have been key due to water conditions-clown, steelhead orange & chartruese have been putting a bend in the rod! Look for more fish to continue their journey upstream as more rain is predicted for the next week. Autumn chrome-damn, it feels good!

10-16-07

Steady rain, cold nights, and mass wind has been the norm here in the U.P. the past week. Rivers are up slightly with a near perfect stain to them currently. The cold rain has helped lower water temps down the lower fifties which has Salmon migrating upstream. Nearly all rivers that get a Salmon run currently have fish in them-most fish are spawning or very near gravel. The forecast is calling for more rain over the next four days which should help move some new Steelhead in from the lake. Fall fishing in the U.P.-Chinook, Coho, Pinks, Steelhead, and Lake Run Browns. So many fish-so little time till Winter hits!

10-09-07

More warm weather across the U.P. has water temps very warm for this time of the year, so the Salmon run is still slowly getting better. The last two days the mercury has finally been below 60 and large amounts of precipitation have fallen nearly across the entire U.P..-this increase in cool water should help things along quite nicely. Currently river levels are great & this new rain/colder temps is setting us up for a prime fall Steelhead run! The Salmon that are currently in the river systems are not wasting to much time getting to the gravel- the late run has these fish anxious to get their business done! The eggs that are currently getting washed around the river is what's for dinner for everyone else that calls the river home. A few very fresh Steelhead are beginning to show up & take advantage of the free meal!! Fall Steelhead-chrome & angry!

09-31-07

Warm weather across the U.P. has made for another beautiful week of Fall-mild daytime temps with cool evenings have water temps in the low to mid 60's which has the Trout fishing quite productive! This past week was the final countdown to get out and enjoy many of the rivers as they have closed this past weekend. The Fall Trout fishery is great-vibrant colors, nice weather & cooperative BIG fish! The Salmon are still trickling into the rivers-no big pushes with the way the weather has been. This week is calling for the same type of weather-high's in the 60's with a few showers. If this keeps up we will be fishing Salmon into December this year!!

	Watch Video - 22.7mb Underwater release of chinook

09-19-07

Across the interior parts of the U.P. fall colors are really beginning to show, but the closer you get to the shoreline the colors are still yet to really begin too much. High winds and sunny skies have dominated the weather pattern here int he last week of fishing in the U.P. making for some challenging conditions. Trout fishing has been absolutely great lately as the cool water & lack of fishing pressure has the pre-spawn fish aggressive towards several different techniques! Big Brook Trout have been putting the feed bag on quite heavily as their spawning time is approaching-lots of fun!! Salmon fishing remains about where it did last week at this time-a fishable number are around but a only a trickle more came in the rivers at this time. The warm temps have not dropped water temps at all since last week & a few isolated rain showers hasn't brought river levels up much. Look for fish to continue the slow migration until another heavy rainfall comes our way-then it should be on! Only a few days left of the Trout season-enjoy it now, it's a long cold wait till next season!

09-12-07

Rivers at this time across the U.P. are at what I would rate just about perfect levels-we received nearly 4 inches of rain that helped out tremendously with the low water conditions we had experienced for quite some time. Our weather pattern has made a complete 180 as last week we had dry 80 degree days and now we are barely reaching above the 50 degree mark with rain everyday-some areas of the U.P. actually had forecasts for snow last night! Late season Trout fishing has been lots of fun lately as the fish are once again happy since they have plenty of water! A small push of Salmon have entered some rivers with the last rainfall we received-high winds have made conditions rather challenging for surf casting opportunities lately. More rain is in the forecast so fish will continue to sniff out river mouths in the near future. Trout and Salmon fishing in September-the final days of summer!!

09-03-07

The last week has been spent on the Big Manistee River down below the bridge for some tackle testing early run Chinook from Lake Michigan-quite a different change of pace versus guiding for small resident Brook Trout! We have been lucky enough to be placed on a USFS guide permit to be able to run outings now on this great river-only for a few weeks a year (early Salmon) will limited dates be available. All other outings are here in the yooperland! These fish are lots of fun as they are very fresh & angry-hold on when you hook up! The majority of fish were in the middle to lower sections of the river (Bear Creek down held the highest #'s). If interested in next season please don't hesitate to contact us now as these dates will go quickly!

Across the U.P. some ridiculously needed rain finally came this past week- it helped a bit but we still need more. River levels are still low & very clear for this time of the summer. The next week is calling for rain everyday & it is currently raining right now. Brook Trout fishing remains steady but the terrestrials are beginning to end- streamer fishing will pick up shortly as the water temps are slowly lowering. In the surf a few Salmon are beginning to show up-this weeks menu of fishing consists of lots of surf casting. Getting served by a chrome Chinook in the surf is enough to make anyone smile!

08-23-07

Low and clear water conditions still exist across the U.P. as only a few brief rainshowers have fell over the past week. We have been getting some much colder evenings that have brought water temps down a bit, but a good soaker of a rain is in order to get the fall fishery going. Brook Trout fishing has been steady on the spring creeks with terrestails still being the main entree on the menu! The warmwater fisheries (Bass, Pike, and panfish) have provided some good times with the river conditions being as they are. Fall is coming soon and Salmon/Steelhead fishing is just around the corner!

08-11-07

If ever their was a time when the Upper Peninsula was in need of rain it is right now-currently over 19,000 acres are burning in the area north of Newberry. The wildfire is just south of the Two Hearted River and is only 25% contained after burning for now longer than one week. Across rest of the U.P. there has been several other wildfires that haven't been publicized because of the severity of the fire North of Newberry. River condition are still very low and warm at this time-some larger rivers should not be fished due to conditions. The spring creeks resident trout have been quite content with the water temps in the low 60's-this is the time of the year when these guys get the feed bag on for anything on the surface! Hoppers, ants, crickets, mayflies and the fly on the end of your line makes for a good meal for a not so discriminating Brook trout!

07-31-07

The dog days of summer are upon us here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan-lack of rain & tropical like temps have water levels very low for this time of the year. These water conditions cause resident trout to get very stressed during this time of the year-unless you are fishing spring fed streams any type of other stress (i.e.-fishing pressure can result in mortality). Cold water=happy Trout right now! Spring creeks have good populations of terrestrials bouncing around that have been providing tasty meals for hungry Brook Trout. This fishery has been quite productive here in the past two weeks! Because of the warm water conditions we have been focusing our efforts on warmwater fisheries & exploring other remote fisheries on the Superior shoreline. This is the time of the year to get out and enjoy the weather-sure beats the sub-zero conditions of Winter!

07-17-07

Unseasonably cool weather has been the norm the past week here across the Upper Peninsula-this cold front has provided some much needed rainfall to help bring rivers up from low summer levels. The cool weather & rain has created a great scenario for mid summer trout fishing! Water temps are very stable in the mid 60's and resident Trout have been grabbing Caddis, BWO's, Cahills, and a few Iso's from the surface. On the East end of the U.P. the Atlantic Salmon fishing has slowed quite substantially as large amounts of Hex have been coming off & trying to compete with the natural flies can prove to be difficult at times! This next week should be some quality Trouting as the forecast is calling for highs only in the 70's-mid summer fly fishing in the U.P! Can it get any more relaxing?

07-02-07

Warming water temps in the St.Mary's River system have the Hex beginning to emerge on the warmer days-this bug activity coupled with the rise in water temps have the Atlantic Salmon's diet switched almost completely from fish to bugs! These hex nymphs have been coming through in the thousands when the evening have been staying in the 70's. This large amount of bugs can either provide for some great opportunities or your fly is just a needle in a haystack when there is too many! The next week should be excellent as fresh fish are still showing up on a daily basis to provide some high flying acrobatics on the end of your line! Two dates left during prime time to get your chance to dance with Sal!

06-21-07

The arrival of uncle Sal-this is an event that is anticipated every year with smiles here on the east end of the U.P.! Yes it is the time of the year to hook up & hold on as fresh Atlantic Salmon are present here on the St.Mary's River-this past week of fishing has been exciting as streamers have been producing as well as nymphs. Water temps are still cool as there is a few Steelhead still in the river system and the Hex have not started showing up yet. The next weeks forecast is calling for this cold front to end and for temps in the 70's witch should get more bugs going. On the Trout end of things we received some much needed rainfall that has brought river levels up and cooled them down. Cahills, BWO's, and Caddis make up the dry fly menu-late evenings have had some good spinnerfalls. Big fish & sunshine on the St.Mary's river-come get yours! Great dates available for mid July still!

06-12-07

Hot tropical weather is back here in the U.P.- rivers levels are still low at this time as we have had very little precipitation in the last week. Caddis, Bwo's, Cahills, and Iso's have had some good fish taking advantage of the insect activity! The weather forecast is calling for this warm front to stick around for a few more days till this weekend when some needed rainfall is finally headed our way! On the east end of the U.P. the high flying Atlantic Salmon is starting to show up in fair numbers-we have some prime dates still available for you to test your skills with the leaper!!

05-31-07

Sulphurs, Caddis, Iso's, Blue Wings, and a few Drakes make up the smorgasboard of dry flys that have the resident trout of the U.P. looking up for a meal! Fishing has switched from an afternoon fishery to an evening bite in the last week with the hot dry weather. The next two weeks of fishing will provide for some good times with the fly rod and dry fly! River levels are running low and clear at this time and we are in need of some rain to help keep the rivers at a healthy level. Look for Drakes to start up this next week in full swing!

05-23-07

Trout fishing has been steady the last week as our weird weather continues here in the U.P.-parts of Marquette County actually received a minor bit of snow this past week! Now after a the cold front has moved out our 80 degree weather/wind is back for a short time till this next week will when some much needed rainfall and cooler temps are forecasted. BWO's, Caddis, Light Hendrickons, and a couple Sulphurs have been out and about during mid to late afternoons providing for some dry fly opportunities. The nymph and streamer bite has also produced some quality fish in the net this past week! Memorial day weekend is here-let the dry fly season officially begin!

05-16-07

Burr!!! Cold weather and much need rains have arrived here in the Upper Peninsula-water levels and temps are back to normal for this time for the season after the last dry spell. The last two days almost an inch of rain has brought rivers levels up that should set us up perfectly for some prime dry fly fishing. Blue Winged Olives and Caddis have the bugs of choice over the last week as the resident trout have been a bit more predictable with their feeding habits. Lake fishing has been fun lately as the big Brookies have been hungry with the abundance of dace minnows in the shallows-this should continue with the cool temps in the forecast! Big Brook Trout-guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

05-10-07

Sunny skies, warm air temps and lack of rain across the U.P. has made for some very pleasurable fishing conditions, but the nice weather has created a very high danger for wildfires. Currently rivers are running on the low clear side - water temps are in the upper 50's with some Blue Winged Olives and Stoneflies coming off in the early to mid afternoon hours. Resident Trout have been looking up for these bugs and chasing streamers under the surface daily-but some days are fishing better than others for dry fly action. This time of year for dry fly fishing can be the classic- you should have been here yesterday scenario! The next week here the weather is supposed to get back to normal with air temps in the 50's and rain-a great combination for Blue Wings to some off in good #'s. It's Trout season here in the U.P.- so many options-so little time!

04-30-07

The past week of fishing was a bit more on the normal side of things as our weather has gotten back to U.P. standards-cold nights and sunny afternoons have rivers clear and water temps are in the upper 40's. Many Steelhead have already spawned are headed back to the big pond-drop backs have provided some good fishing as they are filling up their bellies for the voyage home. Opening day saw a few Blue Winged Olives and Stoneflies that came off in the afternoon- a few resident trout are looking up to the top for dinner! Dry fly fishing coming soon in yooperland!

04-22-07

This April here in the U.P. would be an excellent way to experience the four seasons of Michigan in one month! From sub zero arctic air, blizzard like snowstorms, fresh spring mornings and now tropical like heat- wacky to say the least! Today here in Marquette air temps hit 80 degrees-this warming trend has our snowpack gone and river temps at nearly the 50 degree mark-quite the difference from last weeks 38 degree water. Steelhead have been entering the rivers and eagerly wasting no time to sniff around the gravel with the warm water-the weather pattern is supposed to get back to normal starting early in the week so the water temps should stay steady or drop just a bit. Resident Trout are getting active also taking advantage of the higher water as well by grabbing a bug or two to keep their bellies full-small stoneflies have been coming off during the warmer afternoon hours. Look for river levels to drop & clear up a bit for the holy day this next saturday - opening day=let the games of summer begin!

04-17-07

This Spring's weather patterns here in the U.P. are better suited for skiing versus Steelheading as of lately. The pleasant warm up we were getting used to ended quite abruptly in a four day cycle when we received over 25 inches of snow/subzero temps. This put our rivers from a prime spring condition in a more like mid winter fishery-water levels went from having a water temp of 39 to 33 and levels dropped quickly. The good news is the snow is currently melting which will immensely help to keep the rivers at a healthy level for the summer months & bring in a good push of chrome! The weather man is calling for temps in the upper 40's this nest week with rain as well-time to welcome spring once again!

04-01-07

The last weeks warm spell has created a good amount of runoff form the snowpack that has brought rivers across the U.P. up to springtime levels.  The runoff from the snow coupled with the cold nights we have been receiving has water temps still only in the upper thirties. Water levels have crested and are on the way down-a good stain to the water makes the rivers look quite fishy currently!  A small amount of chrome has shot up with the runoff - the higher water and angry fish make for some interesting battles! The weather man is calling for a week of cold temps & a winter storm warning-steelheading yooper style!!

03-15-07

After a few days of summer like weather here in the U.P. our heat wave is officially over and where back to normal temps for this time of the year. The warm up created a good amount of melt off that has rivers up about 6 inches to a foot with a good stain to the water. All of the snowmelt that has occurred really hasn't bumped up water temps so fish are still in normal winter lies. A few fresh fish have entered the rivers with the increase in water-a chrome headshake sure feels good after the last month of living in the arctic! The spring run is still a ways off as the forecast is calling for highs in the upper twenties and low thirties for a while. This should stabilize our meltoff and bring river levels back to normal levels for March. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth @ the MFFC show this past weekend-always a great way to start off the upcoming season and get excited to start fishing! Steel is coming soon- lets get it on!!!

03-01-07

The warming trend has everyone excited about Spring- but reality sets in with the low ultra clear Winter water conditions that currently exist. Resident Trout and Steelhead are still hiding from the cold for the most part in the darkest and deepest water they can find that has a nice home of woody debris lodged inside. This past week was a bit more promising as the air temps have cooperated making it enjoyable to be on the river instead of ice fishing! The next week of warmer temps should help the melt out a bit & maybe bring in a few new fish the contend with. Stop by Hanks Flyfishing in novi on March 8 to visit & watch our presentation of Atlantic Salmon fishing on the St.Marys River or stop by the booth @ the MFFC show in Warren March 10 & 11!

02-09-07

Downright bonechilling temps over the last week have made fishing conditions challenging to say the least. I never thought about bringing an ice auger to the river- ice is a issue currently that is making the rivers nearly unfishable at times. A warm up over the below zero mark is predicted for this upcoming week - this should break up the ice & make for a pleasant change in conditions! This is the stretch of the Winter that is tough here in the U.P.- winter blues, cabin fever, & sunlight deprivation! Only one cure for those aliments- hit the river when the mercury permits! Look for the annual upcoming season newsletter to be out soon-prime openings currently for spring Steelhead, float tubing for trophy Brook Trout, driftboat Trout float trips, & St.Marys River Atlantic Salmon trips-sound like fun? Don't settle for secondary dates-Booking now secures your vacation to be during peak fishing conditions!

01-18-07

Cold hands, frozen guides, and snow falling?? One would almost think it is Winter finally! Here in the Upper Peninsula the mild weather pattern is history and Winter is back! The warm weather/precipation we recieved over the holidays brought enough fish in to keep us smiling for some time! Single digits temps have fish tucked up into the wood moving slow- water temps have reached normal mid winter levels now that it is Mid January. Slow prentations and fishing persistently produces results this time fo the year!