Shop Hours 8am – 6pm Daily
We are still looking for some additional shop employees, so if you or someone you know might be interested give us a call…231-745-3529.
Trout season is upon us!!! It has been a fun couple weeks chasing trout and dusting off all the trout equipment. Sorry for the lapse in reports, but I have been busy fishing and not guiding much…it’s been fun!!! Re-tooling after the spring steelhead season and transitioning gear to trout season. Not to mention tying up some new and old streamers to fill in some gaps in the boxes. I even got the raft tuned up and took it on a float…the weather is getting nice and some bugs are starting to hatch.
Since the Sunday after the opener, we have had and maintained good (to great) streamer water. We have been consistently getting rain throughout the watershed. The water level has been up and down, but maintaining good color. We got hit again last night with a brief, but powerful storm. It’s time to go trout fishing!!!
This past Saturday BBT hosted it’s annual Spring River Clean-Up. It was a beautiful day to spend it on the water with friends and family. We had a good turn out and made a HUGE difference in the appearance of our famous waterway. I had the pleasure to have our daughter join us for the float (she is 10 years old). This was not her first time, but we discussed why we spend a day cleaning the river. It not only renewed the purpose of taking care of our valued resource, but makes us respect it even more! We discussed what would happen if we did nothing…and that was scary! We are not the only ones who care for the river and we thank you!!!! Appreciate everyone who donates their time and energy towards making the river a prettier place! We picked up lots of trash and picked the trees clean…good work team!!!
Streamers have been the tactic of choice. Large to medium patterns have been getting the most looks and grabs. Natural color tones and fry/minnow patterns have been my primary selections lately. Black, Olive, Yellow, Chartruese and White have all produced at different times over the last few weeks. In the higher water levels there have been many grabs in the middle of the river…depending on water levels…strip it all the way back. We spotted a couple sulphur last week when we were out later in the afternoon, but I have not sat out until dark yet…very soon! We are very close to the hatches popping. Look for BWO’s, hennies, sulphurs and gray drakes not too far out. I am looking forward to spending evenings on the river waiting for bugs. That is such a magical experience of anticipation, excitement, hunting, tuning into the river and waiting for it to come alive!!
The shop is ready for trout season as well. The fly bins are filling up with dries, nymphs, mice and streamers. We have what you need and want for our area. Our lure selection is loaded up too…we got you covered!!! As the season develops and the hatches start rolling, please stop by for a report or just give us a call on your way…the shop crew has their finger on the pulse! We have plenty of availability for guide trips this spring and summer…give us a call to lock in a trip (231)-745-3529. Most trips will be an afternoon start & fishing until dark or after dark, but morning and mid-day trips are also an option.
As stated earlier, we are just on the front edge of our dry fly season. Stay tuned for developments! The season is like a great piece of music…starting off slowly with hendricksons; then sulphurs begin popping; now toss in a bunch of drakes & Iso’s; peaking with hexes (but NOT over); transitioning into amazing and explosive terrestrial fishing…plus, the after-dark action throughout. I am excited and ready!!! June will be here soon and that’s one of my favorite months on the Pere Marquette river for a dry fly fisher.
Our summer bookings are slowly filling, but we still have plenty of prime dates available. We have a full staff of guides rowing all summer. Steve, John Robinson, Kam (until he heads to AK in June) and myself…groups, beginners, fly, spinning gear…whatever…no problem. Day or night we do it all! It’s going to be a great year with some big fish caught. Here we go and good luck out there!!!
Later,
John