First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who cared enough to attend and participate in the river clean-up! It was a huge success and a ton of fun! Beautiful weather for “heavy lifting and yard work”…It’s nice to gather with people willing to donate their time and efforts to help maintain our beautiful resource. We made a difference and gained some great river Karma…thank you!!! The river is a better place and you all should feel proud of our efforts….THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!! The river has paid me back since then with big dividends!!! As I have stated many times “the river has given me everything and owes me nothing!”
Steelhead Fishing Report
Steelhead fishing has been challenging for the most part. LOW/CLEAR water and concentrated fishing pressure in the middle and lower river has made things tougher than normal. We have been working hard everyday and finding some players, but sunny days have been tough! However, we have also been catching some steelhead on the sunny afternoons…maybe they are getting use to it??? I don’t know, but that’s what has been keeping things interesting everyday. We just experienced the “Sunniest October” on record according to our local meteorologist. Rain and cooler weather is forecasted to hit over the next few days….so, lets hope and pray!!!
The water is so clear; be on the look-out for steelhead! I have caught several in “no-man’s land”. Sight fishing is a real thing at this time of year and in these conditions! Hunting the river and looking while I am floating down the river has paid off with one cast “here and there”! With that being said and given the conditions (please tuck your boat close and have a seat while floating past other anglers and boats)…when fishing steelhead in gin clear water a big profile does not help!!
We have been throwing the “kitchen sink” at them…fly fishing, bead fishing and tossing plugs/spinners. Beads in natural colors (pale oranges, peaches and yellows in 8-10 mm) have been getting the most attention. Lighter leaders and stealthy approaches will help as well! Make your first few casts count, but keep working a run or pool to the very tail-out…they have been hanging down there a lot recently (or we are pushing them and then they finally bite in the tail-out?).
The tougher conditions are getting “cut-throat” with some anglers/guides “low holing” and staying out ahead of everyone all day.…well, I have news for them; you don’t catch them all!!! Proper presentation, guiding and patience will fool the fish even if “X” amount of boats have fished through that water. The right time & place with quality drifts is generating strikes.
We are very busy until this weekend and then we have available dates for guide trips…keep an eye on the weather and give us a call to book a full or half day guide trip…231-745-3529. Plus, we have lodging available for fisherman and hunters. The season is no where near over…we have some greatest fishing opportunities before winter sets in…give us a call!
Here are some of my camera downloaded pictures….thanks again!
Just a friendly reminder…beads are NOT legal in the “Flies-Only” section (even if pegged above a fly). Plus, it’s a 1 fish (Steelhead) limit from Gleason’s Landing to Lake Michigan year round…1 fish per person per day.
This is one of my favorite times of the year! I always look forward to June and November each year and think fondly of all the great experiences/memories built during those two months in Michigan. I am 100% converted to steelhead fishing/guiding, but can switch to streamers for browns and steelhead at a moments notice. Fall streamer fishing can be extremely productive when the conditions are right (and they are NOT right at the moment…keep your fingers crossed we get some rain over the next few days!). I love stripping streamers for aggressive fall fish! The visual strike is the addictive ingredient; it is a lot of work with fewer bites….but, the encounters you will never forget
Very thankful to be so busy at this time of year….THANK YOU!!! Super excited about the next 6 weeks and the fish we are going to catch and even lose…sometimes, the heart-broken battle is a better story/memory then the grip-n-grin. The steelhead have been HOT and extremely hard to handle with lighter leaders…we have lost many more than we have landed. They are a humbling fish, but that is what makes them so special…they are NOT easy to catch!
Good luck out there!
John Karakashian
