March Madness Ahead
What a fantastic February for angling opportunities in Northern Michigan. Long, mild days have been playing on repeat. For better or worse, the warm weather pattern we’ve experienced most of the month appears to be lingering well into March.
Our creeks are extremely low and clear, with water temps significantly higher than normal for late February. “Normal”, however, may be an irrelevant term in regard to weather, steelhead, and all things winter in Michigan these days.
Overall, steelheading has been good! I’m excited to enjoy the next several weeks of guiding with guests as we dive into the heart of the spring season.
Fishing has been interesting to say the least. The entire spectrum of run activity seems to be occurring all at once. Many winter holdover fish have spawned and returned to the lake, with drop-backs making up 100% of the catch some days.
At the same time, fresh spring fish seem to be rolling in on schedule, although at a steady trickle as far as I can tell. Sections of river that fish well one day are ghost towns the next. It’s the chess match I love, staying on top of these amazing creatures as they migrate upriver. Fingers crossed for precipitation. Northern Michigan could use two straight weeks of steady rain.
Stoneflies have become increasingly active, with some truly spectacular hatches the last few days. Small rubber-legged stones have been producing fish. Egg patterns and beads in 8mm to 10mm continue to fish well, with colors shifting steady to cheese, oranges, and yellows as the numbers of real eggs tumbling downstream increase.
The trout bite has been really solid with the consistently warm temperatures. Our creeks not known for high densities of trout have been offering high-quality fish. We took a break recently from steelhead to throw streamers in the sun, and enjoyed a great day watching them chase. Small black, tan, and olive patterns did the job.
Guide Trips
I have openings throughout March and April. I encourage anyone interesting in floating with me to contact me as soon as possible, as things are moving along quickly on the steelhead front.
I have just two weekend dates available for the rest of the spring, March 31 and April 14. I still have plenty of weekdays, which often offer the least traffic from other anglers and the best opportunity for relative solitude.
A quick reminder on my daily rates:
Full Day (8-9 Hours) 2 People - $450.00
Full Day (8-9 Hours) 1 Person - $375.00
Half Day (4-5 Hours) 1-2 People - $325.00
As always, I provide all equipment, flies, rods, etc. for all trip options. Beverages and lunch are offered on full day trips at no additional charge.
Upcoming Events
This Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the MSU Pavilion (4301 Farm Lane, Lansing, Michigan) between 9:00 am and 5:30 pm I will have a booth at the annual Quiet Adventures Symposium.
The event highlights non-motorized activities, including fly fishing, paddle sports, backpacking, and cycling. It’s a high-quality gathering of wide-ranging speakers, vendors, and demonstrators.
I’ll be tying flies and talking-up the opportunities our great state has to offer with fly rod in hand. Stop by if you’re in Mid-Michigan, it’s a fun event hosted by a solid organization.
Tomorrow, February 29th, from 6-8pm, I will be hosting a FREE class on spring steelhead fishing at Nomad Anglers Fly Shop in Grand Rapids.
I’ll be covering a lot of info here, from my rod setups, fly selections, reading spring water, and quite a bit more. Essentially all of the information I would relay on a guided trip. If you’re new to the steelhead game or would like to hear a different perspective on tactics, this would be a good one to check out. The Nomad crew is top notch and it’s a great place to stock up on spring tying materials.
Cheers to March Madness, one of the greatest months of the year for the steelhead fly angler. Hoping everyone has a chance to get out there and enjoy it. Big thanks to everyone who has booked a trip with me, I appreciate it deeply.
Cole DeVault