Steelhead Farewell
Steelhead season is officially over in my boat. While some years the run persists well into April and possibly May, this season is not one of them. Sure, there’s still decent numbers of fish around, but they’re heading to spawning gravel very quickly and just looking tired. We’ll be anxiously awaiting their return come fall.
I can’t thank everyone enough for the support this year. I had a very full schedule for the spring season and my gratitude for that is beyond words. With wild swings in weather and water levels, we saw it all out there. Everyone fished hard and had great spirits through the highs and lows alike.
While the overall spring run was weaker than years past, we finished strong here at the end. The first two weeks of April saw some of the nicest weather and best angling of the year. A few bumps in water levels and temperatures made for solid bites on most days, with just a couple slow ones mixed in.
A Few Takeaways:
After reflecting on the spring season, a few notable themes/lessons stuck out to me on spring steelheading:
Spring steelhead have spawning in mind. Despite low, clear, cold water, they will still push to the areas close to their spawning grounds to wait for the right moment to get busy. Sections of rivers this spring that looked so low they were potentially un-floatable, consistently held good numbers of fish due to the densities of nearby spawning habitat.
When angling pressure is high, rotating through presentations is critical. There were many times this season, with plenty of other anglers on the river, that the 7th or 8th fly change through a deep hole produced fish. Having unique patterns in your box or throwing an uncommon color through pressured water can be incredibly effective.
With drought-like conditions in NW Michigan, low clear water was consistent all year. Having a good gameplan for these conditions is a key part of successful steelhead fishing. Yes, the angling was generally better in the higher, off-colored waters we would occasionally experience, but we also had some stellar days in the low/clear. Everything gets scaled down: small flies/beads, small floats, lighter leaders, etc. Parking the boat well above a hole and making long drifts was critical. Focusing on shaded runs on sunny days and passing on the exposed ones.
For the second half of April and throughout May, my focus will shift to trout and smallmouth. With a limited window between my busy steelhead season and the upcoming Alaskan summer, my guide availability will be narrowed to select dates.
With many guests already planning return trips for next steelhead season, now is a good time to lock-in future dates for Fall ‘24 through Spring ‘25.
Spring Trout or Smallmouth:
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
April and May are excellent months to be out pursuing both brown trout and smallmouth bass. Streamer fishing for both species can be at its peak this time of year, don’t miss out!
Alaska Float Trip Availability
We have just two remaining spots for our Alaska Fly Anglers summer float trip season. Trophy rainbow trout and arctic char angling in the remote Katmai National Park. All-inclusive 7-day float trip from King Salmon, Alaska.
Dates: July 26th to August 1st
Rates: $5,300 per person
Availability: 2 openings
Casting Lessons
Interested in learning to fly fish? Need to knock the rust off after a long winter and get your casting stroke back in good shape? Spring offers an excellent opportunity for those both learning to cast or advance skill sets already in place.
All ages and experience-levels welcome! All rods and equipment provided.
Rates: $75/hour
Location: Greater Traverse City area. Public parks with mowed lawns and small ponds are utilized.
Again, a huge thank you to everyone that joined me for steelhead fishing this year, or simply kept up with what’s happening here at Green Drake Outfitters. My passion for guiding continues to grow every season, fueled by the folks I spend my days on the water sharing such great experiences with.
-Cole DeVault