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Northwest Michigan - July NOOKIES

3K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  dansteelieman 
#1 ·
Northwest Michigan - July NOOKIES

A trip to the Little Manistee river in NW Michigan with Dansteelieman in late July proved to be an excellent time. With loads of fish and many hookups, we managed to bring an expirence that we thought would be not worth the trip....totally alive. Lets just say hooking an early run king is incredible for anyone that hasn't. These fish are fresh from the lake and fight so hard that they can break 10wt rods like they are nothing. They can jump higher than you are in height and will move so fast you can barley keep up. What an expirence...

When we arrived that Thursday morning, we saw a few locals fishing, but they didn't see any fish move up that morning or even the night before. We anticiptated a trip that would result in a few if any hookups at all. Well, after fishing the lower stretches that morning, we moved upstream and did some scouting. Nobody was fishing at all....we had the stretch all to ourselves. Thank God we went upstream and looked for fish,m every pool was stacked with 5-20+ fish, depending on where we were at. We ended up hooking several fish that day, and landing 4 of them. We got some aerial displays and hot patterns were green globugs and black stones.

The next day we decided we would go where we thought the fish would be. Sure enough, there was fish there...just not as many as the day before. We still managed to hook a decent number, and landed 2 of them, 1 each for us.

The last day we fished the same area, just moved downstream. It was a Saturday, and the canoers and tourists would be around we figured. Early in the morning we settled in a nice run, about 5' deep that had a riffle going through it and a nice deep pocket in the front with wood and overhanging hemlock trees. Ideal holding water for early kings. There was a pod of about 6 fish, and after hooked about 4 of them....many of them moved up to different holding lies. We did manage to find another spot and hook abut 3 more, but that was it. Alot of the fish became spooky and several moved up as well. We ended our adventure and called it a day, we would go home happy.

Every day was beautiful and sunny, with a few passing thunderstorms at times. Still a pleasure to be fishing for early fresh run NOOKIES!
 

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Dan's 2nd
 

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Dan's 3rd
 

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My 1st of the day
 

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My 2nd
 

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#8 ·
YUP

FROM what my buddies tell me that the kings are stacked below the weir. The gates are closed. But they say they get darker and fresh mixed like always...well good luck...as far as salmon in the rivers. Not to good numbers wise. But I wont be there ill be surfin it at some creek mouths...well good luck
 
#10 ·
yes...

Surfs up will be soon. Facts are Drew is that the surface temp is holding in the high sixties and lower seventies in many places and the lake needs to turn over. We need an east wind. Off the first shelf in 70 - 80' FOW some fish are staging and cruising. Only problem is, unless you have a boat with riggers you cannot get to them and makes flyfishing impossible. Off the first thermal bar, fish will be holding in the deepest spots, near river mouth channels and pierheads.

I just talked to my buddy who pioneered surf fishing in the Great Lakes. He owns the Troutsman in TC and said he has had nothing roll over for him in the last week or so surf fishing wise. Fish are just too far out, and beach temps are hot for presenting flies to cruising kings.

It won't be long. Have large flies tied, mine are up to 15".
 
#11 ·
Good Lord that looks like fun...what's your history with this sport. I'd love to get into some of that this early in the year. I thought it would be way too early. What kind of gear do you use and how do you rig it up?

I spent good money last Nov. 15th with a guide and there was nothing in the Muskeegon...should I be looking elsewhere or looking at a different time? (We did scrounge up some nice rainbows so all was not lost)
 
#12 ·
history...

Been doing this for about 4-5 years so far. What an expirence. Right now I am in the process of getting my article published with a flyfishing magazine. I got several pictures and plenty of information.

Drop me a PM if you want.
 
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