Manistee River Trout Fishing Report
October 25, 2019
RIVER REPORT
I had the opportunity this week to fish the Upper Manistee River with good friends Joe and Jay. This is an annual outing that we do instead of chasing fall steelhead.
The first day we moved a reasonable number of fish, hooked a few and landed some. Several were upper teens maybe even twenty inches in length. All fishing was done with streamers and 90% + of the activity came on an Olive and White Nutcracker. A fly that was born on this water and continues to be a workhorse. You can buy some from Orvis here.
This is one of my favorite times to be on the water. The fall colors are close to peak, temps are cool, woodsmoke occasionally fills your nose from a nearby cabin, and the air is crisp. Fall is a fantastic time of year in Michigan to explore our rivers..
STREAMER FISHING
The streamer opportunities are no longer limited to early mornings and evenings. If the conditions are right (clouds, rain, slight stain on the water) go streamer fishing if you can! This time of the year can produce some of the best trout of the season. Most of the brook trout we have caught recently are in full spawning colors and are just gorgeous. The browns are getting into spawning mode. We saw 3 active reds with large spawning browns on each. If you see a redd (lightly colored gravel) please steer clear of it, leave the fish alone and let them do their thing, especially if you are wading.
Booking a Guide Trip
Give Cherie a call 231-228-7135 for booking information on Guide Trips and to get a streamer or steelhead trip. The USED GEAR page has some new gear added, check it out. Also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for additional photo’s, videos, and links to more fishing related articles.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Chuck Hawkins
Steve