Manistee River Trout Report

May 20, 2022

Trout Fishing Report

The Upper Manistee has been running very clear and the rain from the weekend has helped. After some unseasonably warm weather we have settled back into a more normal May weather pattern.

Sulphurs started hatching this past week and fish have been looking up with more regularity. Makes sure to have both size 16 and 18’s in your box. A few mahoganies have also just started to make an appearance. Black caddis are still around and there are also a few stoneflies bouncing around.

With the clear water smaller lamprey and baitfish patterns have been the most productive streamers, though the streamer bite has been tough. As always, look for those cloudy days to be the most productive for streamers.

Didymo Update and Treatment Options

On another note some of you may have heard about the Didymo, or rock snot, issue in the Upper Manistee. Around the CCC Bridge and Sharon area it is extremely prevalent, completely covering the bottom in certain sections. It also is free floating and looks like chucks of wet paper towels floating down streams. Everyone needs to be diligent after fishing and clean their gear. If you are floating, power wash your boat and trailer and have a separate anchor rope when floating the Upper Man. To cleans boots and waders many companies suggest the following:

The best thing to do when dealing with Didymo is to dry gear thoroughly between drainages – even after cleaning with the recommended washing instructions, invasives can still live until they are dry.  With that being said, folks can follow the ’10 for 10′ rule, where their gear is saturated with a 10% concentration of dish soap, and left to stay saturated for at least 10 minutes (Bleach is another method that is commonly suggested for sanitizing for invasives, but we DO NOT recommend bleach on gear. Same goes for very hot water, for the same duration – around 140 degrees – again, we DO NOT recommend that for gear).

For boots, it’s extremely important to remove all deposits of mud and algae – a stiff-bristled brush is best to make sure that stitching is clean and clear, as well as soles and any traction devices (like studs or aluminum bars). Aluminum bars can be removed, cleaned and dried, as invasives could potentially live for longer in the microscopic spaces between the sole and the aluminum bar, since that’s a tricky area to completely dry without removal. Felt is difficult to clean, but drying is the best method – felt boots can take days to dry completely, though, all the way through (that’s why I would never suggest to allow a felt boot that has been in a drainage with didymo go to a different drainage).

Please take the time to follow these suggestions and help mitigate the spread of this invasive species. There is also a webinar on June 9 at 9am for those wanting more information.

Visit https://www.michigan.gov/egle/outreach/not-mi-species-webinar-series to find out more and sign up.

We still have a few primetime trout dates left. Give Cherie a call at 231-228-7135 to get on the books!

Good luck and tight lines,

Matt Barthels