STREAM REPORTS......................

May 4, 2008

Orvis Streamside and

THE ORVIS MICHIGAN FLY FISHING SCHOOL





WARMER WEATHER ON TAP THIS WEEK. HENDRICKSONS STARTING ON AREA RIVERS.







Manistee and Boardman Rivers Stream Report
ALL AREA RIVERS ARE NOW OPEN. LEVELS AND TEMPERATURES NORMAL BUT SLIGHTLY OFF-COLOR.

FINALLY! Temps are rising as week progresses and only a little rain is in the forecast. Hendricksons continue to come off as air temps are reaching the mid 60's afternoons and water temps are in the low to mid 50's. Manistee fish are still letharic with the cold evenings, but are still taking streamers. As the week progresses, fish will become more agressive. Look for the back waters to warm first in the warming sunshine this week. Baitfish will be hanging there and large predators will as well.

Betsie has peaked and still has very good numbers of steelhead. The steelhead fishing will continue for another couple of weeks with suckers filling rivers along with spawning walleye.

The Boardman is clear and has very good numbers of steelhead all the way up to Sabin with lots of spawners in town and at the mouth. Upper Boardman is still very cold but is hatching Hendricksons daily.

Streamside Orvis is located at 223 E. Front Street in downtown Traverse City. Stop in and say hello.

ORVIS MICHIGAN FLY FISHING SCHOOL
This is the same school as the original school in Manchester, Vermont. Schools are taught by Orvis certified instructors. To book an Orvis Fly Fishing School at The Homestead call (800) 239-2074 ext. 456, or go to www.orvis.com/schools.


GUIDE DATES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR STEELHEAD, AND TROUT. CALL NOW TO RESERVE YOUR DATES!!!
Orvis Endorsed Guides are available daily for both half day and full day trips. To book a guide trip call (231) 933-9300.

Upper Manistee - Flies Only
Streamer fishing is fair. Backwater is warming finally and baitfish are beginning to gather in the skinny water over the siltbeds. Hendricksons are coming off daily now with spinners when the weather will cooperate. Cold, below freezing temps have slowed the egg layers and brought very few fish to the surface, but nighttime temps are forecast to stay above freezing. Warmer temps will keep the Hendricksons coming. Look for hatches to include some black caddis soon. Afternoon emergences from 3-4pm and spinners likely from 6-8pm are typical.

Pulling streamers over the skinny silt beds in the backwater will often find a large fish lurking in the edges waiting for baitfish to move onto or off of the shallow warm water. Streamers are moving some larger fish in the late mornings as water temps rise. 10:00am to 2pm you will fool a few.

Soft hackles have moved some good fish as well swinging them slowly across the river in faster gravel riffles.


Boardman River:
The upper Boardman from the Forks down to Garfield are slow with levels normal, fairly clear and very cold. Hendricksons are coming sporadically with few if any fish feeding. Upper branches are offering some good attractor fishing. Anglers are fooling good numbers of eager brook trout and small browns.

Below Garfield, streamers are producing some nice fish, but better fishing will come as water warms and fish begin to metabolize. Hendricksons are also coming off below Garfield all the way to Keystone. Rain this weekend will warm the water and help.

Lower Manistee below Tippy
Plenty of fish are below the dam all the way to Sawdust and below. Good numbers of steelhead and some very large brown trout are being caught on Bear Andrew's pink and pearl crystal eggs and other small eggs.

Trout Patterns:
Red Quills #14 and #12 are fooling fish that were feeding on Hendricksons last week but are seeing fewer bugs emerging due to colder temps. #12 and #14 EthaWing Duns are great for the emergence. #14 Angel Wing spinners and traditional rusty and mahogany spinners #14. Look for better hatches as the afternoons warm later in the week. Dredging the deep holes with a Copper Johns and hare's ears #14 is also a good tactic. Pheasant tails in #14 are also a good choice as well. Caddis pupa #16. Orange soft-hackles #14 and in hare’s ear. Successful streamers include buggers, Russ Madden's Circus Peanuts, in black, white and olive, as well as his Mad Pups in white, olive and black. On the other side of the spectrum, small buggers #8 and light spruce #6 are fooling fish.

Steelhead
Bear's Crystal Eggs in pearl or pink, Green caddis #6, Viagra caddis, hex nymph patterns like the Nympho-O-Minnow, and very large single eggs are the patterns of choice right now. Don't forget black stones like the NEW Senyo Wiggle-Stones, and steelhead buggers #6 as well.

The Betsie River has peak numbers of steelhead for wading below Homestead Dam and plenty above as well. Suckers are in the way as usual, but plenty of fish are being caught. Best patterns have been peach or pink single eggs, green caddis and hex nymphs like Nymph-o-Minnow #8 and Senyo's Blue Wiggle Nymph #12.

Platte River
Steelhead smolts are in the way of most floats despite good numbers of steelhead everywhere. Big 1/0 and #2-#4 Deceivers in blue, green and red, Clousers in all colors and Zuddlers are being fished along the shoreline and at the mouth.

Forecast:
Highs in the mid 60's today with warmer air on its way and some rain for the weekend. Check the weather box in the upper left hand corner of our web pages (www.streamsideorvis.com) to get the exact local weather, or call directly (231) 933-9300.