Third Coast Fly

Cold wet weather with hot fishing.

Our high water levels brought in the expected push of fresh steelhead and the steelhead and browns have been feeding like pigs. We’ve caught oodles of nice browns just behind the spawning steelhead, including the 27″ pictured below.

We’ve been fishing big, bright double egg rigs with the high dirty water. Though things will change now that the PM River is getting almost back to normal.

It sounds like there is another batch of new steelhead heading our way, so there’s still a chance to get into this hot action.

There is no question that it’s still winter in west Michigan but with the ice sickles dripping a bit more each day, spring seems right around the corner.  The PM River is in great shape with water levels about perfect and just enough color.  As is the case each spring, water temps will remain cold until most of the snow has melted.

Steelhead reports from the river have been excellent.  Below are a few pictures from Steve’s float a few days ago.  They covered water quickly with streamers and while they didn’t move any steelhead they did get into several nice trout including the 22″ below.  Even though Steve didn’t get into any steelhead with streamers when he had his cammera, streamers are still producing steelhead.  This will likely end as soon as spring breaks and the steelhead hit the gravel, focusing their feeding interests to eggs and nymphs.

The steelhead fishing is still idling at ok.  There are enough spawners around to have some action but that is about it.  What has been spicing up the days is a good number of drop-backs moving down river.  These rebrightened hens are eager and aggressive, a lot like fishing the fall.

The river is up a bit and has some color since the recent rains.  I also heard that there are some new fish heading upstream, let’s hope this is more than a rumor.

The browns have been hot or cold.  More cold for me lately but Steve did great stripping streamers a few days ago.