Archive for the ‘salmon’ Category

The Future of Great Lakes Salmon

Wednesday, April 13th, 2016

Michigan Public Radio had an article on the future of pacific salmon in the Great Lakes. It doesn’t look to promising if your a fan of the salmon. I get that the lakes are changing and pacific salmon aren’t a good fit because they need large populations of baitfish but is anyone talking about increasing stocking numbers for atlantic salmon, steelhead and lake run browns.

To read or listen to the Michigan Public Radio article click here.

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Pere Marquette River Fishing Report – October 29th

Saturday, October 31st, 2015

The salmon peaked late on the PM River this fall. Why? Who can know for sure but it has been unseasonably warm and dry which are two conditions that have been known to delay a fall run and this year it seems to have pushed them back about two weeks.

Thanks to hurricane Patricia things have changed overnight. It rained all day yesterday and the mercury has dropped significantly and from time to time I can hear sleet hitting the windows. Only a steelheader could be thankful for this change in the weather.

More steelhead are hitting our nets each day and this gray wet weather should only help bring more into the system.

Water conditions are still slightly below average with just a touch of color. All of my steelhead have been on eggs, which makes sense due to the fact that I haven’t fish anything else.

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Pere Marquette River Fishing Report – October 15th

Monday, October 19th, 2015

The salmon fishing remains as good as it has been all fall with spawners on many gravels. There were many rumors that the Big Manistee received a batch of steelhead after the last rain, I’m afraid that there are no such rumors floating down the PM yet.

Water conditions remain low and clear, certainly not the recipe to entice fall steelhead to head upstream. I’m doing my rain dance as I write this.

I’ve got the same low and clear water advice as I’ve had all fall: Stealth. A quiet, perfectly placed first cast puts the odd in your favor and increases your chance. Our good bites have been happening on the first couple drifts.

While warm and dry weather doesn’t make for great fishing is sure does make it pleasant to be on the water. The fall colors combined with the diffused low light we get this time of year makes Northern Michigan a great place to be.

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Pere Marquette River Fishing Report- Oct 8th

Thursday, October 8th, 2015

Salmon fishing on the PM is now the best it has been for 2015. Is this the peak? Probably, but who knows. As is often the case in the fall, water conditions are low and clear. While clear skies don’t bring the rain we want it does make for great fall weather.

Approaching salmon within casting range without them changing their behavior has been our ticket for success. If the salmon start acting different than when you first saw them then your chances or getting a bite are about zero. Our fish in the net are most often the first good drift through.

Yesterday we had the biggest male salmon in the spot swing out after our big dark fly but refuse both times, probably because it was a foot or two too short and then he was done, no interest at all.

If you don’t get bit in the first couple good drifts, give the fish a break and try another fly. The 100th drift with the same flies is only going to get you a foul hooked fish.

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