orvis

Streamside Orvis' Tyler Sarasin discusses the proper way to stay warm and dry in the coldest, nastiest weather. Enjoy this Youtube video.

Boardman River and Upper Manistee River

Fishing is excellent. Streamer fishing is good early from 7-8am. Tan caddis #14 are moving fish all afternoon from 4-6pm. Yellow stoneflies from 7-8:30p. Sulfurs (ephemerella invaria #16) are also emerging from 7-9pm. Some spinners now around 8-9pm. Smaller sulfur (e. dorothea #18) is also emerging from 8-9:30pm. Isonychia bicolor #12 from 8-10:30pm. Brown drake spinners #10 are from 10pm to dark.

Boardman River

Fishing is very good with water warming and hatches going well daily. Black caddis (#16) are going daily from 4-6pm, and sulfurs (ephemerella invaria #16) are emerging from 7-9pm. Egg-layers (caddis) are hitting the water around 6:30pm. Sulfur spinners are on the water from 8-9pm.

Upper Manistee River

Fishing is excellent from Yellowtrees to 3 Mile Landing. Streamer fishing mornings from 7 -8am. Black caddis all afternoon with egg-layers coming to the water 6:30pm. Mahogonies (paraleptophebia #16) are moving lots of fish from 7-9pm and sulfurs (ephemerealla invaria 16) are everywhere evenings from 7-9pm. Sulfur spinners

Boardman River

The Boardman River is starting to warm up, despite the cold wintery weekend, and fish are beginning to eat. Streamer fishing is fair, and Hendricksons and black caddis are emerging daily. The North Branch and South Branch are warmer and brook trout are the easiest take for the early season. Lower sections like the Ranch, Garfield and Brown Bridge are also good choices right now. Early afternoons for the Hendrickson emergence, and evenings around 6pm for the spinnerfall. Black caddis #16-18 are heaviest from 2-5pm.

Upper Manistee River

Streamer fishing has been good and some very large fish have been caught over

Orvis Helios 2 fly rods are still at the top of the technological heap. At the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Warren, Michigan last weekend, we were amazed at how they still dominate the casting pond, customers' bucket lists, and the river. Check out this new video from Manchester.

http://youtu.be/jt-QqQgw2xI

Still made in Manchester, Vermont. First-hand knowledge of the quality.

Check out this incredible video of rising trout on a damsel fly hatch shot by Simon Perkins' Sharptail Productions. Just amazing!

http://youtu.be/1q_T5KJpI28

Busting brush into the dark and overgrown headwaters of our better-known and larger trout streams can offer lots of exciting fishing.  Hunting tiny creeks for pocket water and beaver ponds also presents a list of different problems for fly anglers to overcome. Casting to tiny spots without room for a back cast, fooling a trout at close range, or even getting to the stream without breaking the rod can offer trouble without some preparation or experience. This issue, let’s see how to deal with some of these challenges.

Choose the right rod.

Fly casting to a trout that is holding under a bank only ten feet in front of you on a stream that is only six feet wide can be a tough shot. Add to that scenario tag alder, willow and cedar all around and you’ll have a perfect environment for trout to hold in and a nightmare to move about and to cast. A couple of things can help if you plan ahead. First, choose a rod that is suited to such a tight environment. Rods of s