MICHIGAN TROUT OPENER! whats in your box?

[throwinflys 0]

SO excited to fish this weekend! just finishing up my dry fly's for the opener. What are you guys planning on trying? i'll be fishing the Au Sable using mainly small olives, caddis, and hendricksons most likely. also going to try some nymphing. I've never done it but i've tied a bunch.

 

oh and the guys at Gates Lodge said they had steady olives today and about 15 mins of hennies. not many takers but there were bugs

 

[shoebop 0]

What stretch of the river will you be on? I'm hoping to go up there too. If I do, I'll likely be on the South Branch.

[throwinflys 0]

well i'll be with my grandpa and every year we have gone to the south branch in the mason tract. i've heard the water is higher and faster than last year which doesn't bode well for my grandpa. if it calms down a little then we'll be somewhere in the mason tract, if not i've been considering thindera and dam 4. this is going to be my first year exploring the rest of the river. we went guided last year up by mio and i LOVED it there too. such a beautiful river

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

the water is high and fast and going to get worse with rain expected tomorrow through friday as for flies I will be pitching streamers like spruces and mickey finns early in the morning then switching to hendricksons and olives in the afternoon and around noonish probably try some copper johns under a EHC all for brookies in Onaway

[throwinflys 0]

riffle- i wish i had the option to throw streamers in the morning. i'm only working with a 4wt. rod and floating line. i've tied some streamers but i don't see how i can get any use out of them until I get a streamer rod. i did buy an old fiberglass L.L. Bean fly rod that is a 5/6wt. but i don't have a reel yet. what patterns do you like for hendricksons?

[Trouser Trout 0]

So far the weather looks like its going to cooperate, and according to the USGS the water levels should be getting back down to normal. I'll have Mickey Finns, Black Ghosts, and Woolly Buggers if its still high, fast, and looks like chocolate milk. If conditions switch in my favor it'll be BWO's, Hendricksons, and caddis for dries. I've also have no experience with nymphing, but if the opportunity arises and I feel like giving it a shot, I've got those too. I'll be in Lupton on the headwaters of the Rifle.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I am throwing my streamers on a 2 wt with floating line but I am using size 10 streamers and fishing creeks that are only about 8 feet wide

As for Hendricksons I am going with a woven parachute emerger on a size 12 natural bend hook, also a red quill gordon will be pitched and this year I dyed some turkey wing pink and tied this one I think it should work great

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

So far the weather looks like its going to cooperate, and according to the USGS the water levels should be getting back down to normal. I'll have Mickey Finns, Black Ghosts, and Woolly Buggers if its still high, fast, and looks like chocolate milk. If conditions switch in my favor it'll be BWO's, Hendricksons, and caddis for dries. I've also have no experience with nymphing, but if the opportunity arises and I feel like giving it a shot, I've got those too. I'll be in Lupton on the headwaters of the Rifle.

Good luck with the weather TT I know the Rifle right here by me is still 5 feet above flood stage that came down from 12 foot peak day before yesterday and it is supose to start raining tonight and continue through Friday

[Trouser Trout 0]

Riff, what site are you using for the forecast? Weather.com and Accuweather are both saying the only rain is today and Thursday morning. My hope is that further upstream the impact of the rain won't be as bad as it will be further down closer to you. As far as river level goes, I'll take your word on it because you can get a look at it in person, all I have to go on is what the internet tells me. Either way, as long as we have some dry days over the weekend, there will always be a cold beer in hand and a log on the fire; regardless of how good the fishing may or may not be.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I was using the weather channel but they changed now its rain and snow mix today and thursday with dry tomorrow and the weekend

[throwinflys 0]

well its great to know i can actually throw some smaller streamers on my 4wt floating line. i have some muddlers and royal coachmans tied up. I'll have to purchase some mickey finns when i get up there since i dont have the stuff to tie them. what size muddlers and wooley buggers would be good? i have streamer hooks and materials for those.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I tie them from size 10-4 for trout remember a muddler can be fished as a dry fly also making it a must in every fly box

[throwinflys 0]

how do you fish a muddler as a dry? i'd never heard of that! what does it represent. the guys at gates just wrote me back and said size 14 hendricksons with tan ultrafine dubbing bodies are a MUST.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

dead drifting a muddler works great as a hopper

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

here is a hendrickson I dyed the turkey for http://www.hawkinsflyfishing.com/hendrickson_dun.php