1:58 PM
Matthew Supinski's Gray Drake/Selectivity/Nexus Blog
Sorry for the long delay in posting. Had one of the busiest Augusts on my records.
I'm still in awe how excellent the trout fishing has been on the Muskegon. With what started with the Croton cold water bubbler, then very cold nights down to 32F Monday, and cool 60-70 degree air temps, the trout are feeding on the surface all day. Caddis hatches have been immense- Cinnamon's, little greens, micro tans, white miller caddis, .....tons of flying brown ants(size 20-22), tiny olives, and Isos in the lower river from boathouse to New Bridge.............that's something to really get excited about.
The trout, both browns and rainbows are like footballs, having eaten all summer and the average size of the risers are pushing 12 inches-bulging bellies!.BUT.they are not easy! You better have an arsenal of caddis pupae, still born emergers, tear-drop, adult tape wings, quad spinners and diving caddis. 7x is the only way to go ,14-18 foot leaders and trout that will come up and give you refusals and compound/complex rises.I'll never forget last Saturday night in the downpour of rain, with clients Justin and Cyrill, two dudes from Colorado U. During the rain, there was so many caddis pupa hatching we had a 100 fish rising in all directions.We took 7 trout between 14 and 17 inches that we saw take the slightly submerged -just below the surface tear drop parachute foam pupaes.
The trout switch from one food source to the next on the surface in a whim. One minute they are on cinnamons..next switch to greens....next to flying ants.......next to ova positing females.........next to quad spent wings!. If you are a dry fly junkie like me.....YOU ARE IN TROUT HEAVEN!
Last week on the St.Joe I was building and ark. Torrential rain brought the river up and spill gate open. Cohos and steelhead moved through the system quickly and made fishing tough.
Some salmon are already jumping in the Gray Drake pool and we should have a very large run of fish-earlier then last years hot weather and no water.............all conditions are ideal right now.Cold water, 1,360 cfs, cold nights, full moon. 27-31-pound kings have been caught out in the big lake and the last two weeks of rough waves and weather have kept many trollers in dock.
SO...........if you haven't reserved your fall trip yet, do it now! We still have some key dates left.
Also, check out the new Trout and Eagle Lodge on our http://www.graydrake.com/ main page- we are very excited to offer the most premium country luxury the lower peninsula has to offer!
Cheers!
