THEY ARE BACK!...THE MYSTERIOUS GRAY DRAKES

(the oak tree in the Gray Drake Lodge backyard- all those black verticals are siphlonurus adults)

Right on schedule, the first gray drakes hatched on May 18th. The adults were very small- smallest I have ever seen them. But the alternatus drakes are usually  like that compared to the Quebencences which are larger. Last nights  29F 'global warming' temps and the bill freeze week we are having will slow them down since they migrated to the shorelines and those bank side water temps will slow them a bit.

(land born emergence stages by JGM Miller)

The cool wet weather we are having is perfect for the drakes like last year. Last year's hatch was one of the largest I have ever witnessed- so their are a gazillion nymphs ready to hatch.

Given the cool weather, the morning spinner falls will come late when the sun has had a chance to warm the trees. Also the evening spinner falls will be early. So look for gray drake spinners hovering above your body heat/ boat anytime from 10 am until dusk. Evening spinner falls will be early- 7-8 ish.

(very thick am and pm spinner mating flights)

( spinners, sunken spinner/emerger, double gang bang spinner)

NOW!!!!....we will see if these guys show up to the party!

NOTES: Don't forget about our weekend Gray Drake Selectivity clinics in June that I mentioned in a previous post and will be periodically announcing- great deal and great way to learn more about this amazing 6-8 week long hatch!

                                                                

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Posted in: gray drake lodge , mayflies of Michigan , michigan fly fishing , muskegon fly fishing , Muskegon hatches , Muskegon trout , Selectivity book , selectivity dvd , siphlonurus gray drakes

MATCHING THE HATCH- SUCKER SPAWN

 (What sucker spawn looks like- corn colored tapioca)

Leviathan Big browns and bows are available usually in three venues in the A/A mode .1- Carnivores eating /kill artist hunting  big meat : bait fish other trout and mice- usually best in nocturnal situations.2- During a major hatch like the first ones of the season- ie. Hendrickson's, stones ,sulphers ; or long in duration big fly hatches like gray drakes/Hexagenia/Isonychia.3- Or in the " poaching" mode eating eggs behind larger migratory fish like salmon, steelhead and where they live in very good populations, SUCKERS: a.k.a. BUGLE NOSE/CHICAGO BROWN TROUT/LIPS ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE ETC.

On Michigan's Muskegon and Manistee, where enormous resident and migratory populations exist, spawning takes place in May once the waters hit 54F. They spawn right next to steelhead and on the same gravel. They also eat steelhead eggs , but when the suckers spawn on top of the steelhead redds, they do not disturb the previously laid steelhead eggs since they do not dig deep enough to disrupt the very carefully laid and buried trout eggs 

  ( a May egg poaching big brown laying on the lip of redds looking for steelhead, sucker eggs and dislodged nymphs )

So....find the gravel spawning suckers and rest assured you find big browns and bows lying in wait for the protein rich egg smorgasbord- plain and simple, if you like nymphing and want a real trophy! 

Several notes: once a trout has been hooked and released on sucker egg imitations, it will become extremely wary and selective/reflective. Another component of the biological drift released by the 'san Juan' shuffle of suckers spawning are mayfly and stonefly nymphs, caddis and midge larvae. The larger wiser trout eventually target the meatier nymphs and will ignore sucker eggs since they are so tiny. They will target the larger 'clumps' of sucker eggs, but the individual eggs are very, very tiny. They will become very tippet shy so fluorocarbon- 4lb/5x is advised. Be cognizant of the backwash, reverse upwelling currents the ledge off the gravel bar creates- the trout often face downstream looking for the upwelling biological drift 

It's not 'purest pursuits' - I'd rather fish dry flies myself, BUT!...if you are looking for a real trophy, now is the time for it.

( May sucker spawn box- Yellow McFly foam is perfect for the eggs tied in lobes on Daiichi # 14/16 x120 heavy hooks- also Chinook/trout fry will look for the eggs since they are so tiny and the big meat eater browns will hammer them in addition

ENJOY!

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Posted in: gray drake lodge , mayflies of Michigan , michigan fly fishing , Muskegon hatches , muskegon river fly fishing , Selectivity book , sucker spawn

THE ENIGMATIC GRAY DRAKE HATCH-JUNE SELECTIVITY CLINICS

(UPDATE:6/1/15...Weather has been perfect!... lots of water...:)...cold to cool weather, allowing AM and PM siphlonurus spinner falls, tons of Ephemerella sulphers/caddis mid day - perfection!,  thus we don't need infrared light glasses to see 11 PM spinner falls in the old heat days of 80/90F- by that time we are at the fire pit and sampling carmel colored  whiskey/hop/grape libations..;)

 We still have slots available for the gray darke clinics. On a personal note, I am doing individualized intensive/knowledge about the hatch guiding, for one or two individuals not with the school during the week and at clinics if requested, mainly for those that want to learn the intricacies on this elusive hatch- especially how to fish it all day long! -despite the uncertainty of the spinner falls , which makes this hatch my personal favorite- thus 'Gray Drake'! - We have adjusted the weekend package by popular request to offer a 'free nights lodging...new price per person is - $ 475. 00 for the weekend!..

(emergence images JGM Miller)

SELECTIVITY MASTER CLINICS-2015

'THE ENIGMATIC GRAY DRAKE HATCH'

JUNE 5/6/7th

JUNE 12/13/14th

GRAY DRAKE LODGE/MICHIGAN

www.graydrake.com

with Matt Supinski

Matt Supinski has been guiding and chasing the mysterious and perplexing gray drake hatch for over 25 years- it has become an obsession with him so much that he named the lodge and business after the elusive yet massive vast hatch that brings huge trout to the surface for over 8 weeks each year. Last year's cool/wet spring saw epic hatches which bodes well for the upcoming weeks since the cool wet weather trend continues- siphlonurus mayflies love this!!! Do to the fickle nature of this gorgeous mayfly's terrestrial and stream bottom existence, combined with weather, temperature, habitat, droughts/floods and very unique emergence cycles, make this a hatch an enigma. You only hit it 'just right' once in awhile- most of the time you are baffled by why a spinner fall didn't happen despite all conditions perfect, the bizarre nature of its emergence and how the nymphs migrate, the extreme ultra selective/reflective nature of the fish, and then the few times when you actually have the best dry fly action of your lifetime!

We will teach you the intricate details of this hatch and make it more 'user friendly' so it won't be that hatch that has mesmerized and confounded fly fishers for centuries.

AGENDA

FRIDAY NIGHT- 

*CHECK IN, MICRO BREWS 

* SELECTIVITY POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON THE GRAY DRAKES/PATTERNS AND SELECTIVE TROUT FEEDING TECHNIQUES TO ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE HATCHES SIPHLONURUS MAYFLIES PRESENT

SATURDAY MORNING 

*GOURMET BREAKFAST

*AM GUIDED GRAY DRAKE SPINNER FALL ( BIG MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THE BEST SPINNER FALLS ARE IN THE EVENING- QUITE THE CONTRARY !)

AFTERNOON

*FISHING THE SOFT HACKLE WETS/SUNKEN SPINNERS/FLY TYING (BRING YOUR FLY TYING KITS AND PATTERN IDEAS- WE WILL SHARE OURS!

EVENING

*GOURMET DINNER ON THE RIVER

*PM GUIDED FLY FISHING FOR THE EVENING SPINNER FALL WHICH CAN BE PROLIFIC AND BRINGS OUT SOME OF THE LARGER BROWNS THAT ARE PHOTO PHOBIC- HERE YOU HAVE A CHANCE OF A TROPHY BROWN OR RAINBOW ON THE DRY!

SATURDAY ONCE OFF THE RIVER

*HANG OUT ON THE DECK BY THE FIRE PIT/HOT TUB,  HAVING LIBATIONS/CIGARS/TALL TALES AND WEE INTO THE NIGHT HOUR CHATTER ABOUT THE BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY!- MORE CEREBRAL DISCUSSION ON GRAY DRAKES AND ALL THINGS TROUT

SUNDAY MORNING

*GOURMET BREAKFAST

 *AM SPINNER FALL IN OUR RIFFLES AND FISH UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH!- DEPARTURE AT YOUR LEISURE

* FOR THOSE WANTING MORE,SUNDAY NIGHT GUIDING AND MONDAY ARRANGEMENTS ARE ANOTHER OPTION

PRICE PER PERSON- 525.00 FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND, INCLUDES: LODGING, GOURMET MEALS, FLIES, TACKLE, GUIDING AND CLINIC/FLY TYING

For reservations and more details/also custom arrangements:

www.graydrake.com

matt@graydrake.com

msupin2583@aol.com

231-250-2846/ 231-250-2845

WE POST UPDATES CONSTANTLY  ON SOCIAL MEDIA

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS MAGNIFICENT HATCH, 'SELECTIVITY': THE BOOK AND DVD, WILL GIVE YOU A BROAD SCOPE INTRODUCTION 

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Posted in: gray drake lodge , mayflies of Michigan , michigan fly fishing , muskegon fly fishing , Muskegon hatches , Muskegon trout , Selectivity book , selectivity dvd , siphlonurus gray drakes

GREAT LAKES TROUT,STEELHEAD AND SALMON SEMINAR-ST.JOSEPH, MI- INN HARBOR SHORES

'JOURNEY INTO THE FISH'S MIND'- NEW FRONTIERS FOR GREAT LAKES TROUT, STEELHEAD AND SALMON'

SEMINAR BY AUTHOR/GUIDE/ ADVENTURIST , MATT SUPINSKI

FOOD AND MICROBREW TASTING ON THE 'SPRING INTO MICHIGAN 'FESTIVAL MENU

INN HARBOR SHORES/PLANK'S TAVERN, ST.JOSEPH , MICHIGAN

MAY 23RD

.  This event is part of the 'Spring into Michigan' series. 

Below is the event timeline/format.

Spring into Michigan with Angler, Author, and Adventurer, Matthew Supinski
RSVP@innatharborshores.com 
3pm Ballroom doors open
3pm-6pm hors d'oeuvres from the bounty of Southwest Michigan including whitefish dip and local Farm raised organic cuts of meat- microbrew tasting with Michigan and Great Lakes microbreweries. 
4pm-6pm Matthew Supinski presents: "JOURNEY INTO THE FISH'S MIND- NEW FRONTIERS FOR GREAT LAKES TROUT, STEELHEAD AND SALMON"
6pm cocktail hour with Matt Supinski in Plank's Tavern

Cash bar ft. Founders Brewing Co.
$35 per person includes entry to the event, lite hors d'oeuvres, & beer tastingAnglers-in-training attend for free (15 and under)

Brianne Schmidke Director of Sales & Marketing Main 269.983.1111 | Direct 269.408.9112 bschmidke@innatharborshores.com 800 Whitwam Drive | St Joseph, Michigan 49085

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Posted in: gray drake lodge , Great Lakes atlantic salmon , great lakes king salmon , Great Lakes steelhead , Great Lakes summer steelhead , Inn Harbor Shores , lake-run brown trout , Selectivity book , steelhead dreams

FRESH SPRING STEELHEAD LOVE 4,000 CFS!

Wow!...After going from a week of heat wave, drought conditions etc., the roller coaster global warming weather continues. Now after several inches of rain, and  very cold 30F weather ( yesterday morning with Doc Flaherty and Jeannie we froze!!!...than we roasted in the sun later), our waters have a nice color and excellent flow to continue to bring up more chrome new arrivals. Last Saturday I saw more fresh chrome steelhead coming up river than we have seen all spring!!! 

WHY?...well as I mentioned in my blogs, steelhead, insect hatches, resident trout don't have Gregorian calendars but deal with temperatures/photoperiod/ + heating days/ hormonal cycles and their own specific LSS- life survival strategies. The past winter we saw century old epic below zero  temps that caused the Great Lakes to freeze over completely,  most rivers to freeze solid or with heavy slush like the Muskegon. Lake Michigan temps right now are 15- 20 degrees behind normal right now- in the center of the lake there are still icebergs.

SO!!!...we will see more fresh steelhead ascending rivers all the way until Mid- June, last year we had fresh chrome winter steelhead until June 23rd- yes, no bullshit! 

So, if you missed getting out this spring, you haven't really missed anything until now- we are still in the fresh run and drop back phase so get out there even though the calendar might say we are waxing and waning- lots of chrome fish to be had and we still have a few spots left in the next couple weeks 

HATCHES AND TROUT

 After several weeks of heavy brown and rainbow trout stocking by the MDNR, we are starting to see some really huge browns getting into the feeding frenzy as the water temps are now in the low/mid 50's, so full feeding metabolism is on the way. Suckers are spawning so sucker eggs /nymphs will enter the hatch mix.

Yesterday we witnessed an excellent spinner flight of Epeorus Quill Gordons in the middle of the afternoon as the sun finally warmed it up- also an excellent caddis hatch with a few late black stones still egg laying well into the afternoon- we saw two very nice sized fish feeding sporadically to them.As the water warms and continues to fall, we will see more and prolific surface activity.

PODCAST

If you are interested in learning more about my book 'Selectivity'

I did a really cool live worldwide internet interview podcast  with Dr Roger Maves a few nights ago for an hour and a half,  that will shed more light on trout, steelhead,salmon behavior and a ton of other things to think about...here is the link- its FREE!!!- can play it in your fly shop/fly tying bench/workplace/lap top when things are slow and your mind craves fly fishing- had great questions from all the audience all around the world that really made me substantiate the book concept-thanks to all for the great questions/comments etc.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/# 

CHEERS!...NA ZDROWIE...I have received a ton of crap from the non- social media folks that I'm posting all my stuff on Face Crack, Twitter/ Linkedin etc., and I'm not posting blogs enough-  SO!!! I promise to post daily BLOGS now-even small news bits and things to think about...plus my Google search spiders have abandoned me and I need them to "like me again"!.....:)

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Posted in: gray drake lodge , Great Lakes steelhead , Great Lakes summer steelhead , muskegon fly fishing , Muskegon hatches , muskegon steelhead , Muskegon trout , Selectivity book , selectivity dvd

A-MAY-ZING MAY..MICHIGAN'S FINEST MONTH!

                                    (Muskegon River May 5 th trutta- the big boys are still here!)

Without doubt May is Michigan's finest display of nature's north woods bounty. Morels, wild ramps/fiddle heads/garlic, trillium's, mayflies, drumming grouse, turkey, black bears- we saw a cougar run thru our lodge backyard the other day and the bald eagles are out and about with the great heron's hunting drop backs.

But most importantly, the Muskegon's fresh chrome arrival steelhead and dropbacks get their metabolism revved up and provide amazing battles when nymphing or swinging flies-and attacking  huge D/D bait fish streamers.Fresh chrome steelhead have just entered the river and will continue to do so all through May and well into June- last year we had fresh arrivals until June 22nd. Withe the two coldest winters -back-to -back, where the Great Lakes froze up, the lake temperatures are extremely well below normal and that is the steelheads barometer for the run- also photo period and water levels.

The brown trout turn their foraging from stoneflies and eggs to caddis,sulphers, gray drakes, chinook fry and the soon sucker spawn buffet.

We are expecting heavy brown and rainbow trout plants to make up for some lost fish year classes the mergansers/Consumers Power got this second global warming winter.

We still have a few openings in the next few months to experience everything Michigan has to offer and whatever style of fly fishing for trout , steelhead and yes Atlantic salmon hunting smelt along the shorelines. Don't forget all the great small stream fishing for wild browns, brookies and rainbows all around us!

SPECIAL EVENTS

MAY 6TH-9:00 PM- Matt Supinski interview on Selectivity book/DVD- questions and answers on Internet radio program

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/

MAY  16 AND 17 -SELECTIVITY MASTER SPRING CREEK/TAILWATER TWO DAY CLINIC- BEAVER CREEK, MARYLAND- SEE PREVIOUS BLOG!

JUNE 6TH AND 7TH- SELECTIVITY MASTER CLASS- GRAY DRAKE HATCH CLINIC- GRAY DRAKE LODGE- EMAIL OR CALL US FOR MORE INFO!

PICTURE GALLERY OF OUR HAPPY CAMPER CLIENTS/NATURE- ENJOY!

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Posted in: gray darke lodge , Great Lakes atlantic salmon , mayflies of Michigan , michigan fly fishing , michigan steelhead , muskegon fly fishing , muskegon trout steelhead , siphlonorus gray drakes