HOWLING AT THE MOON!!!.........AS THE STEELHEAD CHROME COME HOME!

We are really starting to see the post Valentine's push of steelhead and it is impressive! All indications are this spring will be a great one with'very good sized steelhead' so far.The heavy snow-(foot and more) Sunday night, plus now the colder temps and a slight warm-up, will continue to bring fresh fish in-March and April will be great months!

The full moon plays such a huge migratory impression on the steelhead's neuroendocrine pineal/hormonal glands since it doesn't allow for much build -up of melatonin in the bloodstream-thus causing excellent upstream migrations. Last weeks thaw brought the water up to 3,000 cfs-now down to 2,100 cfs with the single digit nights. This roller coaster has had positive results on the migratory steelhead. Besides....the trout fishing has been excellent. The rainbows and browns have some of the most vibrant colors at this time of year.

Had the pleasure of guiding Dr.John Murphy and daughter Lindsey who did a magnificent job with their landed steelhead- plus got four beautiful colored -up nice rainbows. Lindsey who is at Beaumont hospital starting a bright new career hasn't fished for steels in two years and did an amazing job landing her fish..........one huge buck broke water three times in very cold weather and she handled it incredibly well.....go girl!

Water temp dropped back down to 34, but the fish are acting like it is spring.

 We still have a few choice dates available for spring both at the Trout&Eagle and Gray Drake- don't wait too long!
Cheers!

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Posted in: aggressive steelhead and Atlantic salmon behavior , Eagle Lake Rainbows , full moon , gray drake lodge , michigan steelhead , muskegon steelhead , pineal gland , trout and eagle

THE CHROME HEN STEELHEAD HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST!........AND WHAT TO DO WITH LEFT OVER SALMON FILLETS!

As the swallows come home to Capistrano, the first new year arrivals of fresh chrome hen steelhead always happens around the third week of January aligned with the howling wolf full moon cycle. Despite below zero temperatures and near freezing and low water levels on the rivers, the power of steelhead migration perseveres.
The magic of the steelhead's neuroendocrine pineal gland( the transparent brain window in the dermis) which measures light photo-period of daylight length, is triggered by the ever increasing length of daylight as the sun is now setting longer and longer each day.Despite there being ice on Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan, this powerful gland which measures and synthesises melatonin through the enzyme hydroxyindole-o-methyltransperase (HIOMT),starts to trigger egg production and hormonal development. Steelhead and migrating salmonids are truly amazing organisms.

We are expecting a nice warm-up in the 30'sas the water levels continue to much appreciated rise-up to 1,610 cfs. Water temp anywhere from 34 to 36 Degree F depending on where you are at in the fishery.I posted a beautiful image of a hen steelhead taken  at last night's dusk. It took a cerise pink Matt's Great Lakes shrimp(Otter braid sucker spawn Tangerine with cerise and Krystal pearl flash-black mono eyes).Orvis Spey Rod, Airflo Delta floating line, Thill strike indicator and indy spey mending, This is very effective for very slow , near shore bubble line lies where this hen was found.
ALSO..........what to do with left over Atlantic/Pacific salmon pieces/end tails. Having our culinary weekend just passed, we did grilled farm-raised Chilean Atlantic salmon Provencale in my last blog. I had several end pieces of fillets left, so for something different, do a pasta dish!
Linguine with pesto, roasted red bell pepper, artichokes and olive, grill the salmon fillets and BHAM!......you got a great Mediterranean pasta! Flake off the salmon into the pasta, plenty of crushed black ground pepper and you have a killer dish----as Rach would say.........Delish!

 Or next Culinary weekend is the Valentine's Italian Amore with Chef Frank - we have 4 couples signed up and we have room for two more. It will be Tuscan cuisine at its finest and there should be more steelhead in the river- next full moon is a Valentine's moon and that's when the pretty lady steelhead really start their migration

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Posted in: atlantic salmon , cuisine/cooking , gray drake , michigan steelhead , muskegon river , Otter eggs , pasta , pineal gland , spey fishing , trout eagle lodge and outfitters , winter steelhead fly fishing