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Fall Colors

10/24/2013

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Fall is a beautiful time of the year in northern Michigan.  This is the time of the year where our state shows its true colors.  There are stadiums filled with green and white and blue and gold.  The Maples show their brilliant orange and crimson.  The golden leaves of the Aspens slowly start to cover the forest floor.  There is one color of the season though that seems to stand out the most to those that pursue it, chrome.

Those who find themselves knee deep in the river at their favorite “secret spot” each fall know the chrome that I am talking about. The chrome sides and almost transparent fins of a fresh fall run steelhead tops the list of favorite colors for most anglers.  These fish invade the rivers from late September on in search of a fresh protein packed meal provided by their Big Lake cousins that preceded them in the previous weeks.  There is little a steelhead favors more than salmon eggs.  That is why every fall hundreds of fish find themselves several miles from what they call home and in water sometimes just deep enough to be submerged to feast and provide a little fattening before winter.  These fish provide some of the best fights found on a fly rod with its  high speed acrobatics dancing across the water.  Swimming into 5th gear, up and down the river, jumping and cartwheeling, trying to swim anywhere they can to find a gap in the line to shake your hook.  Fall chrome is the ultimate reward for anglers around the state.

There are a couple of different methods of fly fishing to pursue these fish.  Like I mentioned, the egg is on top of their dinner list and with the seemingly endless buffet of salmon eggs in the river, why not!  Egg patterns in natural colors such as orange and peach floated under a bobber is the easiest way to find a bite.  In fact, if you do not find a bite, an adjustment in size of your eggs or tippets is probably all you need to change your luck.  There are times though that all the eggs in your box don’t seem to work.  This is a great time to try swinging a much larger fly across their path and trigger an instinctive predatory strike.  It is fact that swinging speys doesn’t produce as many fish, but it’s the slam of the strike that have more and more people rekindling the one of the oldest methods in fly fishing.  Casting the long two handed rods became popular in Scotland where long casts were needed to reach salmon and steelhead.  They can also be used in small confines of our rivers as well.  There is nothing like the crushing hit of a 12lb steelie and the 30 second ride that follows.

So when you are thinking about your next fall color trip, consider adding another stop along the way and see if you have what it takes to ride the chrome express right to your net. 

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Stripping in November and Swinging Parties

10/23/2013

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Stripping in November

Have you ever considered stripping in November? For those of you who have tried it, you know there is nothing else like it. No, I am not talking about streaking through the commons on campus or taking a polar plunge into the local lake.  I am talking about stripping streamers in search of gorgeous fall colored brown trout.  These fish look to put on the feed bags
after finishing with their annual spawning rituals.  While they can still be caught using traditional methods, sink tips and
  erratic stripping will bring the wolves out to hunt.  

Large brown trout may not be the only challenger to take a swing on your streamer either.  There truly is no other experience that matches that of a fully charged, fresh run, chrome steelhead sharking your fly as you strip it out of the deep
darkness in front of the boat.   These fish slam your fly, taking you for a blitzkrieg of a ride as they try to shake the stinging hook out of their mouth.  

Streamers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Natural colors like olive, brown, and even orange mixed in with just a pinch of flash will fool any fish.  It’s more about the attitude of the fly that entices the bigger fish.  In fly fishing, the angler creates such attitude with each erratic strip and pop of the rod.  Combined with fishing deep and confident casting, you will soon notice a whole different class of fish in the river.  So while most people turn their focus to the woods, grab some extra layers and your fishing gear and try a little stripping in November instead.  Maybe you will find your next gold or even chrome
trophy!

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Switch Way for Chrome?

The switch rod offers the northern Michigan fly angler a couple of options to chase chrome on their favorite rivers.  A
switch rod is two handed rod that is a little longer than most single handed rods and a little shorter than more traditional spey fly rods.   An 11 foot 7 or 8 weight switch rod works well on Michigan’s smaller rivers like the White and Pere Marquette. 
Armed with an extra reel or spare spool an angler can quickly cover their favorite water with options without having to bring more than one rod with them.  You can try your luck with eggs and nymphs with a floating line and an indicator setup. 
Then switch out your reel to go back and see what will give chase on your swing gear.  There are some days where one tactic just won’t work and when on foot having a switch rod saves you the hassle of carrying extra gear to forget on the bank or the long walk back to your vehicle to make the change.  The extra length makes single handed casting a breeze and gives you extra line control when mending.  Almost every rod company out there is now offering switch rods. Take a minute and check one out the next time you are in your favorite fly shop.  For more information on trips or fly patterns check out
www.flyfishingmichiganrivers.com or on Facebook.
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    Nick Britton

    I have been fly fishing Michigan's rivers for over 15 years.  I love sharing my passion with anyone that wants to put up with me!

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