By: Capt. Jeff Bacon
By March, the worst of the winter would be over. The snow will thaw, the rivers begin to run, and the world would wake into itself again”….is an excerpt from a Neil Gaiman quote and is true to the transformation that takes place in Michigan during this magical month.
These fish will first “stage” in slower pools and runs, until mother nature says it’s time to find those spawning grounds and lay their eggs that will provide the next generation of these great game fish for Lake Michigan and the rivers they call “home”.
Fly fishing outfits include an array of options, from bottom bouncing – a.k.a. chuck and duck – to indicator nymphing, as well as streamer fishing. Fly rods ranging from 9 – 12+ feet in length and 7-8 weight range, are used for these various techniques.
Light spin tackle setups include longer rods in the 11-12′ range for running bobbers/floats, while suspending your offering off the bottom, as well as shorter rods in the 9-10′ lengths, for bottom bouncing those runs conducive to this.
Regardless of technique, what we fish with come March will be similar and include large, gaudy egg patterns if the water is a bit off color, as well as bulky, flashy nymphs for bottom bouncing and indicator fishing. The streamer program will include articulated, flashy streamers that include attention grabbing colors such as chartreuse, purple, copper, pink and other bright pastel colors.
Not to be left out are the resident brown and rainbow trout, who will also be coming out of their winter slumber and looking for food! We regularly have a stone fly hatch at some point in March, which finds literally thousands of bugs on the water at once, however if trout “look up” for them is dependent on water temperature. When things are aligned, and the trout pick up on these easy meals, it can be some of the most exciting dry fly fishing of early spring, as this is the first such surface food they will have seen in several months. Should you come across this wonderful event, have some #12 dark brown or black stone flies, fished on a 5 or 6 weight fly rods and tippet in the 4-5# range.
Kick the cabin fever, get out on the river and good fishing to you this month!
Capt. Jeff Bacon
Michigan Fly Fishing Ventures
(616) 560-3195
www.westmichiganflyfishing.com
