We have a couple feet of snow on the ground and people are starting to hit the ice. Ice reports vary and there is some open water on some lakes at the moment. The rivers are in great shape with great flows and little shelf ice for now. Bobber fishing is the main tactic for fly and float folks, but streamers and hardware have been really hot when you find fresh fish. The shop is stocked up and we still have guides available for another month or so.

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are falling into the 40's at night with regularity. The last major mayfly hatch (white flies) is in full swing and salmon are trickling in. The warmwater species including some huge northerns are starting to bite again. It has been a great month with some very large browns and northerns hitting the net and keeping our clients pretty happy.

The long awaited summer season is here to stay and we are enjoying the diverse fishery in our backyard. Over the past week we have caught browns, brookies, rainbows, pike,walleye, smallmouth, crappie and musky from the boat and wading. It is really hard to pick what to target and many of our guided trips will be split days from now on so we can target nearly everything in one day. Trout fishing is going strong on smaller rivers where the temps are still in the low 60's, but the bigger rivers have heated up so early mornings are the only option for fishing them. Smallmouth, pike and musky fishing is going great and the topwater bite has really picked up for us. The skeeters are out in full force so bugstopper clothing from Simms is a necessity and the shop is fully stocked with shirts, gloves and buffs. Checkout the closeout deals on the shirts at our online store. www.superioroutfitter.ecwid.com. Click on the pictures for a link.

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I am pleased to announce that it has stopped raining and water levels are falling to fish able levels across the U.P. I have been itching to get out for trout on dries, but the high water levels have made most of my favorite spots inaccessible. The small spring creeks have been fishing really good when the weather has cooperated and we have been seeing bugs and rising trout on a few of them for around three weeks. The larger rivers have had bugs, but the trout haven't responded quite yet. This is going to change any day now and the hatches are going intensify and with any luck take on a more consistent pattern. I am seeing  decent numbers of hendricksons and BWO's along with a few caddis and stones. While we have been waiting for safe river conditions the drift boat has seen some use targeting warmwater species and the fishing has been pretty good. The larger bass seem to be deep still, but pike and musky are still in close. Topwater action isn't on yet so streamers on sinking lines have been the best bet.  The next month is my favorite time to be on the water so give the shop a call if you would like to get out wading or in the boat with us.

Opening weekend of trout season was typical of the U.P. with cold temps and high water! The good news is many of the local streams have settled down and are very fish able right now. The larger systems are running high and we still have some snow and ice to get rid of.  The small streams that just opened up are a great bet and many are loaded up with spring steelhead and they smelt are joining them. We will be running our spring steelhead trips for a couple more weeks and then its on to resident trout and hopefully some dry fly action by the middle of the month if the weather cooperates.  

    We are slowly moving into spring in the central U.P. and the snow and ice is clearing up on our lakes and rivers. The southern U.P streams are wide open and good steelhead reports have been coming in over the last week, but the Lake Superior tributaries are lagging behind as usual. The local streams by the shop are rising and the ice dams are breaking up making the fishing a lot easier, but we have yet to see a good push of fish. Stragglers are being caught along with winter holdovers and resident browns. The shop is full of new gear and the online shop has the basics along with hard to find salmon eggs and skein. Kole and Nick will begin running steelhead trips in a week or so and we will likely be offering them through mid to late May this year if your interested in seeing what our streams have to offer. 


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    Late May is a great time to be in the Upper Peninsula if you like to fish. We have so many different options right now and I struggle to decide what to fish for everyday which isn't a bad problem to have.The trout fishing has really picked up now that temperatures are hanging in the 50's on most streams and the dry fly action has begun! We have a variety of bugs on the water right now,but the hatches been a little unpredictable. We are seeing olives, stones, hendricksons, caddis and even a few early brown drakes. Steelhead are still present in good numbers and many are targeting the aggressive dropbacks and doing very well so if you still have the steelhead itch there is some time left.The warmwater fishing has been pretty steady for pike, bass and musky for those hitting the lakes and rivers.A wide range of flies have been producing for me, but I have sticking to subsurface baitfish imitations on the larger side. Sucker and firetiger patterns with rattles have been the most productive.I have witnessed some awesome topwater eats though and the bite should pick up when the water warms up just a little more. Feel free to give us a call at the shop for current conditions or to book a guided trip with Pat or Nick. (906) 273-0229

Spring is off to a very slow start in our neck of the woods and the extended forecast is far from promising. I guess it's going to be a late one this year. Water levels are pretty low across the board and we have a fair amount of snow in the woods. Steelhead and holdover browns are being caught regularly, but the fishing is a little slow for April. Trout fishing on the inland streams that are open has been  fair to excellent and they are a great option for some solitude and a good bite. The warming days are producing a few early stones, but no reports of rising fish yet.... I will begin taking clients out for spring steelhead in a couple weeks and I am guessing that the season will run a little later this year. Give us a call to book a day for a mixed bag of resident trout and fresh steelhead!