# Looking for a fly shop in Ann Arbor



## jimbo_kype (Aug 24, 2012)

Hello. Just moved from the East coast and was looking for some recommendations on fly shops in A2. Of course, I'm familiar with the big ones. But I usually stick with one locas shop that I like. 

I usually buy flies, leaders, tippet etc. all the time but when the new Orvis Helios 2 comes out in November I'll be picking that one up. Any suggestions?


----------



## Fontinalis (Mar 17, 2010)

Try Colton Bay in Ann Arbor on Jackson Road. They have Orvis stuff there. WOW! Helios 2, I wish I had the $ for that rod!


----------



## jimbo_kype (Aug 24, 2012)

Thanks for the heads up and PMs. Now I know a couple of options. Excited to be fishing the Huron. Any areas that fish better than other, in general? I heard Dexter Huron park was hit and miss.


----------



## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

The whole river can be hit or miss, you just have to do some legwork and dial in a program that works for you.

What are you looking to get into? Right now a lot of us are having fun with smallmouth on drys around sundown. There are some good spots for sight fishing carp near Ypsilanti. Carp, while considered trash by many, can be a rewarding challenge with a fly rod. Just getting into a position to cast without spooking them can be a tall order.

There's also a chance for steelhead during the seasons on the lower river, but that is an even bigger challenge.

Welcome to Michigan and welcome to The Michigan-Sportsman!

-Chris


----------



## jimbo_kype (Aug 24, 2012)

what kind of dries are you using?


----------



## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

For sundown smallies a large Elk Hair Caddis, bright cork poppers with rubber legs in white or yellow, terrestrials, foam spiders, and on most nights anything I can keep on top and twitch in the right spots will work. If there is a hatch happening, and that is every night I'm out, they will hit.

Flies with rubber legs seem to get the most action, for me, but I once put a hook through a cigarette butt as a joke and proceeded to catch fish....so sometimes anything goes.

I have caught carp on the surface using cotton balls when the cotton wood trees were casting seed.


----------



## Benji-bass (Jul 25, 2011)

Afternoon bite has been better than the morning/ evening bite IMHO. Nothing is really hatching now, even tricos have diminished. Now is terrestrial thyme!! Hoppers, beetles, crickets, ants etc. 

managed to pull smt at least 17" everyday past two weeks. Increase water, lower temps shot holed fish out who r looking for calories!! Many hogs r holding dead pan middle of the stream with a voracious appetite for anything which twitches (key).


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Benji-bass (Jul 25, 2011)

YPSIFLY said:


> For sundown smallies a large Elk Hair Caddis, bright cork poppers with rubber legs in white or yellow, terrestrials, foam spiders, and on most nights anything I can keep on top and twitch in the right spots will work. If there is a hatch happening, and that is every night I'm out, they will hit.
> 
> Flies with rubber legs seem to get the most action, for me, but I once put a hook through a cigarette butt as a joke and proceeded to catch fish....so sometimes anything goes.
> 
> I have caught carp on the surface using cotton balls when the cotton wood trees were casting seed.


I don't nymph the Huron anymore because I get more takes on my wool indicator! 

Hooked 20+ carp this year, landed 0! Can't land 'em wading and using 4x, but a blast none the less!! Hooked an albino catfish in the upper last week on a cray, that was a surprise!


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

Benji-bass said:


> Many hogs r holding dead pan middle of the stream with a voracious appetite for anything which twitches (key).


Yeah, its all about the twitch. They like to hit whatever looks like its struggling on the surface.


----------



## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

welcome to the area and site! The huron can be a great place to fish but like others have said can be fickle. 

This year I have had 30 fish days and 0 fish days. Caught everything from the worlds largest minnow on a wooly bugger that just about the same size of the fish to a 20inch smallie on a dry hex. Even caught a 11inch blue gill, :yikes: and some nice red ears every now and then.

Been doing really good on terrestrials like fat alberts, cherynobyl ants and hoppers and hex and caddis flies in the evening. 

I have had equally good days in the am as I have had in the pm, but the bigger fish have def been in the pm.

Lots of places for carp (watched about a dozen carp in one pool the other day with the smallest being about 12 inch and the biggest easily the length of my lower leg) and cats too and dont be suprised if you hook an occasional walleye too.

Stop by Schultz Outfitters in Depot Town (ypsi). This is a great shop with great people working there. They are about 20 ft from the banks of the huron in ypsi and know their stuff. They are a very "blue collar" type shop if you will (love the place as I fish in cut off shorts and t-shirts most of the year, lol) .

Colton Bay is an equally good shop and people, just a different feel there, if that makes sense. 

Hope this helps, have fun and dont hesistate to ask anything. Hope to see you out there.

J-


----------



## jimbo_kype (Aug 24, 2012)

jjc155 said:


> welcome to the area and site! The huron can be a great place to fish but like others have said can be fickle.
> 
> This year I have had 30 fish days and 0 fish days. Caught everything from the worlds largest minnow on a wooly bugger that just about the same size of the fish to a 20inch smallie on a dry hex. Even caught a 11inch blue gill, :yikes: and some nice red ears every now and then.
> 
> ...


 
First of all, wanted to say thanks for all the feedback from a great group of serious anglers here on MI Sportsman. Your input will go a long way in my becoming acclimated to fishing around here I'm sure. Just wanted to say that after some deliberation I made it down to Colton Bay today. The shop is right down the road from my place so it was more a decision of convenience than anything else. 

Anyway, I had the priviledge to meet the owners, John and Dirk, and the shop's manager Ryan. Great group of guys! Dirk has been fishing the Huron since forever from what I could gather and even wrote a book about called "The Fly Fisher's Huron" which I picked up. 

Dirk and Ryan are the guides and they briefed me on everything from fishing with "Sneaky Petes" for Smallmouth on the Huron to Night Fishing for Giant Browns on the Upper Manistee to Steelhead in Ohio.

Dirk was actually tying some popper patterns when I got there and gave me some pointers. They have a free casting clinic on Sunday that I'm going to check out, I need some help with my "double haul" if you want to call it that.

Had to pre-order my Helios 2 because it doesn't come out until November. Can't wait for that to come in! All in all a good trip even if my wallet's a little lighter now :lol:


----------



## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

jimbo_kype said:


> First of all, wanted to say thanks for all the feedback from a great group of serious anglers here on MI Sportsman. Your input will go a long way in my becoming acclimated to fishing around here I'm sure. Just wanted to say that after some deliberation I made it down to Colton Bay today. The shop is right down the road from my place so it was more a decision of convenience than anything else.
> 
> Anyway, I had the priviledge to meet the owners, John and Dirk, and the shop's manager Ryan. Great group of guys! Dirk has been fishing the Huron since forever from what I could gather and even wrote a book about called "The Fly Fisher's Huron" which I picked up.
> 
> ...


excellant book, i re-read it atleast once a year. Its up there with "Idiot proof archery" by Bernie Pellerite as a "bible" of mine.

J-


----------

