# Manistee River Fly Suggestions



## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Planning a kayak/camping trip on the Manistee River sometime in June or July. It has been a lllllooooooooooooooooonnnnnnngggggg time since I have been fly fishing for trout. I need to tie up some flies so any suggestions would be appreciated. I never did get the hang of fishing nymph patterns or streamers so I stick to dry flies. I already have a bunch of the traditional patterns tied (Adams, Cahill's, Hendrickson's) but was wondering what's new out there.


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

in early July you might run into a hex hatch... might want to prepare for that.


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## Toga (Nov 11, 2009)

Stones work there year round too. If it in july I'd make shure I had a couple grasshoppers in my box too.


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## Capt. Lucky (Jun 22, 2002)

in july i have had good luck on ants,crickets and grasshoppers


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks everyone, I didn't even think about terrestrials. Guess I have to get busy.


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## WMU05 (Oct 16, 2004)

My favorite dry-fly for the end of June (other than a hex) is a Roberts Drake. Size 12 or 14.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

WMU05 said:


> My favorite dry-fly for the end of June (other than a hex) is a Roberts Drake. Size 12 or 14.


You'll have to forgive me for asking but what is a Roberts Drake? I spend most of my time handlining for walleye on the Detroit River, not fly fishing.


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## Ephemeroptera (Oct 19, 2009)

From an earlier thread/posting. Lots of variations but this gives a good idea of what a typical parachute pattern is like.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3107374&postcount=5


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

This link gives a step by step and a little history of the roberts drake... enjoy

http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/060407fotw.php


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks...I've tied these before, just never knew what they were called.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I never could get the deer hair dries right. The store bought flies have nice thread wraps. Mine look like crap. I either have too much hair or too little. Then I leave the deer too short or too long on the hook shank screwing up the parachute. 

Great flies if you can tie them but if it's your first time have more patience than I do.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I live and fish here in grayling and i use these flies extensively. Practise makes perfect with this pattern tie up a bunch and if you dont like em cut back down to the hook and try try again. I used these flies in a size 14 up in alaska and caught tons of grayling during an unusual fly hatch them darn things were just down right fussy and the roberts drake fooled em time and time again. Around the end of june i use a size 10 that is usually during the end of the brown drakes and there pretty acustomed to seeing this bug. Mid june you got to have this pattern. fish at dusk i also use this style in a spent wing same size. During the hex (end of june first 2 weeks in july)tie it in a size 6 with more hair for the body. Know the water your fishing because this is night fishing.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks. It looks like I am going to be there July 30th to Aug 2nd. 

Seeing as how there is still too much ice coming down the Detroit River I guess I'll be tying this weekend.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

From our own Fly Pattern Library.


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

mfs686 said:


> Thanks. It looks like I am going to be there July 30th to Aug 2nd.


At that time of year try tricos in the mornings , b.w.o's late morning early afternoon . terrestrials all day long , more b.w.o's late afternoon , then white miller caddis in the evenings ,along with some isonychia's
closer to dusk then mousing after dark.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Troutlord1 said:


> At that time of year try tricos in the mornings , b.w.o's late morning early afternoon . terrestrials all day long , more b.w.o's late afternoon , then white miller caddis in the evenings ,along with some isonychia's
> closer to dusk then mousing after dark.


OK...stupid question. What is a B.W.O. ??


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## spencerhicks (Jun 3, 2007)

a blue wing olive mayfly, or baetis.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Well I tied up a few drake's last night. Boy am I out of practice.


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## Bri's Flies (Jan 10, 2010)

Bring along a few mice for the "night bite". You probably should tie them onto your walleye hand lining towing cable...pretty powerful stuff. Get 'em out right after you drift your last "Iso" and hang on.

Good luck,

BJB


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## fishing-finlander (Sep 30, 2008)

Im always a fan of stone's and leach patterns. Just becuse I like subsurface fly's better. I tie a stone in black estaz and one with a small foam wing caseing for summer. For dry's hex's big wing drakes I like big dry flys. Grasshoppers, bees, ants, work awsome for early morning browns. Plus the occasional skam. Also dont forget about a crawfish pattern-Awsome, a true catch all. But if I only had 1 fly I could take. Sculpins in any size. Laugh if you must:lol: I crush fish on this pattern


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Bri's Flies said:


> Bring along a few mice for the "night bite". You probably should tie them onto your walleye hand lining towing cable...pretty powerful stuff. Get 'em out right after you drift your last "Iso" and hang on.
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> BJB


Already have a few of those, used to tie them up for someone along with a few Houghton Lake Special's for night time Browns.


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