# Big Manistee R.



## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

Hey going up to manistee to go for steelies this weekend, just looking for a little info on how the river is. should still be pretty clear. My dad is an old time friend of Paul Schlaffley who is a guide we haven't had any luck on contacting him so just looking for conditions and how far up the bigger groups of fish are. I'm hoping to do well like i did last year i caught a pretty good one.










what is master angler this one was 18lbs.


anyways reply back or feel free to pm me. ty.


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## here2 (Apr 28, 2008)

im going on charter with him sat talked to him yesterday .231 7234901


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

Thanks could you tell him Mike Matwiejczyk (Muh-tway-zik) and Bob Stoddard said hey. Hope fully me and my dad (Mike) run in to you guys this weekend.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Now that's a steelhead young man. You might, no let me say, will spend the rest of your life trying to catch one bigger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

Not tryin to sound cocky but this is only my 2nd year my 1st on 1 weekend I managed 11 steelies by myself let alone my buddy, my dad, and my buddy's dad. That year my dad said was the best he has seen it in a long time. Last year was a little slower but that was due to me not being able to go after the thaw. But it's gonna be hard to top that. Believe it or not the previous hook up was a male that was bigger and he broke me off. Thanks for the reply. 

Johnny Mat.​


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## wallywings123 (Jul 12, 2004)

!7 lbs. or 34" is considered a master angler Steelhead in Michigan.
Congrats on a beautiful fish.


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

Well it was just shy of 34" but it was 18lbs. so thanks and with all the steelies that i have seen caught and have caught weighing over 14lbs. they should raise the standards.:lol:


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Capt Paul will just plain put you on fish. If they are in a biting mood, he will get them to go, too. You might never land a larger Steelhead than that, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Johnny 2581 said:


> Well it was just shy of 34" but it was 18lbs. so thanks and with all the steelies that i have seen caught and have caught weighing over 14lbs. they should raise the standards.:lol:


How many steelhead have you seen caught over 14lbs? Because honestly in the past 5 years I have probably seen somwhere in the neighborhood of 500-700 steelhead caught and I have only seen 3-4 over 14lbs. 

BTW, just an observation... if you fish with guides a lot most of the exaggerate weight. Many guides say 8-9 lb fish are 12-15lbs. FWIW

BTW that steelie in your picture is a great fish.


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

thinking of heading to the Big M. sometime soon myself. I have only ever fished there in the fall. would bottom bouncing still be an effective way to fish? should I use salmon eggs, steelhead skein, waxies or stoneflies (or all of them?) or should we pull plugs all day, which we never do in the fall.


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

My dad and bob like i said are good friends of paul. But they haven't fished with him for idk how long. Bob and my dad are those type of guys that do things down to the finest detail. They are always looking for ways to find and catch fish. I am hoping my dad and I can run into Paul this weekend so my dad and him can catch up. It would do my dad some good to see him. Considering he is stressed out of his mind with his job. But then again who isn't.:lol:


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

samsteel said:


> thinking of heading to the Big M. sometime soon myself. I have only ever fished there in the fall. would bottom bouncing still be an effective way to fish? should I use salmon eggs, steelhead skein, waxies or stoneflies (or all of them?) or should we pull plugs all day, which we never do in the fall.


 Your best bet if you have a boat find deep runs and run plugs. That is the most relaxing way. Or when you get some fresh spawn roll that off the bottom. Salmon spawn works at the dam when you get lucky and snag fish but a steelie will rarley hit that cured crap. Your chances are a million times better with fresh steelie spawn. Waxies, and wigglers are occasionally good just don't stay on your hook as well.


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

In the past 5yrs I can,t say I've seen that many fish landed, but I can say I've seen 4 fish greater than 15lbs all weighed on a bogo grip. All males.... All released.....Lost one at the net a few years ago (thanks to integretybob) in the 20lb range. Not being a a#$ but some rivers do produce bigger fish than others.... Rob 


The White 

The Little

The Big M.


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## integritybob (Mar 10, 2009)

thats it you mother scratcher I don't even remember that and you've never even seen a fish over 12 lbs on the end of your line. You'll be sorry the next time I'm on the other end with the net I just might be on the fishes side. Next I bet it was on tournament weekend right! Sounds like a fish story Chris would tell. You probably threw that in there to get me going or maybe we catch to many fish and I can't remember one from the next but a 20 lbs plus fish I wouldn't forget if Id seen it. Probably was a sucker that felt 20lbs cause you had it in the tail. HA


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

No tourny. day . That fish was 20 our I'm not 245 and I think I can even tell you what fly it was on. Maybe a COHO THOUGH

LOL


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## integritybob (Mar 10, 2009)

yaya probably was a coho in the mouth on a fly I showed you. JK! If it was a 20lber you know i would dive in for it. how bout the email I sent u on the hooks and snaps?


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

then ya should have got your rear wet!!!! can get hooks local not sure on snaps , check tomorrow 

my fly 

my fish

my bad------ for letting you touch the net..... my bad.....I forget it's only a stinky fish....lol


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## Bohman52 (Mar 9, 2009)

Hey bobs whats up its britney. I think rice knocked off one of my little fish last year. haha


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

riceburner is known for that 2 

so is tanner but he's got more important things too do.....(cuddle)


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Johnny 2581 said:


> Salmon spawn works at the dam when you get lucky and snag fish but a steelie will rarley hit that cured crap.


Not to rain on your parade, but your inexperience is showing. I am trying to say this in the absolue nicest way possible that you are way wrong. Some days "steelie gold' or fresh "brown pump" will outfish the cured salmon eggs. But most days it does not make a huge difference. I have a few buddies that fish brown spawn on a regular basis, and some days they will out fish me, and other days I smoke them. 

Presentation and location are the 2 biggest factors in consitently hooking fish. Give a guy the best spawn that has no clue in what he is doing, vs a very experienced guy fishing a jig tipped with an artificial plastic and the experinced angler will more than likely outfish the clumsy presentation every time. 

Now after saying all that, out on the pier give me the freshest steelie spawn possible... I honestly believe it makes a difference there.


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Lets have a fish fry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## TheUrbanMustache (Sep 23, 2008)

i had my fun and thats all it was.:lol:


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Plugger .....He'll be fishin in the wrong spot !....


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