Little Man Salmon

[DrEw8716]

Whats the word on salmon in the little man??? I know they problalby have at least a few strays but I was wondering if there are any fishable numbers??? Thanks in advance.

[chrome_steelhead]

walk, walk, and walk some more. It's the only way to fish the little river this time of the year.

It's not like the fall when you can go down there and catch your limit all the time. You need to know when and where those fish will be. If your expecting to catch lots of fish, your fishing the wrong time of the year. You probably won't find many people wanting to share there success this time of year with little fish in the river.

[bigsablemike]

sounds like a good report along with some advice to me.very few fish,come later in the fall is what i got out of it.

[catch&release]

I fished the Little for trout on Friday. I did terrible and there were absolutely no salmon anywhere in the 3 miles I floated in my canoe.

There were a lot of tubers, though. Plus I was yelled at by one cottage owner because I had anchored my canoe on a sandbar that ran to his shore.

Not a good day. Wish I hadn't burned half a tank of gas.:(

[colehatch]

I have to agree with the walk, walk and walk somemore...that's what I did. I was down there last week and personally it was a waste of time. I saw fish but never threw anything at them. The water is way to low and the fish way to spooky.

[thousandcasts]

I have to agree with the walk, walk and walk somemore...that's what I did. I was down there last week and personally it was a waste of time. I saw fish but never threw anything at them. The water is way to low and the fish way to spooky.

Exactly. All you can do is walk, walk, and walk some more. Anytime you try to target Kings in late July/early August, it's a crap shoot. Water conditions, weather, wind, flow, etc all play the biggest part in it and those fish don't have to come upriver yet, so all you can do is go and hope for the best.

[DrEw8716]

Thanks guys, I ahve fished the little man lots of times so I know how it can be this time of year, I was just wondering if anyone saw fishable numbers in there???

[bjm]

I went looking and saw none. I switched to a trout rig pretty quickly.

[dsmithgall]

here we go already on this

[steelslam]

hey C & R why did that guy yell at you? he sure doesnt own the sand bar an you weren't on his shore. an the river is full of canoes so it is navigatalbe.

[Splitshot]

There are a few salmon in the Little River but with this low water they are deep in the wood and even if you find them, it's hard to get a lure or fly to them.

I have found over the years that fishing for anything when the water is this low is mostly a waste of time.

If we get a very good rain before they close the weir you can expect some to run up the river.

[Emerald Shiner]

Floated the Little River for a little over 5-6 hours this passed weekend, and not much going on. Looked hard with the fish eyes, and did not see too much activity going on. The trout fishing was moderate to good. Then went over to the big river and saw more Kings/Steelhead hiding inbetween the logs. Not really worth the long drive, unless you like to trout/smallmouth fish.

Speaking of the weir, I heard rumor they might close it early this year, because the DNR does not want the potentially VHS contaminated salmon running way too far up river, and posing threat to other fish species. I tried to call & speak to a couple of DNR officials about this rumor, and they could not confirm it either. Can anyone confirm this? If not, I suspect they will close the weir using their normal routine.

[Fishndude]

If you call the Cadillac office of the DNR, and talk to Tom Rozich, he will know what they intend to do about the timing of installing the weir on the little river. He is the onsite biologist, and probably makes the decision.

[Emerald Shiner]

If you call the Cadillac office of the DNR, and talk to Tom Rozich.

I was referred the number connected to Mr. Rozich. Left a message, but no response yet. This must be a good time of the year to take a vacation.:lol:

[thousandcasts]

Speaking of the weir, I heard rumor they might close it early this year, because the DNR does not want the potentially VHS contaminated salmon running way too far up river, and posing threat to other fish species. I tried to call & speak to a couple of DNR officials about this rumor, and they could not confirm it either. Can anyone confirm this? If not, I suspect they will close the weir using their normal routine.


The wier will be going in on Aug. 16th, which is the normal time frame every year. I e-mailed Tonello yesterday and asked him about it.

[DrEw8716]

Sorry I wanted to interupt with a quick question, I have a pair of Cabelas wading boots that are a lil tight, I was wondering if anyone had an extra pair of wading boots laying around that they might consider selling to me??? Size 10 1/2, 11, 11 1/2????

[Emerald Shiner]

The wier will be going in on Aug. 16th, which is the normal time frame every year. I e-mailed Tonello yesterday and asked him about it.

Thanks TC. I kinda figured that might be the case with their normal routine.


There was a guy I talked to that one day over by the weir, and he must have been trying to just spread a rumor. We got talking about the whole chumming issue & the minnows, and it seems that certain sections of DNR management is not too concerned about the big fish spreading the disease through their natural spawning process. :rolleyes:

[Whit1]

I was referred the number connected to Mr. Rozich. Left a message, but no response yet. This must be a good time of the year to take a vacation.:lol:

Due to past cuts in DNR personnel Tom is responsible for streams from the Muskegon R. all the way north to the Mackinaw Bridge. He is one busy man.

[gunrod]

I floated what I consider the middle section (probably the upper section for those that don't fish the fly only water) and saw 15 salmon. 1 was dead as it had been dragged from the shallow water onto the bank by a critter. Most the salmon were in pairs and on the move. I did see 4 in a slot that seemed content to stay where they were. The water is very low and clear so the salmon see you long before you see them. I saw them only because they were spooked except for one that swam under my Dryfly. A couple were silver but most had already started to turn dark. I did see one spot of polished gravel but I think that was a mistake by a hen that started to make a redd during the night but when the sun came up she realized that it was only 8" of water and abandoned it. I'm sure it was pure instinct for her to do that and not the need to spawn now.

If you are looking for salmon in the Little Man don't drive a long way just yet since it's probably not worth it. Things are pretty dry up here and until there's a rain there won't be fishable numbers.

Even the trout fishing was poor due to the low water. Plenty of small fish (all steelhead smolt) but no browns to speak of. It's supposed to just keep getting hotter up here the next couple of days with the only chance for rain on Thursday (the last time I looked) and even that was a small chance.

Rob at Pappy's said that the big boat reports indicated salmon were moving in closer to stage for a run but he doesn't expect much until the rivers come up a few inches.

[thousandcasts]

Rob at Pappy's said that the big boat reports indicated salmon were moving in closer to stage for a run but he doesn't expect much until the rivers come up a few inches.


Not true. I have it from a good source, that all this years fish have been rendered sterile due to the VHS and thus, will not be running up the rivers. You heard it hear first, so stay home! ;)

[ausable_steelhead]

You heard it hear first, so stay home!

If the Au Sable gets a decent run, I will:D.....

[FishHawk22]

Hey guys, 1st time post. I don't usually do a whole lot of salmon fishing in the rivers, I stick mostly to the steelies, but I will second what gunrod said. I was doing some little trout fishing on monday, and had the same results, only saw one decent riser, all the rest were little smolts. Also saw a hand full or salmon most of which were on the move, definitely nothing to get excited about.

[Frozenfish]

Welcome to the site! Thanks for the report.

[Mr Jinx]

I saw this week forecast calls for Manistee to get some rain. Do you guys think that'll push some more salmon in? Or am I just getting too excited already?

[thousandcasts]

I saw this week forecast calls for Manistee to get some rain. Do you guys think that'll push some more salmon in? Or am I just getting too excited already?

Depends. I'd be more inclined to watch the wind report than the rain forecasts. It looks to me like Manistee is going to have some NW, NE, SE, winds later in the week and that might push some cooler water nearshore and thus bring some kings into the harbor with it.

[Whit1]

It's going to take a LOT of rain to get water into the rivers.

[salmonboy86]

Depends. I'd be more inclined to watch the wind report than the rain forecasts. It looks to me like Manistee is going to have some NW, NE, SE, winds later in the week and that might push some cooler water nearshore and thus bring some kings into the harbor with it.


Man I sure hope so hit some fish in july and havent been able to since. This warm water is killer.

[axisgear]

It's going to take a LOT of rain to get water into the rivers.
You sure ain't kiddin':lol:.We're in a drought baby! The worst I've seen since '88'!

[thousandcasts]

You sure ain't kiddin':lol:.We're in a drought baby! The worst I've seen since '88'!

Last time we had this kind of spell, over four years ago, the fishing was so bad in the fall I ended up with twin boys. I love them more than anything in the world, but it better rain soon because there's no way in hell I plan on adding to my collection, ya know? :lol:

The neighbors are all concerned because their lawns are brown. The lawn??? I could give a s*** less if my grass is dead...just means I don't have to go out and mow the damn thing. Hell, if my lawn doesn't see another drop of rain, you won't hear me crying a bit--as long as from Muskegon north to Frankfort is getting torrential down pours.

[salmonboy86]

Pouring here right now hopefully its doing the same on the west side fingers crossed.

[alexsalmon]

I don't know what it did in manistee but the creek in my back yard was a river this morning!!!!:coolgleam Getting "paid" tomorrow and head north on thrusday!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steelheader12345]

here in st.joe my rain gauge read 7.5in of rain which fell in about 3 hours:yikes: same here alex the creek in our back yard had more water flowing than than the pm does now:lol: its normally is a nice trout stream, not today, it was ripping,highest we have ever seen it.(hope the trout made it through this gully washer)
ill send some rain north

steelheader

[thousandcasts]

I heard Ludington didn't get squat, so who knows about Manistee or inland. Probably the same.

[cadillacjethro]

I don't know about Manistee, but Cadillac hasn't seen any real rain in............I can't remember when.:sad:

[catch&release]

I was up there today.

Still low, low, low water levels.

[Frogfish101]

Wow, this is pathetic. We've had huge storms blow right past MI the last few months!

C'MON RAIN!

[thousandcasts]

We need a good hurricane to blow things up and come inland. I mean, sorry about your luck Florida and New Orleans, but first things first--and that's our early salmon run. No, no smilies, no winkies, no laughies...I'm dead serious. :rant:

[Frogfish101]

We need one of these!

http://www.toddandbradreed.com/pictureofthemonth/images/tr_rollingthunder.jpg
Image taken by Todd Reed

This storm hit Ludington July 12th. We need like 5 of these in a row!

[Fishndude]

I was fishing the Betsie in 1986 when the entire lower peninsula got 12" of rain in a day, from a hurricane that swept up the Mississippi valley and dumped on the Midwest. It surely flooded the State, and blew out earthen dams on the Betsie and Little Man - which essentially started a serious decline in Steelhead fishing on both of those rivers; which has continued to the current day. But while it was raining, the fish just POURED into the Betsie (and every other river, I have to think), and they were stacked so thickly below Homestead dam that some fish were flopping out of the water on the backs of other fish. It was amazing, and everyone just whacked a ton of fish. And they were chrome monsters - most were 20# or better.

Yeah, we need another hurricane. It also rained almost daily for 30 days after that storm. Michigan was declared a federal disaster area, and farmers were subsidized for crops they lost in a lot of cases. I lived in Bay City, and you could smell the potatoes, beets, and beans rotting in fields for months after the main storm. Farmers couldn't even get their equipment into the fields for months, due to the mud. But, Man, was the fishing awesome. The stuff dreams are made of.

[wally-eye]

We need one of these!

http://www.toddandbradreed.com/pictureofthemonth/images/tr_rollingthunder.jpg
Image taken by Todd Reed

This storm hit Ludington July 12th. We need like 5 of these in a row!




That was one awesome storm cloud. I was coming back home from a little north of Manistee and followed this storm south. When I came down US10 heading west to the 31 turn off I could look out over the lake and see this storm in all its fury. Followed it south till I had to turn off on M20.....

I expected at any time to see a twister pop out of that wall.........just wish I would have had the camera with me..................

Funny, I live between Hesperia and White Cloud and we didn't get a drop of rain from it. Basically stayed mostly over the lake shore areas.

[Whit1]

I was fishing the Betsie in 1986 when the entire lower peninsula got 12" of rain in a day,.

I was coaching a high school JV football game up in Traverse City during part of that rain. :lol:

[DrEw8716]

I hit the the Pine the other day for canoing and figured that I would check out the little man. Well I saw one salmon shoot by at the weir. I then checked out the two bridges closer to the lake and saw people at each spot with a few (2-5) salmon in each hole. Not worth the drive yet....

[Frogfish101]

Lol, it basically rained everywhere except the West coast!

I'll be up there next weekend, so I'll report on how the fishing is.

[mdthompson13]

my jiggin' elbow is starting to ache from lack of motion!! i'll do a rain dance down here!

[Cut Bait]

I saw six (6) salmon in one hole on the Little River near Irons this past Monday. I had been trout fishing all weekend and didn't have the right gear to fool with them. Deep hole, 250 yards from where I camped. Maybe next time...

[gunrod]

Did they get some rain up there like we did down here? If so I would expect pretty fair fishing for salmon any time soon.

[thousandcasts]

From what I heard, no--they didn't get squat again! :rant:

[alexsalmon]

Yea, they got jacked on the rain. Went up there, the river is as clear and low as I have ever seen it. Water temp was also way up.:mad:

[Whit1]

Did they get some rain up there like we did down here?

That would be a big NO Pat........unless you wanna count the 25 drops that I felt this morning while doing garden stuff.

[gunrod]

Figures.......I'll be sticking around here then for a few more weeks. Another weekend walleye fishing like the last and I might not be up again until next year.;)

[sweet tree]

I just got back from the ludington area...It rained hard last night (Saturday) for an hour or so...There are a few salmon in the Little Man. Enough to force me to put away my 5 wt. and grab my 8. Bad move, I had much better luck with the trout.

Needless to say, I got salmon skunked...I think one of them gave me the finger as he was sitting under his log.

[Queequeg]

Anyone know if Frankfurt area got rain too? I know everyone up there needed rain.

[Steve]

Didn't rain much in Wellston last night at all. I'd say a trace at best. The sandy soil soaked it up as fast as it fell.

[alexsalmon]

yea, I camped at the weir last night on the little man, we got sprinkled on and that was IT.:mad: The fishing still sucks at best.