Mill Creek Guide Book Layout Draft
Mill Creek Guide Book Layout Draft
Introduction
Brown Trout
Mill Creek
Getting Started
Preparing for Your Outing
Time of Day
Season
Accessing the Creek
Arriving at the Stream
Dry Fly Fishing
Nymph Fishing
Streamer Fishing
Wet Fly Fishing
exploring its over 200 miles of cold water trout habitat. I can say
from experience, that Mill Creek offers anglers a real opportunity
to land a large healthy Brown Trout over 20 inches in length.
Introduction
My name is Ethan Cramer, and I suffer from the incurable
disease of fly fishing addiction. My father taught me to fly fish on
the Huron River when I was 11 years old, and I have not been
able to keep a fly rod out of my hand for an extended period
ever since. As my skills as a fly fisherman developed, my
interest turned from panfish and bass, to trout. In my opinion,
trout are the most rewarding species to pursue. Catching a trout
on a fly is one of the most exiting experiences to a fly fisherman,
and doing so represents a significant achievement by any
standards. Over the years I have fished almost every major trout
stream in Michigan and have been able to catch every species
of trout in the state. In 2012 when I learned that Ann Arbor Trout
Unlimited had begun stocking Mill Creek in Dexter Michigan, my
reaction was nothing short of ecstatic. For the past two years I
have spent hundreds of hours fly fishing Mill Creek and
Brown Trout
Powerful fights, tantalizing selectivity, and ability to reach a very
large size in river environments all make Brown Trout one of the
most sought after species by fly fisherman around the world.
They are ferocious feeders that will consume nearly any living
creature that will fit in there mouth. Mice, crayfish, even other
trout are all on the menu for a large brown living in a temperate
stream. Spawning occurs from September to November, with
eggs being deposited and fertilized in redds where they will
hatch about 40 days later. Brown Trout can exhibit a variety of
colors, but are usually olive to brown on the top, fading to
shades of gold along the sides and grey or white on the bottom.
The entire body is usually speckled with black and red dots
surrounded by light colored halos.
Brown Trout are not native to Mill Creek, or any body of water in
North America for that mater. A gift from the president of the
Detacher Fischerei-Verein, Baron L. von Behr, to Fred
Mather, an American fisheries biologist, the first Brown Trout
eggs were brought from Germany to the United States in the
early 1880s. The eggs were raised to fry, a broodstock was
created, and in 1884 the first official stocking occurred. The
location of this first stocking the Pere Marquette River,
near Baldwin Michigan. Since that historic day, Brown Trout
have been successfully introduced to bodies of water in
every continent (excluding Antarctica).
Mill Creek
Getting Started
For those new to the sport of fly fishing, or interested in trying it
for the first time, its important to understand that getting on the
water doesnt have to put a 4 figure dent in your bank account.
Quality outfits such as the Redington Crosswater, or Orvis
Encounter can be purchased for around $150, and retailers like
Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop offer outfits that can be had for well
under $100. Most kits of this type include a rod, reel, backing, fly
line, and even a leader with a selection of flies in some cases.
For a beginner I would suggest a 5 weight rod between 8 and 9
long. This weight of rod will work great as a general-purpose
trout rod and will also suit many other freshwater applications.
Other items I would suggest purchasing are a net, pair of needle
nose pliers or hemostats, and polarized glasses. Polarized
glasses eliminate the glare off the surface of the water and allow
the angler to spot fish that would otherwise be invisible to them.
Purchases you may want to consider in the future include
waders and a fly vest, but these items are not essential when
getting started.
Time of Day
As a general rule, morning and evening represent the best times
to fly fish for trout. The first hour after sunrise is often very
productive, with catch rates tapering off through the day and
then picking back up in the evening hours before sunset. During
the morning and evening hours, insect hatches are more
prevalent and trout are more likely to be actively feeding. Caddis
and Cahill hatches are common on Mill Creek in the morning
hours during the summer months. Also the summer months
represent a period when brown trout often feed throughout the
night, so by fishing in the morning or evening you are likely to
catch the beginning or end of their aggressive feeding. Although
fishing in the early morning may result in a few less hours of
shut-eye, the excellent fishing waiting for you when you arrive at
the stream should be more then enough motivation for you to
drag yourself out of the comfort of your bed. (tip: prepare your
gear the night before. Trying to tie a leader or even assemble
your set up can be very frustrating when you are only half
awake, especially when there are feeding tout waiting to be
caught)
Nighttime fly-fishing poses many obvious challenges to the
angler, but can also present an opportunity to catch the largest
browns that predominantly feed at night. In order to target large
browns at night, you need to fish in a location that you have
already familiarized during the day. Nighttime wadding can be
very dangerous if you are unfamiliar with the section you are
fishing. Patterns like mice or frogs that create a disturbance as
they are jerked across the waters surface can entice large
brown to strike violently.
Season
A Brown Trouts diet and behavior change with the season, and
as a result, the techniques used to catch them do as well.
Generally speaking, late spring through fall (May through
November) sees the most action. As water temperatures rise in
the spring, so does the metabolic activity of the trout (coldblooded) living in the stream. In addition to the effect on the
trout, rising temperatures also result in increased insect activity.
Throughout the summer, there are numerous hatches and
feeding is strong most days. By late summer, August and
September, terrestrials (insects that spend their entire life on
land, like crickets and grasshoppers) become a major
component of a brown trouts diet. In mid to late September,
brown trout begin preparing to spawn and hold over for the
winter. During this period, brown trout feed aggressively to build
up their energy reserves for the months ahead. After spawning,
brown trout settle in for the long winter ahead. During the winter,
trout hold in deep holes and runs and move very little as not to
expend energy. Brown trout do feed during the winter, but the
feeding is limited to small nymphs and other insects, and is rare
when water temperatures are below 40F.
`
Arriving at the Stream
If fish are feeding on the surface then selecting a dry fly pattern
is a good place to start. If there is an obvious hatch (a mass
reproduction event that many insects of the same species
partake in) it is best to try to select a fly that imitates that insect.
To make this process much more straightforward it is advisable
to try to match the important aspects of the insect
characteristics. These are size and color. A selection of green,
brown, white, and yellow dries in sizes 12-18 will match the
majority of hatches on Mill Creek.
If there is no apparent hatch, but fish are clearly feeding on the
surface, it is best to select an attractor pattern (a fly that does
not imitate a specific insect, but poses characteristics that make
it attractive to feeding trout). The best attractor patterns for Mill
Creek include a Humpy, Royal Wulff, and Adams flies.
Before you begin fishing, you must first apply floatant to your dry
fly. There are many brands of floatant, but hey all accomplish
the same task; keeping your fly on the right side of the waters
surface. The best way to apply floatant is to place a small
amount on the tip of your finger, then thoroughly work it onto the
fly, especially the wings. Floatant is hydrophobic allowing the fly
to repel water and maintain buoyancy. You will have to be
periodically reapply floatant while you fish. If false casting,
(casting quickly multiple times without allowing the fly to touch
the water in order to dry if off) is no longer allowing your fly to
maintain buoyancy, its time to reapply.
location that you observed it feeding in, do not give up. Often, it
may take numerous drifts over the same fish before it makes the
decision to feed on you fly. It is also possible that the fish may
attempt to strike, and will miss the fly as it leaps from the water.
If this occurs, it is a good sign as it indicates that the fly you are
using is a good choice, and that the fish is actively feeding.
Continue making cast to the fish and making drifts over its
location as it will likely try again to feed on your fly.
When fishing for trout with dry flies, it is best to move upstream
as you fish. As trout feeding on the surface are often looking
upstream, they will be less likely to notice the angler if you
approach from behind.
The locations where trout feed are often predictable. Trout are
cover-oriented fish, meaning that they like to spend their time in
locations that offer cover from predators or protection from the
current. During the day, trout like to stay near cover, including
large rocks, undercut banks, wood (logs or branches) in the
water, deep pools and runs. Targeting these location with your
fly is often effective.
In late summer, terrestrial insects become a major component of
a trouts diet. Grasshopper and Cricket flies work very well on
Mill Creek, especially on days with a breeze. As terrestrial
insects climb on grass and braches overhanging the edge of the
stream, they can loose their grip or be knocked off by the wind
and fall onto the waters surface. Trout are very aware of the
occurrence and as a result spend much of their time cruising
along the bank waiting for an easy meal to fall from above.
Casting a large terrestrial fly along the bank and twitching it
occasionally to simulate a struggling insect can be very
effective.
You will often hear fly fisherman say put your fly in the bubble
line. This indeed is a wise tip. Often insects on the waters
surface will follow the same path as bubbles or foam floating
Nymph Fishing
When there are no trout feeding on the surface, it is likely that
Streamer Fishing
Another effective method for targeting brown trout in Mill Creek
is streamer fishing. Streamers are large flies that are dragged
through the water by the fisherman by stripping the line in at
various speeds and patterns. Large trout in Mill Creek consume
frogs, crayfish, leaches, and even other fish (including smaller
trout), so many effective streamer patterns imitate these food
sources. Some of the most effective patterns for Mill Creek are
Wolly Buggers, Black Nosed Dace, Mickey Finns, and Zonkers.
When streamer fishing, I would recommend either a 5 wt or 6
wt, 9 rod as they allow the fly fisherman to more easily cast
larger, heavier pattern longer distances more accurately and
easily. I would also suggest using 4x tippet when streamer
fishing, as strikes can be more aggressive and the stealthiness
of thinner tippet is not necessary.
Generally speaking, brighter, flashier patterns work best in
summer and fall when Brown Trout are very active and
aggressively feeding, especially so in the fall during the period
they spawn. In the winter and spring, natural colored steamers
in shades of browns and greens are effective when fished slowly
in deep holes.
When fishing streamers, I would recommend moving
downstream as you fish. Cast at 90 angle to the direction of the
current and strip the fly in as it swings downstream. Varying the
speed and length of each strip is recommended. If you are
trying long slow strips with no success, try shorter faster strips.
Often the speed and length of strip may be a deciding factor in a
Brown Trout striking the streamer. Target cover, deep pools, and
runs. Often large brown trout will hold in these areas and will
caught a trout. Keep the net and the fish in the water until you
are prepared to unhook or photograph it.
Closing Statement
Fly-fishing is a sport that
has been enjoyed by
anglers for hundreds of
years. The best trout
streams often happen to
be some of the most
scenic places in the world.
In my opinion, there are
few things better then
being alone with your
thoughts, standing in the
middle of a flowing stream with a fly rod in your hand. Lifes
stresses and concerns always seem to drift away like the water
disappearing around the bend, and you are left to focus on your
pursuit of your clever adversary, the trout. The fly rod begins to
feel like an extension of your own body, the pace of your cast
and the water floating by seems to slow your hart rate until you
are in tune with the world around you. On Mill Creek you can be
less then a mile from the village of Dexter, yet feel a million
miles away from civilization, as if you were in a remote reach of
a vast wilderness. There is nothing better then bringing to hand
a beautiful speckled trout from the cool water, to complement a
perfect day on the stream. With this guide, I hope to have
encouraged you to enjoy your local recourses through fly
fishing, and provided you with information that will assist you in
doing so.