My first fish on a fly rod!

[hambone76]

I went fishing on the Big Manistee River in Western Michigan this past week. I tried fishing with a fly rod for the first time ever and was instantly hooked!
I caught my first Salmon ever and my first fish on a fly rod, a decent sized hen. I was bottom-bouncing beads and flys into the deep holes behind the gravel beds where the fish were spawning.
It was about a 10 minute fight and she put on quite the show, but the 10W Echo rod/reel setup handled her well. The power that these fish possess is unbelievable!
It was a great week, the weather and scenery were absolutely wonderful and the fishing was insane. I’ve never experienced anything that can even come close to comparing. The average Salmon was 22#. We hooked into several that were well above that and saw other fish caught that were in excess of 35#. It was an experience that I will never forget and I’ll be going back every year from here on out.

 

[Big7]

Lot of meat on that rascal. ?

 

[Turpentine]

That is a dang nice fish!!!! Congratulations.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Good stuff!

 

[Cmp1]

Congrats,,,,you were right down the road from me,,,,the nice weather is gone,,,,

 

[Taxman]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing the story.

 

[hambone76]

Congrats,,,,you were right down the road from me,,,,the nice weather is gone,,,,

Whereabouts are you at? We fished up near Tippy Dam. I have a place on the East side of the state, near Oscoda.

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

 

[Para Bellum]

That’s a heck of a first on the fly! Congrats! Michigan has some beautiful streams. I got to fish the Rogue last year and was tickled to death. Great time.

 

[Tom W.]

First fish on a fly rod you say? You are officially ruined!

 

[Batjack]

Whereabouts are you at? We fished up near Tippy Dam. I have a place on the East side of the state, near Oscoda.

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

He's just out of Traverse City.
Great catch, beat my first fly fish hands down.

 

[hambone76]

That’s a heck of a first on the fly! Congrats! Michigan has some beautiful streams. I got to fish the Rogue last year and was tickled to death. Great time.

Thanks, I was thrilled. I’ve spent a lot of time on the rivers up there the last few years, mostly spent fishing for Smallmouth and Northern Pike. You are right, the rivers up there are beautiful. My buddy, who was with me on this trip caught a 27# buck King Salmon for his first fish on a fly rod.

First fish on a fly rod you say? You are officially ruined!

I am indeed. I’m already planning a return trip in the Spring for steelhead, bass and pike.

 

[NCHillbilly]

My first fish on a fly rod probably looked more like this :

 

[hambone76]

Native Brookies would be so much fun and the size of the catch would make no matter to me. The experience itself, catch or no catch, is what makes it a good time.

 

[Backcountry]

Nice fish! Congrats!