Mayfield Falls / Upper Boardmanon Boardman River
Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches are a key fall event
- 01Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches are a key fall event, providing dry fly and emerger opportunities for rising trout.
- 02Subsurface nymphing with Baetis and midge patterns remains consistently productive as primary food sources in cooling waters.
- 03Streamer fishing with patterns imitating baitfish or leeches can entice aggressive strikes from larger Brown and Brook Trout.
- 04Egg patterns are highly relevant for both Brown and Brook Trout, which may be keying in on salmon or resident trout eggs.
- 05Water temperatures will be dropping, making slower retrieves with nymphs and streamers more effective.
What to tie on at Mayfield Falls / Upper Boardman
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Blood Dot Egg
As various fish begin their spawning activities in fall, egg patterns become highly effective for opportunistic Brown and Brook Trout feeding on loose eggs.
Buy at AmazonHendrickson Nymph
Hendricksons are a key early spring hatch; nymphs are active subsurface and a primary food source for trout.
Blue-Winged Olive Comparadun
Excellent for selective trout feeding on emergers and adults during spring BWO hatches, especially on overcast afternoons.
Hendrickson
This dry fly imitates a key early spring mayfly hatch, with afternoon activity expected.
Buy at AmazonMother's Day Caddis
The prolific Mother's Day Caddis hatch is expected in late April through May, making this dry fly a perfect imitation for adult caddis.
Woolly Bugger (Black/Olive)
An essential streamer for enticing aggressive strikes from trout, imitating leeches and baitfish active in colder, higher spring water.
Zebra Midge
Midges are the most prolific and active insect in the Boardman River during the winter months. A size 18-22 in black or red is a mandatory subsurface pattern.
Buy at AmazonLittle Black Stonefly nymph
Winter stoneflies (Capniidae) begin their activity in late February in Michigan. These nymphs are a substantial meal for trout in cold water.
Black Woolly Bugger
A classic winter streamer; it imitates leeches and sculpins. In the Boardman, a slow-stripped or dead-drifted bugger can trigger territorial strikes from large Browns.
Michigan season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Fly shops nearby
Local flies, current advice and guided trips.