Boyne River Michigan Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Brown Trout (Wild and Stocked with
holdover)
Brook Trout
Rainbow (Stocked)
Salmon
Steelhead
Size
Small to Medium
Location
Northern Peninsula Michigan
Nearest Town
Boyne City
Season
First Saturday of April through
February all except:
Access:
Good in some areas but lots of
private property in some areas
Non-Resident License
State of Michigan
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season follows the standard Michigan trout season in all areas except the Special Regulations Area open to fishing year-round.
Spring:
Springtime is a good time for fly fishing the Boyne River for trout due to the plentiful aquatic insect hatches. It’s also the best time for steelhead.
Summer:
The action usually slows down some during the Summer but the water stays fairly cool in the headwater sections of the North and South branches as well as below the dam above Lake Charlevoix.
Fall:
Fall is a good time to catch a large brown trout and a trophy steelhead.
Winter:
Winter can be good during decent weather. The steelhead and trout can be sluggish when the water temperature is very low.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Boyne River Michigan
The Boyne River is located in northern Michigan. It is named after the River Boyne in Ireland. Both it and the Jordan River flow into Lake Charlevoix. Boyne River is formed by its North and South branches. They flow together just above Boyne Falls to form the main part of the Boyne River which is 5.6 miles long.
Both the North and South branches have good populations of brown trout. Fly Fishing the Boyne River is usually good in both these streams as well as the main river. These are relatively small streams averaging about fifteen feet in width.
The main stream section has some larger size browns and runs of salmon and steelhead from Lake Michigan. The migratory fish run through Lake Charlevoix into the river. The best fishing occurs below the dam and downstream to Lake Charlevoix. Access to the North and South branches is available from roads leading off U. S. Highway #131.
The lower section also holds some large brown trout. The Boyne River in this area probably averages about forty feet in width. This section has some very good hatches of aquatic insects and dry fly fishing can be good at times; however, most of the fly fishing for both steelhead and trout is done using nymphs and streamers.
Fly fishing the Boyne River can be good year-round. The migratory species and/or resident trout one or the other can be caught throughout the year. We should also mention that Lake Charlevoix has another fine trout, steelhead and salmon stream that enters nearby – Lake Jordon. Lake Jordon is covered in another section of this website. Both rivers offer plenty of fly fishing opportunities for this part of the state.