fished a lake Michigan trib today with 2 friends who had never fly fished before and we had a blast!
we got there at around 9am and the riffles were full of suckers, so when life gives you lemons make lemonade so to speak.
we fished the riffles and caught about 30 suckers, most of them between 18 and 25inches, And they loved it!
and for there first time out they were pretty good!
when we were working a pod of suckers in a riffle a steelhead drifted back toward our position and i threw a cast and he ate it!
after a while i landed it and it was about a 25-28inch fish, he ate a brown stonefly nymph.
all of the suckers ate golden stones and hex nymphs (tying instructions up soon)
all in all it was a great time and they are eager to go again!!
As far as the steelhead fishing, i dont think it will last much longer, the water is already considerably warm (we were wet wading the whole time!!)
we saw a few steelhead and queit a few big ones, but my friends have bait fished there before and they said they spawned already about a week ago.
that obviously doesnt go for all the tribs, im sure some are in great shape!
good luck fishing, have fun!