Windy Ausable & Tawas Pier

[SteelYarn]

Hello everyone,
Its been quit some time since I have posted here or even been able to.
Went to the river and with no success...Also heard some browns were coming in at the Tawas pier and gave it a try I picked up one Laker and 2 burbot...
I did see one 14 lb brown landed Monday...
Wow the wind was blowing some 40 mph plus at times and talk about extreme conditions...and this was three days straight of wind..
Hope to get back there soon.....

[Erik]

Good to hear from you! And glad you were able to get out fishing!
I must have just missed you. I was up there sat and sunday but I was fishing the ausable mostly. I noticed there were alot of boats on the bay sunday evening.
Did you keep the burbots? I've heard they're good eatin.

[SteelYarn]

Absolutly,
Burbot is very good, I first tried it last winter. I had caught a few ice fishing last year near Augres. By far not a pretty fish, one fella couldn't believe I was gonna eat it.....:lol: There were some Walleye taken at the ausable river mouth, when I got up there late Sunday evening I stopped by there and met 2 guys fishing about midnight....

[ausable_steelhead]

It's about that time for walleye, usually you can get them at night while there's still ice bergs floating around, but I fish the north pier, which is 10 times better than the south. The south can be hot for steelhead though. Hey are both piers clear of ice? I'm assuming they are, but I've been west the last couple weeks, so I'm behind on the Au Sab's conditions. I'll be on the Big Manistee monday, and the Au Sable tuesday, fish on!

[limige]

piers are clear of ice, i didn't see anyone out on the north pier sunday. cold weather for a wet foot!

[ausable_steelhead]

C'mon limige, you know all you gotta do is time the waves:D ! No, this time of year, I only go if it's not really rough. If the waves are only coming up at the start of the shallow rocks(just before the barrier), then I'll go, because once your past the rocks, it's usually calmer. Speaking of barrier, I wonder how it's held up, usually it needs to be repaired every year, man I love that pier:D ! I've had some times out there;) .

[ROBBY MEYERS]

I'll be there on the 24th, through the 26th, got some fresh roe from a grand river hen and tied the bags big like a choker bag, big as a quarter. I'll stay dawn till dusk every day! GOD I love that place:D

[ausable_steelhead]

Well, out at the mouth, a quarter-sized bag is really average, I've seen fish caught on bags larger than a 50-cent piece, some days that's what they want. I usually run my mouth bags just a bit larger than a nickel upto to about quarter sized. On flat, bright sunny days, use a dime-sized bag. Now upriver, a quarter-sized bag is definanetly a choker, those can work well in the white-water. I have a buddy who swears by chokers in spring, no matter where we go, the Au Sable,Tawas,the Ditch,9th, or the Oc, he runs chokers, he does get fish though......

[limige]

C'mon limige, you know all you gotta do is time the waves:D ! No, this time of year, I only go if it's not really rough. If the waves are only coming up at the start of the shallow rocks(just before the barrier), then I'll go, because once your past the rocks, it's usually calmer. Speaking of barrier, I wonder how it's held up, usually it needs to be repaired every year, man I love that pier:D ! I've had some times out there;) .

i haven't fished it much but i have watched them many nights outfishing us on the south peir, now-a-days i venture out there more often....they made it dangerous cutting that section out, instead of stopping people they just made it so people would get hurt. we're a die hard breed!
i've thought about taking a boat with a set of torchs and brazing a new section in...but then more people would go out...

[ausable_steelhead]

Dude there's already a south-pier size crowd, in fact I've seen more on the north than the south a few nights the last two seasons. And as far as fishing, the north pier outfishes the south very,very badly for salmon, is better for walleyes, but I think the south is better than the north for steelhead, as I've seen more big days on the south than the north. Then again, if the same amount of guys fished the north pier for steelhead, it might change, alot of the south pier guys heave their bags over towards the north, just off the tip can be good. Whitefishing off the north is better than the south, by a long shot.

[mallardtone-man]

Hey guys, sorry to hijack the thread, but I am going to Tawas tomarrow and I wanted to see if you guys can give me any advice?

My brother and I are going to Tawas sometime tomarrow afternoon. My rides broke so my buddy is just gonna drop me off at the pier, and I am gonna try and find a hotel room in town. So, first I need to find a hotel room (preferrably cheap) within walking distance of the pier.
Then, I have fished there a few times in the spring and caught 9-10 small steelhead in one day, other than that only 1 8lb brown.
I just wanted to know what kinda setup you use when fishing the pier, and how you might fish it for walleye. I have a nice cast net and will be catching tons of live baits. I am very intersted in catching some burbot, what do you usually use? We will probably be there till Wed or something, so if anyone wants to meet up with us, we have 20lbs of venison to eat, so we will be grilling! :D It would be cool if a bunch of people showed up.

If anyone can help id appreciate it..

James

[ausable_steelhead]

The best set-up there seems to be a large minnow, 5-6", under a bobber. I usually put a couple small shot to keep the minnow down some, and I like to put a red bead on above the hook, sometimes you hook more fish that way. Also try crawlers or minnows on bottom on a slip-sinker rig, that's how you get alot of eyes, as well as browns, lakers(release),steelhead, and whitefish. Throwing spoons and body baits can be effective, I like to bait up one rod, and cast with the other. Sometimes spawn can be effective, but it catches more steelhead than anything, which isn't a bad thing, but steelhead aren't exactly numerous on that pier. Also try waxies(a gob), sometimes they can surprise you. Burbot are best at night, fall(Nov.) is ALOT better than spring, but they can be had. Try large spawnbags or fresh smelt fished on bottom, though I've seen them caught in Oscoda(N.pier) on bags under bobbers. The Tawas pier can be quite good at times, every spring is different, but there is quite a mixed bag off there, especially in spring, good-luck, and bring a LONG handled net:eek: !

[SteelYarn]

I sent a pm so check your in box...good luck!!!!!!!!