Thunder Bay Steel!!

[fowl assasination]

The bite is back on! After three days of not hitting a fish or seeing one landed the steelies finally turned back on today. Fished for 2 hours and landed two steelies and lost two. Both fish caught were chrome hens, successfully released. The fly that fooled both of these fish was a yellow wiggler pattern. The fishing is only going to improve with 40 degree weather and rain moving in.

[Adam Peterson]

Thats great to here Fowl... I always love the saying "Chrome On"... This weekend is going to be a good one son.

[ausable_steelhead]

Yeah, I may have to hit her up soon, I always seem to get motivated, but then I "hang-up" as soon as I hit Oscoda:D ! I caught my first steelhead from the Thunder Bay, a 27.5" 10.5lb hen, that can be a great little river, good job man!

[Adam Peterson]

Fish on!!!

Whats the fishing report for today Fowl? I heard you had a hot new fly pattern for the elusive TB Chromer.

[ausable_steelhead]

You know, the Thunder Bay is one of the few east-side rivers that really fishes well with flies, actually artificials period, probably because of the smaller size, though alot of fish get lined. As far as good patterns, I remember a few years ago I was fishing the dam in early-March, and there were probably 8 guys fishing. It was cold, and nobody had anything, when this dude walks down, makes 5 drifts, and hits three fish. Right before he left, he gave the fly to me to use, I tied it on, first cast, fish on. I lost that fish, then snagged and lost the fly. It was a brown and gray spring wiggler with a cerise body. I've seen cerise do well at 9th street on more than one occasion. The thing I like about the TB is that any high water will bring in fish, it's like clock-work there!

[Adam Peterson]

Fishing at the dam us good, and like you said high water and warm weather is all the river needs to become a good fishery. The only thing I dont like abou the dam is all the snages you get. They should stop the water for a couple days and clean it out. Take out all the huge boulders and put in gravel. Then it would be awsome. There is probably no funding for a project like this, so it would have to be raised by local groups but I think that would make it awsome down there. I'll be there sunday morning wacking the chromers.

[ausable_steelhead]

I may be there Sunday also, either that or the Au Sable, don't know yet. I heard you guys had a great fall salmon run, big and plentiful!

[MSUICEMAN]

Fishing at the dam us good, and like you said high water and warm weather is all the river needs to become a good fishery. The only thing I dont like abou the dam is all the snages you get. They should stop the water for a couple days and clean it out. Take out all the huge boulders and put in gravel. Then it would be awsome. There is probably no funding for a project like this, so it would have to be raised by local groups but I think that would make it awsome down there. I'll be there sunday morning wacking the chromers.

bad idea.... without current breaks, fishing wouldn't be nearly so good.

[Adam Peterson]

I guess I souldnt have said all the boulders. I know that if you took everyting out it would be no good. I guess I ment if there was some way of restructuring it to make it more friendly to fishermen. If you have fishered there you know what i mean.

[Burksee]

I guess I souldnt have said all the boulders. I know that if you took everyting out it would be no good. I guess I ment if there was some way of restructuring it to make it more friendly to fishermen. If you have fishered there you know what i mean.You mean take and cut off all the re-rod and other stuff like that, thats in the river there? Good to hear the fish are moving up the river! I just got a report yesterday that they're still ice fishing up on Long and Grand Lakes. This would have been a weekend made in heaven if only I could get away! :) :lol:

[thousandcasts]

Yeah, if they took out all the concrete slabs and what not, how could you make your way to that slack water in front of the spill gates? LOL!!!

Haven't fished there in a few years, does it still get a pretty strong Lake run brown fishery in the fall?

[ausable_steelhead]

Oh yeah, the fall brownie run is still quite good, all through the winter. Fall steelhead though, have fallen off considerably from what it used to be. Big minnows or brown spawn is your best bet, though people get them on spoons and bodybaits.

[CL-Lewiston]

Anyone interested there is a Sport Show at the TB Rec Center (I Believe) this weekend (March 25+26).

[Hamilton Reef]

Time for Steelhead to Brighten the Thunder Bay River

So far this year, the weather gods have been fickle, bestowing upon us an abnormally warm January followed by record-breaking snows in February. Let’s hope things get back to normal now in March.

If they do, you’ll see Tim Lafleche standing waist-deep in the Thunder Bay River below the 9th Street Dam.

“I’ve been fishing here for about ten years,” said Lafleche recently. “Primarily for steelhead.”

http://www.thealpenanews.com/stories/articles.asp?articleID=1338

[fowl assasination]

I saw Tim catch a nice brown yesterday, if i had to guess i would say it was a 12-14 pounder. That is the first brown that i saw so far this spring. The fish are now picking up it wont be long and i think that it will be hot down there. It is also getting crowded down there now though. That is the one thing that is hard to put up with is guys that dont give any respect to the other fisherman. They cast whenever they want, you get a fish on and they cast over you, it is just not the right thing to do. When the right group of guys are down there you can fish a dozen people easy if everyone respect one another. oh well i guess some people will just never learn! :rant: