Ausable Steel 3/31,4/3

[SteelYarn]

Well, It took me a little time to make a post but here it is.
I went to the Ausable on Friday and picked up this beauty hen on yarn, about 2 pm not to many fisherman out. Her eggs were very loose and was spitting them out a bit so I had a baggie to put them in. I really wanted a hen with loose eggs. The weather was a bit misty and after walking my fish I took a pic of the fog lifting off the river.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/530/medium/fresh_hb_steel.JPG

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/530/medium/walking_my_steel.JPG

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/551/medium/after_a_rain.JPG

Its been a while since I had posted any pick so bare with me...

I went back to the H B on Monday and tried my luck again. The water was very high, all the way to the bottom of the steps. It was about 5 pm. After driving by the boat ramp off of Rea road and seeing it was under water I was loosing hope.
I got set up to give it a go anyway since I was there. No one else was around, just me and the river. What a chiily evening, and the snow was falling so gently.
Still using yarn, on my second drift BAM fish on OMG I couldnt believe it, it really took me by surprise and almost took my pole out of my hand:lol:
After two long runs by the battling female she finally had enough and let me remove the hook to set her free.
I ended up trying spawn from my fish I caught on Frinday and with the same results. I had a riot out there and with no one to share it with. I ended up with 4 fish on and 2 landed. All 4 fish could have been netted if I had a hand, so I was able to identify all fish. I hooked into 2 hens and 2 males, and 3 were fresh fish.
This was from 5pm until dark, I cant remember the last time I had so much excitement on the river in such a short time.
Well I had reached for my camera to find out the batteries were dead.:sad:
I do have all the data stored neatly in my head:p
I hope to get back there again this comming week...
Tight lines to all......

[sprigdog]

very nice...that last picture is the reason i love that river.

[Burksee]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. It's not often you get the river to yourself at the HB's! :) ;)

Those foggy mornings/evenings on the river are really cool! Gonna be a week or more before I can get there to fish, hope you'll leave a few! :lol:

[dinoday]

It's a rare day you get any popular spots to yourself this time of year.Looks like it worked out for you pretty good too:)
Thanks for the report.

[jayzbird]

Is the one with the for on the water just past the old birch laying in the water????? Where old mary lou the stump seems to sneak up on you if you're not paying good enough attention??? Man i can't wait to return.....Been looking at the stream flow data and temperature every day online she's at 39 degree's....just a little longer!!!! Are there any trailers parked across the street? Me, my brother, and brother in law have ours the in the same spot every year....I'm sure i've fished next to you at some time or another! Good Luck!!! Tight lines!!! P.S. how's the ice doin on the pond????

[ausable_steelhead]

Very nice. Congrats on the pump, that's gold! This high-water is nothing but a good thing, don't lose hope this time of year when it's high, that's the best fishing. How were the bucks, colored or what?

[SteelYarn]

I just wish I had a better Digital camera, mine is an old sony mavica that takes floppy discs.
One of the bucks were colored up and I think it was a double stripped fish, he was quite big. I would have put him in the 15 lb. class of fish.
I realy wanted to land that one and take a pic of him, but then my battery was dead oh well.
The foggy pic was taken off the stairway away from the lot, pointing down stream about 6 pm..
Hey to all, I really was fortunate to be there when I was. I didnt fish Sat or Sunday fearing that the combat thing was on.
Now after writing this post I am jonesing really bad to get back there:lol:

[Burksee]

I just wish I had a better Digital camera, mine is an old sony mavica that takes floppy discs........... Hey, don't be knocking those old Mavica's! I've got one too! It's better than nothing and those discs are like a dime a dozen now! :lol: :lol: :lol:
........Now after writing this post I am jonesing really bad to get back there:lol:No, after reading your post I'm "Joneing"! Wishing I was there! ;)

[SteelYarn]

Hey Burksee Lmfao!
Just blow the rest of the week off of work:evil: . We dont live to far apart, and we could head up tomorrow in the am:idea: I have fresh spawn:cool:

[bigbob]

whats a floppy discs?:lol: ,soon it will be whats flim. very nice pic looks like a nice time:D

[Erik]

Hey good job! Glad you were able to get out and tie into some fish.
I noticed the water was way up. We were trying to figure out why. Didn't seem like they got that much rain to raise it nearly three feet. Were any other rivers up there high?

[Krull]

Good job on the fish. So far as weekend crowds, there was never more than 2 or 3 cars there this past weekend at HB. Most people don't stop if they don't see them piled up on the gravel. I assume you got them out of the hole or were they on the gravel? I fished Monday AM at the mouth but had to go home and after being skunked in that down pour decided to start the dreaded journey home. Probably won't get back until Thursday before Easter. (The pain)

[ausable_steelhead]

Well rumor for the last week and a half was there was a single hen on a bed down there, and people had been trying to get her, but nobody had so far, unless SteelYarn's fish was her. That trough behind the main beds can hold alot of fish at normal level, so I'm sure it'll hold'em during high-flow. For as long as I can remember, the old-timers up there always said that the HB's is good during high-water, I guess they weren't kidding:D ! Steel, if that fish went 15lbs, then that's to bad, as that is a very, very nice fish on the Au Sable, let alone anywhere for that matter.

[SteelYarn]

Erik ,
I think that maybe the gates were open, according to Ausable_steel.
Otherwise the east branch of the Au Gres was at fairly normal levels. If it wasnt the gates at the damn than I really have no idea why the levels changed so drastically from Fri. to Mon.
I believe it was a good thing though;) .
As far as being able to see any fish from the H B's not a one I could spot Krull.
Also the water was pretty high to really get a good look.

[sprigdog]

Didn't seem like they got that much rain to raise it nearly three feet. Were any other rivers up there high?

picked up 1.45 inches on my rain gauge. and closer to the headwaters they got over 2"s. it flat out poured from 10:00pm until about 6am. all the rivers from the drain north are still up and muddy.

[SteelYarn]

Sprigdog,
Was this Sunday night that it rained? I had no Idea it was raining so much.

[NEMichsportsman]

Nice report SY....

[sprigdog]

Sprigdog,
Was this Sunday night that it rained? I had no Idea it was raining so much.

yep, and most of monday. good spot to get rain info is tawasbaywebcam, he is a member here and he also has a weather page with a rain gauge. Actually i think the webpage is buoy2.

[Burksee]

Hey Burksee Lmfao!
Just blow the rest of the week off of work:evil: . We dont live to far apart, and we could head up tomorrow in the am:idea: I have fresh spawn:cool:Sorry SY, missed your post. Would have a great day yesterday for sure! This weekends lookin like I'll be busting butt on my "to-do" list so I'm not so far behind come's turkey hunting in a couple of weeks. I might try to get up to Augres, Tawas or the AS for one morning next weekend. ;)

[Hogty16]

Good Looking fish Homes you got me jonesing now to.:cool: