AuSable & Sulphurs

[Sturgeon-man]

Myself and a fishing bud decided to try out some different water and chose the flys only stretch of the AuSable. With a short stop at the Fly Factory and some helpful tips we got to the water at about 2:00 p.m. The fish were feeding heavily on emerging sulphurs. Threw many different sulphur patterns (Duns, Spent wings) with no takers. Then I remembered purchasing a handful of 18 & 20 Roberts Drake. The guy behind the counter had pointed out that they had been working well along with the little orange & yellow bodied sulhpur patterns. Snatching a couple of live ones on the water and in the air we noticed their bodies were more cream colored than yellow or orange. The Roberts Drake turned out the be the ticket. (Talk about selective feeding!) In between the canoe traffic we proceeded to catch about 25 fish between the two of us. Mostly browns, but a few brookies. Biggest brown was 14.5", biggest brookie was 11". We did see a few hendricksons and quite a few yellow Sallys (stones) size 8 & 10. The fish seemed focused on the sulphurs. Also saw some black and tan caddis.

[flyfish]

Fished the Manistee flies only section, still had hendricksons there, fish selective on those, sulphurs just getting started. Sunday, fish turned on around 2:00 pm. Turned off around 4:30 same time hendricksons did. Fish weren't paarticularly interested in females laying eggs. Did see some sally's also. Floated with friend, he caught about dozen fish, all browns and one brookie, biggest brown 14 inches. I caught dozen, one brown, rest brookiies , biggest 11 inches. River temp finally got up to 54 degrees on sunday, had to leave sunday night , couldn't fish monday.