Ausable 1-16-01

[WEEZER]

God certainly blessed me today. I got to the river about 2pm after a big battle with my "gut feeling" that I better stay home and get some homework done!!!
I first checked out the Dam and nobody was there so I went to the Rea rd parking lot(Which was plowed!!!! HOLY CRAP) anyway I was the only person there, well kinda, I'll explain at the end.
I started off bottom bouncing waxworms but the current wasn't strong enough for my weights do I put on a float, 1/64 oz glo in the dark jig and a wax worm and had at her. after two hours of watching ducks swim around I sat down, smoked a cigar and saw a flock of turkies fly down off the big hill and over my head. I thought cool, how could this day get any better?? No crowds, lots of wildlife around and a good tasting cigar!
Then I found out, I made a cast and my float lunged downward and I set the hook into an awesome 4lb buck. After a brief battle I beached him and let him go. Very dark fish and very pretty. I saw several steelies surface below the powerline and 1 up by the log jam at the bend. It was a good day.
Nah I think I'll skip telling ya's about the people in the parking lot. I'll save my comments for another day.
peaceful days on the Ausable are few and far between! Probably the only day I'll have there all season where I don't get pissed off at someone :)!

[Grouse Hunter]

Weezer,

I just moved to the eastside of the state. I have fished the Grand ( a ton) and the PM, but now they are to far to drive. I wanna give the ausable a try. Have any general location suggestions?

[Shoeman]

Hey Weezer, it wasn't any better in the lower. I have a few friends that fished from 3 pipes down and never had a hit. Usually I don't put much merit into that, but these guys know the river and fish it a couple of times a week. There's a few taken daily at the end of the wall, if you want to brave climbing the ice mountains on the Irons, but that's way to dangerous for me.

[WEEZER]

Shoeman, In the winter monthes I don't expect to catch anything on the Ausable! I actually plan on getting skunked so when I do catch something I consider the day to be awesome. I don't own a motor so I have no "real" way of access for the lower river. When I do it's in town or the Whirlpool(Which I consider the lower part.)
Grouse Hunter- If you really want to learn about the river do it now! The river is low and you can tell where the gravel is and where the deep runs and pools are. The Ausable is a pretty simple river to fish, there are no secret locations and it can be learned fairly well in one weekend if you do a lot of moving around.
There are two areas that you will want to totally avoid in April. 1: The Dam 2: the High Banks. These areas will be packed with people and it gets a little frustrating. everything above the Whirlpool is state land so you can walk the shore to scout out areas.
One area that I would suggest you try is the Meat Hole, which extends from the Rea rd bridge and the first big bend upstream from the parking lot. There are always a few fish in that stretch. It is deep and slow so floats work really well there. One big ole tip for ya! When the run gets going well you can really catch a lot of fish right off the dock! The only bad thing is that it is usually occupied by someone so get there early.
If you are a bait fisher then make sure you stock up on waxworms, it is by far the best producing bait(more times than not it is better than spawn.) If you fish flies, then stock up on globugs and Egg sucking leeches, Soft pink is one of my favorite color glo bugs to fish in this system.
Almost every stretch of river has a nick name so when reports come flying in you should have a map of the river. Almost all the holes that I fish there will either be between the High banks and the Meat hole, or between the Boy scout camp and the High banks.That's not a lot of river at all.

[Grouse Hunter]

Weezer,

thanks for the tips. I was looking for general places to get started. You gave me much more. I don't mind walking. I have to get a good map. any suggestions?
You're right I have to learn the nick names.
I fish almost exclusively flies, sometimes a little spawn or a wiggler. I just got a new fly reel. Teton 8-10 large arbor. Can't wait to try it out.

Thanks again.
thanks again.

[WEEZER]

Hey you can pick up a good map at Frank's or uhhhhh those torpedo supporting shops in Oscoda. This map has the name of all the major holes but I wish it was a little more updated as far as availiable gravel, depths and surrounding fire-trails. I guess a map is no substitute for reasearch but it is a good start.
Hope your new reel helps you loose some skin on your knuckles! Maybe you don't appreciate it the way I do but I am damn proud when I go home with cut up fingers,bloody or bruised knuckles, soar shoulder, a camera filled with pictures and an empty stringer.