Huron River

[Sean Farnan]

Has anyone tried the Huron yet? I drove by and saw a few guys fishing by the foot bridge. I have a bad case of cbin fever and need to get out.
Tight Lines,
Sean

[gunrod]

I was there yesterday (02/08/01). I saw a guy walk off with a dark fall holdover but nothing else. It looks promising with all the rain and warmer temps. The water was clear (maybe a little too clear) and very high. I haven't seen it this high in a while. I plan on going back on Sat or Sun.

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By gun or by rod, I will be there.

[Sean Farnan]

Thanks Gunrod, If the river isnt raging from all this rain I may try Sunday.
Tight Lines,
Sean

[kroppe]

The river IS raging in Flat Rock. All the gates are open on the dam and the river is 6 feet above normal, almost up to the last brick at Hu Roc park. It has 6 inches to go on the cemetery sea wall at the bridge at Willow Road.

You can't see the weir due to the high flow. It's more of a bump than anything else.

I fished in the high, fast chocolate milk at Hu Roc park for 2 hours today. Had a good time due to the sun and it was good to be outside. A few other guys were fishing and all in good spirits but no fish hooked or landed. I was fishing a yarn egg on an 8 weight and my son was using spawn on a spinning rod.

Lots of ice in the rod guides. Temps were in the 20s, gusty winds but partly sunny.

[Sean Farnan]

Thanks Kroppe, You saved me a trip. I guess Ill have to just organize tackle and respool the reels. Hopefully this runoff will bring in some fresh fish. Last year it brought a ton of walleye up early. At this point I dont care what I hook-Just needto get out.
Tight Lines,
Sean

[gunrod]

Saved me a trip too. A Daddy Daughter dance and sisters birthday party kept me from going. Hopefully the temps will hang at least in the 40's this week and bring them
in. I have a 3 day weekend next week. If not maybe I will head to Tippy.

[kroppe]

I checked the Huron above and through Ann Arbor. My oh my. What a torrent. All my usual spots were frightening to behold. White foaming rapids just about the whole way from Mast Road in Dexter to Barton Dam. The impoundments are not this way, but anything that has a touch of current in normal waters is out of control right now. The river has jumped its banks in most areas. Fortunately this seems not to have put life, limb or property in danger.

All 10 (ten!) floodgates of Barton Dam are wide open and the outflow is amazing. The footwalk on up to the dam is covered with flowing water. If we get a big freeze (unlikely) it will be a huge skating rink.


I wonder what the scouring water is doing to the holes, if they are getting deeper or shallower, or moving. That will be interesting.

Hopefully in a week or so the level and flow will drop. I think the entire river from Dexter to Gibraltar is totally unfishable, but I would like to be proven wrong by others who know.

[This message has been edited by kroppe (edited 02-11-2001).]

[gunrod]

So far you are right. I went back down there today and it was still overflowing the banks on the park side. Only a few guys fishing but right now I think the water is running too fast and wont warm up enough for the fish to run up this far. This weekend I am going to try a few places farther down stream closer to Lake Erie where they come in and see how that works.

No fish today!

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By gun or by rod, I will be there.

[Sean Farnan]

Gunrod, I think I will do the same. That park on S. Huron probably wouldnt be a bad place to start.
Good Luck,
Sean

[gunrod]

I spoke to the fisheries biologist for the river last night and he said that park is an excellent area to start. He showed a graph the showed more fish pass through the fish ladder right after a large increase in the water level. He expects the next week or so to bring the fish up. He also said that the first week of March is the best but the early melt should make it the last week of Feb. I will be down there this weekend.