AuSable report

[beer and nuts]

Been fishing the SB last 4 nights, and the hex is on the down fall, at least around Steckert area. My son caught a nice 13 incher night before. and Last night I landed these two chunkies, 18 and 17 inches. The hatch has been good the amount of feeding fish is very slow and water is still too high in most spots to move to fish in waders. These has been the word all up and down the AuSable system is what I'm told, lack of feeding fish because they are full from everyhting else coming down with the high water. Worms, tent worms, ants and crawfish in their stomachs from mine and others that managed to catch one or two here and there. http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/523/medium/DSC04926.JPG

[Sala]

Great fish!!!

I was thinking about giving it a shot this weekend, hmmmm...what to do

[4 Car Garage]

Those are Brook Trout right?

[Boardman Brookies]

Those are Brook Trout right?



Nope those are a couple of fat Browns.

[4 Car Garage]

Nope those are a couple of fat Browns.

Could you enlighten me as to how you tell them apart?

[loweboats]

http://www.dec.ny.gov/images/fish_marine_images/brooktrout.gif

[loweboats]

http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/Salmonidae/brown_trout.jpg

[Sala]

Im gonna poke around near Lovells area tomm--will post when I return--

[woodie slayer]

muggy as it's been today there will be a blanket hatch tonight.water is still high on main stream where i'm fishing but better each night.got to go stake out my spot:):)

[Adam Peterson]

Woodie, you dont happen to build log homes do ya? I ran into a guy on the main last year who was from Lewiston near one of my favorite holes!

[chet17]

Fished above Mio on the mainstream last night, great spinners, not to many not to few. Seemed like the perfect amount of bugs to get the fish in a rythym, but seemed as if the number of feeding fish was down and the ones that did pull some wake weren't consistent. I am assuming due to a few nights of blanket hatches and the high water w/ all the food. Anybody else experience the same? Any idea on how the hatch will pregress in the next week?

Still ended up getting a few 14-16 range. Anybody have any river swine pics yet?

[beer and nuts]

SB AuSable, a minor hatch last night with zero to little feeding fish..son caught 12 and 8 inch browns, released(he was happy, 13 year old), about the only two that fed early.

Chet, yes the lack of feeding fish during good hatches this year has been very common all along the AuSable system, matter of fact, I have yet to hear of a banner night by anyone(talking # of cathing or even feeding fish).

[Streamside Custom Rod]

Good Hex Hatch in the Big Waters of the Au Sable the last few nights. Here are photos from June 23rd and 24th. Both big trout were released!

http://www.michiganstreamside.com/june23_report1_2008.jpg


http://www.michiganstreamside.com/june24_home_2008.jpg

[beer and nuts]

Big Waters?!? Either that is great camera angles or those are some the biggest trout I've seen come out of the AuSable?? Details, cause the last one looks like it could go 8-10 pounds!!!

[Streamside Custom Rod]

The Big Waters of the Au Sable to me is Parmalee to Mio, Mio to Alcona Pond, or Alcona to Loud Pond. Carmera angle does not matter too much on these. Here was our best one on the brown drake hatch. Lots more at http://www.michiganstreamside.com/report_ausable_trout.htm

Very good hex spinner falls the last few nights and bugs should keep coming for a least a few more nights.


http://www.michiganstreamside.com/june14_home_2008.jpg

[chet17]

Wow, those are some hogs guys! Were those caught on spinner patterns?

I did not see many duns on the water. Was I just missing them or have they just not been there? Any idea as to what this front coming through will do? I'd imagine that is going to slow up for a few days as they are talking some cool nights?

[unclecbass]

those are some real nice browns, that second one is a beast. fish always look bigger when you hold them out in front of you, but those bad boys have the classic 20 plus look. I am fishing in the NW michigan area but nobody is posting anything over here about the hex hatch. We are in full swing over here, I pulled a 26 inch pig out of the river on Saturday night at 1am, uncertified scale held in pocket weighed her in at a little over seven and a half pounds. Gotta love the hex hatch.

[Adam Peterson]

hey Kelly, where you fishing whirlpool to the pond Saturday night? I think we
might have passed each other a couple times! I also seen you were out tonight when we drove past your house tonight. Saturday there was a decent spinner fall for a little bit, and very few duns, trout seemed to feed once then stop the whole way down. Tonight there was a light spinner fall and a couple duns on the water around 11/11:30 same thing no fish feeding down in the pond, worked a couple small fish probably in the teens for a little bit, then the wind and mist started. Tomorrow night its supose to get down into the upper 40's so I can't see it being any better, I'm just hoping there is a decent spinner fall and fish will have a couple hour feeding window.

[Kelly Johnson]

Wasn't me Adam.
I've been back south in the concrete jungle since Last sat 6-21.

[Streamside Custom Rod]

Adam yes I was in that section Sat night. That must have been you down at the beginning of the slow water? We hooked up a couple and had few other chances but cool air ended action a little early. Last night we float upstream and that cold wind was no good at all - hardly any bugs. Today and tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and should have some good spinner falls.

[Adam Peterson]

Ya that was us. Hopefully things are better tonight, driving from alpena 4/5 nights a week is getting expensive, but I wouldn't rather be doing anything else. Will report after tonight!

[Frogfish101]

Nice 25+" browns there. Headed up this weekend, but the rain killed the hex hatch between McKinley Bridge and 4001 Bridge. The high water was not very helpful either. Fish weren;t even rising to the iso's and caddis. Sunday we hooked into some nice rainbows upstream of McKinley. Got about 10 'bows, from 8-16". Small the smaller fish came on dries and nymphs (some small hatch going on at midday) and the 3 larger fish came on streamers.

Surprise, no browns to be found anywhere....

[Adam Peterson]

just got home! Decided not to take the boat tonight instead took the tube, fish one of my favorite spots down from parm. Guy I was fishing with got a 24" right at dark, I endend up with a 16/17" and a 21" brown. Very light spinner fall at dark, fish seemed to feed right at dark and lasted for maybe 20/30 mins. 16/17 was on a ISO spinner, and the 21" was on a hex cripple I tied up today, 24" was on a hex spinner. Air temp was 49 degrees when I left the park. Might try and make it over again tomorrow making it the 5th night in a row since it will be a zoo this weekend.

[Sala]

Nice fish! Hit it on Saturday near Lovells--the faster water screwed me

[KalvinKlein]

I'm going up this weekend. We have a place right after McMasters bridge so I usually just fish right there. Any pointers from anyone before I go up thursday night.

[Adam Peterson]

just got home, fished until 2:30 and it was a decent night, thought it might have been better with the warmer temps and light winds. Got on the river at 9:50. Few bugs hitting the water. Got a nice 18" brown on my first cast with my hex cripple. Thats been my go to fly rlthe past few nights. Went around the next bend and my buddy got a decent brown prolly 15/16". Floated down 20 mins or so and hooked a hog. Got it to come up to the surface rolled once and gone! It was bigger than the 24" fish we caught last night. That was it for the night. Spinners and duns on the water around 11 so I thought it might last a little longer tonight but it didnt. Temp when I pulled out of rainbow was 64 compared to 40's last night. There were a few fish crusing around in the pond but they weren't staying in any one area for to long. Unless something special happens the hex's are winding down from whirlpool to the pond. This has been just a horrible hex season so far bug wise. Had one blanket hatch last Tuesday I beleive and thats it. Good luck fishing this weekend guys, might make it back Sunday night, well have to see what the weather is like and how hung over I am. Take care and tight lines to all. Oh water levels are still on the way down, parm. was at 963 tonight!

[bigfish44]

So, from what you guys have seen, do you expect there to be some kind of hex hatch to still be going on this weekend between Mckinely and the 4001 bridge, pending weather of course?

If not, I assume the upper Au Sable (McMasters Bridge to Mio), should.
If I have to go over there, where is there good access for the upper Au Sable, I have never fished above Mio?

Does anyone know where I could find a good access map for the Au Sable above Mio?

Bigfish

[KalvinKlein]

Just got back from grayling, and I didn't do too bad. Caught a couple brown...nothing to brag about. Almost got carried away by the masiqutos though.

[WALLEYE JUNKIE]

On my way up there tomorrow for 10 days. Anyone one still doing any good on browns or bows any info would be great! Thanks.

[Shupac]

Headin' up too...but only for the weekend. But I'm psyched...first time on the water for over a month!