Lake-run Browns?

[maak]

With so many rivers stocked with browns, I was wondering: When is the best time of year to target LRB's ?

[duxdog]

Oct-nov. Might wanna look into the Rifle.

[tommy-n]

If I'm not mistaken the rifle is closed to keeping browns after the last weekend of september. It has a extended season for ranibows over 16''

[duxdog]

Not sure about that Tommy but who said he was gonna keep any?

[maak]

Thanks, I might try that. I might like to keep one, just because I've never had one. I don't usually keep my fish.

[tommy-n]

Don't bother me one way or another who keeps what duxdog:dizzy: Just saying there is some special regs on that river after the last weekend in sept. Everyone should know the laws for a particular river before they fish it anyway;)

[Ralph Smith]

If I'm not mistaken the rifle is closed to keeping browns after the last weekend of september. It has a extended season for ranibows over 16''

Used to be close upstream of the M-70 bridge (Melita I believe) but that was about 8 years ago, then they changed it to being open all year with the rainbows last I knew. They may have changed it again though, check the regs online or in handbook. Nov. when its close to deer season and salmon are finishing up, and whitefish are in at Tawas, browns are in the Rifle.:)

[maak]

Since I've never fished for LRB's, I'll probably be throwing everything I got at 'em. I'm guessing steelhead tactics, trolling hot-n-tots while throwing spinners and maybe some nightcrawlers. Am I close?

[Ralph Smith]

Since I've never fished for LRB's, I'll probably be throwing everything I got at 'em. I'm guessing steelhead tactics, trolling hot-n-tots while throwing spinners and maybe some nightcrawlers. Am I close?

They'll be eating salmon spawn around then.;)

[maak]

They'll be eating salmon spawn around then.;)

Thanks for saving me some wasted effort. I'll have to run over to the west side in October.

[Ralph Smith]

Thanks for saving me some wasted effort. I'll have to run over to the west side in October.

Get some steel spawn if you can to, they will be there also, and love their own the best. If you come up in the fall, drop a pm and maybe we can meet up and ride up from Bay City to save you some gas. Been awhile since I've been there, will give me a reason to get some new BIGGER waders.:lol: Lots of good spots by lake Ogemaw area, and also Selkirk. Mainly steel up that far though. I have a flat bottom about 8' that would work good to float down and cover alot more of the river, can throw right on top my car, take 2 vehicles and drop one off, then float to it.

[maak]

Get some steel spawn if you can to, they will be there also, and love their own the best. If you come up in the fall, drop a pm and maybe we can meet up and ride up from Bay City to save you some gas. Been awhile since I've been there, will give me a reason to get some new BIGGER waders.:lol: Lots of good spots by lake Ogemaw area, and also Selkirk. Mainly steel up that far though. I have a flat bottom about 8' that would work good to float down and cover alot more of the river, can throw right on top my car, take 2 vehicles and drop one off, then float to it.
Sounds like a plan, assuming I can get some time off. If we get some cold rain in October, steel spawn might be easier for me to get from the Huron. If it stays warm and dry, I'll have to run over to the Grand for salmon. I've caught salmon in the Grand wading in shorts and a t-shirt. I'll definitely PM you if I can make it work. Thanks.

[Fishndude]

Thanks for saving me some wasted effort. I'll have to run over to the west side in October.

The new regs, which were put in place to stop the spread of VHS, dictate that you MUST use spawn from the body of water you intend to fish in it with. So you should use spawn from Lake Huron fish to fish in Lake Huron tribs.

[ausable_steelhead]

Just go upto the Au Sable in mid-October, whack a loose hen chin and your all set.....by the way, the Rifle is a tough one to learn lake browns on......

[maak]

Just go upto the Au Sable in mid-October, whack a loose hen chin and your all set.....by the way, the Rifle is a tough one to learn lake browns on......
I was'nt aware of the new regs. I have'nt fished the Au Sable since '84, and it was as crowded as Van Etten. Maybe I can catch a thunderstorm at midnight and get some elbow room.
As for the Rifle, it does seem like an awful lot of unimpounded water to cover. I'm not looking to learn LRB's. I'm just hoping to get lucky one time. With my limited time, and gas prices, I'm pretty much stuck with Huron River steel, and an annual trip to my wife's cabin in the U.P. Dumb luck has gotten me all my biggest fish. First king-32#, first coho-16#, first splake-6#. Pretty much any LRB would be my biggest brown, and I should leave it at that, before it becomes an addiction like steelheading.












3

[tommy-n]

The upstream limit after the fall closing is sage lake rd. Used to be m-55, don't never remember it being m-70 and I've been fishing it for steel for 30 years.

[Ralph Smith]

The upstream limit after the fall closing is sage lake rd. Used to be m-55, don't never remember it being m-70 and I've been fishing it for steel for 30 years.

It was you couldn't keep them below M-70, for the browns. Used to be M-55, then sage lake for bows. Everthing had to be 16" though in ext. season.

[jellybread]

Folks,

It isn't difficult to find actual answers on this stuff:

2008 Inland Trout & Salmon Guide


Page 21 (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/stream-regs_229883_7.pdf)
Page 40 (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/page40_229928_7.pdf)

The main branch of the Rifle is a type 3 "all year" river all the way up to Sage Lake Rd.

[walleyeman2006]

look at the dnr stockign data and find a marina thats been stocked....and fish em from october till may

[Kelly Neuman]

Finally some good info about Lake Run Browns from Walleyeman2006! Also forget about spawn bags and get out some flies that look like the baitfish they are eating.

[psycodad]

Since I've never fished for LRB's, I'll probably be throwing everything I got at 'em. I'm guessing steelhead tactics, trolling hot-n-tots while throwing spinners and maybe some nightcrawlers. Am I close?

Size 3-4 spinner silver blade red tubing will work.


JB is correct, the Rifle is a type 3 river. Occasionally type 3 rivers have exceptions. They would be found in the fishing guide Exceptions by County section. The Rifle use to have a brown exception. I checked Arenac & Iosco DNR exceptions by counties for 2008 at this link here

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/exceptions-by-county_229753_7.pdf


and browns are not listed so that would indicate that the Rifle is no longer closed for keeping browns. You may want to call the nearest DNR office to confirm but it is no longer in the regs.

As far as eating one, these fish bite best after they spawn. Ever eat a spawned out salmon? Not very tasty as the flesh erodes some during the spawing cycle.

The after the spawn bite is good in mid to late October-Dec and you can still catch a few in the spring right after ice out. They will be silver in the spring if they hold over in the river . Lake run browns like to spawn @ night so it is pretty rare to see them on the gravel. You will see a few if you are quiet and wade upstream.

[ausable_steelhead]

There are much better streams for lake browns then the Rifle.