AS numbers.....

[ausable_steelhead]

Okay, I got this idea earlier today from a conversation, so I'm curious. What is your best numbers day, that you can recollect, on the Au Sable river ever? I know some of you guys were there in the heydays, so let's see what you guys have did. This is just for curiosity's sake, I know numbers is not what steelheadin' is about.

[Cedar Swamp]

My best was 8 for 10

[Slodrift]

I went 20 for 20 last night........in my sleep!:D:lol::lol::lol:

[Fishndude]

Back when you could fish in the pool above the coffer dam, I had days where I hooked and fought 50 or 60 fish (Steelhead) in a day. I never really counted on those days, because it was kind of pointless. I will say that I always lost a lot of fish up there, because I was fighting them from high above, and the hooks would pull out. That, and they seemed like they were turbocharged by the water coming out of the turbines. I used 10/10 with Maxima - I just tied a leader because when I got hung up, I sometimes would break off and only have to tie 1 knot; and I still got my assets handed to me every day, up there. There were days when I would bet there might have been 1000+ Steelhead in that pool.

My best day fishing the regular river, I probably landed 11 or 12 in one day. There just used to be SO MANY FISH that came back to that river, and all of the holes held at least a couple - and some would sometimes have 20, 30, 50??? There were days when you could just post up on a good spot, and hook fish for hours. Nobody really moved around a ton, back then, because you didn't have to. The daily limit was 5, and lots of people took limits out on a regular basis. I seem to remember a DNR guy once telling me that they figured that the Ausable got between 13,000 and 16,000 returning Steelhead each year. That is a LOT of fish, for a 10 mile river!!!!
It ain't like that anymore. :rant:

[4lbtest]

One day I landed 10, but of course Herb landed 11, casue he just wouldn't let me win....Those were the days, I beat him a couple times this year, 1 to nothin.....

[Ron Matthews]

Oh Ya- 7-9 fish landed in each of 6-7 spots, Used to be like the "Dude" said....

I caught 9 on 9 cast one day in Dec. Single egg, centerpin- cold like 9* that morning.
Lisa and I used to get 15-25 in a weekend for 6-8 weeks in winter.
Lisa's Limited a number of times in 5 cast.

The day that sticks the most in my mind was the day I landed a fish named horse:lol: Hooked her 5 times in 5 weekends before I caught her and promptly released that fish named horse. Numbers are nice, but 1 fish sticks in my mind -What a tank!!

The best day this past spring was 8

[ausable_steelhead]

Keep'um coming guys, pretty interesting. I've hooked 15 fish twice in a morning bobber fishing the whitewater below the dam. My buddy and I combined for 30+ hookups both those days. That was only in 2005, the last solid spring run. There were times in the 2003-2005 period when the whitewater at first light with bobbers was sick, first 5-6 drifts would be a fish on. I combined with my bro for 17 hookups in the winter one day in early December 2004. We hooked 6 out of the first hole, 1 apiece out of the next two, and 9 out of the last hole. The fish were all adults, 4-11lbs, it was a great winter day. I had one day this past spring where I hit 11, and landed 6. All my fishing on the Au Sable has been done wading the river.

[soggybtmboys]

I just really started to chase steel 2 years ago. I took a vacation at Easter and fumbled my way thru the first week, but the guys at the river were pretty nice to me and gave me a few pointers which really turned my fishing around. I had caught 3 steelies the first 4 days and only two other hook ups. After a fella took me under his wing, I had a morning before I left where I put it together some and hooked 18 fish, but only landed 2. It was pretty exciting though! Fresh spawn was the ticket among a few other small things I was doing wrong.

[Reel_Screamer86]

I can relate to a certain day it was Jan,13 2005 a buddy of mine went with me on a (so to speak) warm January day it was 30* we launched at the center boat launch and worked our way up. The first hole we hit 3 right off the bat and continued up after about an 1/2 hr..As we were motoring up i told him i saw a "huge" brown at the top of this stump last weekend with a different buddy and he talked me out of trying to get it to bite, so i said to my other bud do you want to try it, he said let's go for it so we did we made 3 drifts to it and it was fish on.After a short fight i had it to the boat and he netted it took pics put it i the cooler (the brown ended up a master angler, certified scale in BC after 7 or 8 hrs it still weighed a little over 20#) with our other 3 and continued up. The farthest we made it up was the "gasline" and fished it and took the rest of our limit there and pulled anchor and beached the boat and had shore lunch.And continued back down fishing back to the launch..

So all in all we never saw another fisherman on the river all day it was like we owned the whole stretch we fished..And for 2 guys for a day of fishing we boated 19 fish and can't recall how many that came unbuttoned but what a day..

BTW good thread Jon:D

[on-the-hunt]

I think it was 2004 or 2005 in the spring I had a limit of walleye and steel and sent back 2 or 3 more steel, numerous walleye, and suckers. All were on waxworms in the deep run. I remember this day because it was the walleye opener, I limited on walleye and finally caught the steel, my dad limited on steel and couldn't catch a walleye, and I remember a few others that had steel limits and couldn't catch a wallye. What awesome day it was. Corkies were the ticket with 5lb max.

[mecatchum]

Back in the early 90's it wasn't uncommon for a group of three of us to hook 20 to 25 fish a day we use to typically fish the first two weeks of Nov. I can recall one day finding a hole loaded with fish, we would take turns casting into the hole and If my memory serves me correct 9 cast 9 fish. My best day was 17 / 23. I was just on the Ausable this past weekend never hit a fish. I fish Sat. from the whirlpool up to eagle Island and fish Sun. from the rail road bridge up. I'm not sure what happened but it seemed like the AuSable used to get a much much larger fall run of fish. I think they changed the strain of fish they use to plant.The fish back then wher shapeded like footballs and would have doulbe stripe to them. I certanly miss thoes days!

[Bulletproof]

Late 90's around Thanksgiving was always a sure thing on the Big Sandy. Btwn a buddy and I, working big holes from mid to lower river it wasn't uncommon to hook 40-50 fish in a day, all day. Simple set-ups, float fishing deep with brown spawn. When the leaves started fallin on the drain is when we caught our bait for the steelies.

Not likely to see those days again.

[meatmann]

mid nneties before they put the stupid stairs down to the high banks was 8-10 in spring loads of fun then, came the stairs and loads of drunkin idiots:rant:

[bigwak]

Me and a buddy went 29/52 in a day in and a half in late 90's. April, high water, dime-bright fish, and lots of logs contributed to low landing %. Down from Rea Rd and had the place to ourselves. We had something like 6 doubles, which we normally wouldn't even try for but the fishing was crazy. At one point we hooked a fish on 8 straight casts. Never came close to those numbers before or since.

Another time down from WP we went 7/11 by 7am. Started at about 5:45 or 6 am. That was something. That was about 2001.

[Cedar Swamp]

Corkies were the ticket with 5lb max.

I still swear by them.;)

[Adam Peterson]

Lets see my best day on the Au Sable was probably 1 fish, that mostely to me either A: always rowing Jon and Chris down the river or B: letting Jon sight fish in the front of the boat. I really only started fishing the river last year so I havnet really had a great day. Jon when we going to the river? I got the boat all ready to go!!! We should plan on sometime before deer season, and we should do it on fly rods!!!!

[ausable_steelhead]

Jon when we going to the river? I got the boat all ready to go!!! We should plan on sometime before deer season, and we should do it on fly rods!!!!

Just let me know man, I hit a couple out of her this weekend.....

[wyldkat49766]

When we were leaving there the other day we saw a guy cast up into the spillway a couple of times even tho the sign said not too. Ive heard that casting into there is like tossing a steak into a lion's den. We didn't see him hook into one but as we got to the top of the stairs, a DNR truck pulled into the parking lot.

I just don't understand why people think they need to fish in that spillway when it says not to and take that chance of the fines.

[ausable_steelhead]

When we were leaving there the other day we saw a guy cast up into the spillway a couple of times even tho the sign said not too. Ive heard that casting into there is like tossing a steak into a lion's den. We didn't see him hook into one but as we got to the top of the stairs, a DNR truck pulled into the parking lot.

I just don't understand why people think they need to fish in that spillway when it says not to and take that chance of the fines.

Yes, it is like tossing a steak to a lion, that's where most of the rivers fish go, and sit there for nothing.....

[Slodrift]

Until they drop back! They can't sit up there a starve all winter, they have to drop back to feed once the Salmon are gone. (what few Salmon there are anyways)

[Fishndude]

Wrong! I used to fish that pool year-round, when it was open to fishing, and Skamanias were planted. There were Steelhead in there every single day of the year; and when a heavy run of fish would hit the dam, there were hundreds of them. It was the best 175 feet of Steelhead fishing water in the entire World at times. The fish that go into that pool will usually sit there til they are either caught, or spawn and drop back.
It was always cool to get there on a cold March day, and see a bunch of 12# Bluebacks hanging in the current somewhere in there. If they were running 3 turbines on the dam, so the current was cranking, and the fish were turbocharged with all the bubbles in the water, you just could fight fish all day long. There literally were a few days when I left at 5:00PM because I was too tired to fight anymore fish - and I wanted to be rested for the following day. October used to be the very best month of the year to fish that pool, too. Tons of BIG Salmon, and lots of Steelhead by mid-way through the month.
It is a shame that they won't let anyone fish up there. It is a perfect place to fish, for fish that our license fees pay to plant; and IT ISN'T USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE. If the DNR would open that water up, take down the fences, stock a few trash barrels, and pay someone to swing by every day during peak seasons - and a couple times a week the rest of the year; that would be a great recreational spot. Much better than it is, now. The COs already enforce a law there - no fishing in the coffer. They could just enforce the no-snagging law instead; and then people who actually fish for biters would be able to use the resource, instead of it being wasted, like it is, currently.

[Slodrift]

You cannot possibly believe they come in in Nov. and sit in there til spring, come on be serious. I'am on the river almost daily through the winter and constantly see them drop back. The best thing they ever did was close the spillway to fishing, you can preach all you want but you are wrong not me. In my opinion fishing the spillway is like hunting in a fenced encloser, my 2 year old grandson could catch fish out of there and if thats what you have to do to catch fish on the A.S then maybe instead of whinng about it you should find another river.

[wyldkat49766]

Wrong! I used to fish that pool year-round, when it was open to fishing, and Skamanias were planted. There were Steelhead in there every single day of the year; and when a heavy run of fish would hit the dam, there were hundreds of them.

Explain the point of fishing then please? If one wants to fish in a 'pool', then dig a pond, stock it and fish. Seems like there is no challenge there. Reminds me more of those kids fishing games at the fair. Simply drop in a line and bam there is a fish on. Sorry I grew up and got past those fishing games. I prefer ones now that give me a challenge and the fish have a fair chance also.

[ausable_steelhead]

Why don't they just prevent the fish from getting up there period then? Why let most of the river's meager return sit up there unused when we pay for them to be CAUGHT.....oh yeah, it's a "quality" spawning area, every zebra mussel covered inch of it:rolleyes:.....

[Slodrift]

:gaga::gaga::gaga::gaga::gaga::gaga::gaga::gaga::g aga Your right we should be able to catch every single fish that comes in every year, why leave a couple for next year? I just can't believe you guys are so naive that you think they go up there and stay up there the whole time.

[wyldkat49766]

Why don't they just prevent the fish from getting up there period then? Why let most of the river's meager return sit up there unused when we pay for them to be CAUGHT.....oh yeah, it's a "quality" spawning area, every zebra mussel covered inch of it:rolleyes:.....

Because the river is where the fish LIVE. People can read and should know better. Fish go where the water is and as far up the rivers as they go because that is their NATURE. And you dont PAY for them to be caught. You PAY for the PRIVELEGE to cast your lines out in the water. Fishing is NOT a right for most people. If you want to PAY for fish, then go to a stocked fishing pond where you do have to PAY to catch those certain fish. The more you take out of that spillway, ILLEGALLY as it is now, then the less will return.

Down in Grand Rapids they have the fish ladder and people cannot fish within so many feet of it to allow some of the fish to make it up the river further. It would be nice if they could do that at the Foote but not sure if thats a feasible option.

But either way, the signs CLEARLY say that no fishing in that area and people should respect it. And if you fish in there, then you should get caught.

[wyldkat49766]

Why don't they just prevent the fish from getting up there period then? Why let most of the river's meager return sit up there unused when we pay for them to be CAUGHT.....oh yeah, it's a "quality" spawning area, every zebra mussel covered inch of it:rolleyes:.....


BTW you seem VERY adamant about wanting to be able to fish there. From what I see from you showing off your pics, you seem to have no problem catching fish. So why the big push, as it seems to me, to want to be able to fish in that spillway?

[ausable_steelhead]

Actually, I'm adamant about the piss poor management of the Au Sable river by the DNR and Consumers energy, I could give a **** about the spillway. My point is, since this river gets such a meager return from an annual 150,000 smolt plant, they should keep them where people can fish them. You are obviously well blind or don't fish that river if you really think there is substantial(if any) natural reproduction up there. All the gravel is COVERED in zebra mussels up there, the river hits 80* every summer, thanks to Consumers running it at a trickle all summer. Just look at the river now, down below the dam, all the gravel is COVERED in mucky, slimy algae looking ****, never seen that before. And because I've posted reports before, which hasn't been lately, I'm a show off huh, yeah.....and our licenese sales HELP PAY FOR fish stocking, so why stock if you can't fish? I can catch fish almost as well as anyone on this river, I don't need to prove **** to ANYONE.....

[Fishndude]

That moss was always around, but so many people used to fish the river that they cleaned it out - along with a lot of weeds, throughout the summer, and especially in the Fall. By this time of year, the river bottom was perfect for drift fishing.
Yes, the Ausable is basically a put and take fishery. There is a trib of a trib that gets a very tiny amount of natural reproduction - or used to; but the DNR has planted the Ausable heavily with Steelhead for a long time. And those plants used to get great returns - in the neighborhood of 13,0000 to 16,000 adult Steelhead would come back every year. Now I would be surprised if 1,000 Steelhead make it back, and most of them are small - 4# or less. So they swim as far upstream as they can get, and jump into that pool. And I have fished the river long enough to tell you with certainty that the coffer is full of Steelhead all winter long. They get darker, and leaner the longer they are in there. They find a quiet area with slower currents, and just lay in there. There used to be a LOT of them, and you could catch them all winter long. I cannot imagine why they wouldn't still do that.

The whole river used to be good, but no longer. There is no reason to let those fish swim up into that pool, and not allow people who bought a license to fish for them. If they won't open that pool to fishing, they should put up grates to block the fish from being able to get into it. What a sad state that river has declined to, for fishermen. And if there were any decent number of fish in the river, I would still feel that it should be open - although I pretty much know the entire river, from the dam to the mouth. Heck, they could make people practice catch and release with all fish caught from that pool, if they wanted to. At least let people fight them.

[Slodrift]

Everybody has they're own opinions.:rolleyes:

[Ron Matthews]

It's a township ordnance, State has nothing to do w/ fishing there.

The twp passed no fishing there along time ago, Too Many Problems.
The police dept couldn't sit there and Babysit.......
I remember well what it was like, NOT that I ever fished there. I'm a main flow Kinda guy- But I remember......

[Slodrift]

How dare you contradict him!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Ron Matthews]

Just Throwing my two cent-
Twp. has the authority there, where the laws are concerned.

[Streamside Custom Rod]

It was my understanding that the section right at the dam was closed to fishing because of what was happening up there and there was no other way to stop it. Yes some fished for steelhead there and followed fishing regs but that was not the norm. At times it was one of the most disgusting places in Michigan where snagging was common and many kept as many as they could catch. Myself I hope this section is never opened to fishing again. Yes steelhead numbers have been down in past years on the Au Sable and I’m sure there are a number of reasons why. The Au Sable is very stocking dependent and for a number of years starting in late 90’s and early 2000’s the Au Sable was not stocked with 150,000 steelhead. The number was closer to 0. Those 150,000 were just cormorant food in the lower river. When you did the math on how many birds were in the river they were not even planting enough young steelhead to feed them all! The last two springs cormorant harassment was setup by DNR & Feds and only 5 or 6 people came to help. If the run is only 1,000 adult fish on Au Sable and anglers catch them all and eat them all how many are left to catch again?

[ausable_steelhead]

Kelly great point. I fully agree on the cormoRAT situation, I remember some springs when they were still stocking at Rea rd, where there would be flocks upwards of 50 birds sitting in all the tall trees at the dam, just scooping up recently stocked smolts all day long. I am not for opening the spill really, just preventing the steelhead from even getting up there, atleast until our runs comeback, if they ever do.....

[Ron Matthews]

If the run is only 1,000 adult fish on Au Sable and anglers catch them all and eat them all how many are left to catch again?

Personally, I couldn't agree more.

These fish NEED all the help they can get, Please release small fish so they can & will come back as adults. Thats whats it all about:rant:

There a good yr.class of fish that have made it, and they'll keep growing if released.

It's up to the people who fish it Most to set THE example of what a steelheader is, and it's NOT measured on a rope.......

[stormwigeon]

back to the original question:rolleyes:

i had a 17 fish day and my bud landed 14. as far as hooked, i assume at least 15-18 more? dont quite remember that fact. lot of plug fish, couple good rips. gone. i do know it was the last week of april and guessin 2001.
marathon day.dam to rea rd.

[bigwak]

Streamside, you posted the following:

The Au Sable is very stocking dependent and for a number of years starting in late 90’s and early 2000’s the Au Sable was not stocked with 150,000 steelhead. The number was closer to 0. Those 150,000 were just cormorant food in the lower river.

I find this intersting, once again, that you say that everything is a cormorant problem. Based on my 25 yrs of fishing experience on the AS, your timing seems off. I had some of my best years on the AuSable in 1999-2004. If we are typically catching 3yr olds (8-10 lbs), how can your assertion that the cormorants in the "late 90's and early 2000's" affected the returns be correct? If the late 90's and early 00's stocking survival was bad, how did I catch so many fish through 2004?

Now if you were to say that the cormorants were the problem starting in 2000, or even 2001, which coincides with my personal drastic reduction of catch in 2005, I might understand your opinion.

Do your catch rates in 2002-2004 coincide with the approximate 3yr lag? Mind didn't.

[Streamside Custom Rod]

This thread started with all telling past stories of great steelhead fishing in the late 90’s going into the 2000’s. After 2004 the big stories seem to drop off and cormorant problem has been a huge factor. I figured I would have to type this and spell it out a little more clear for “little wak”. The problem of the cormorants eating the stock fish start in the late 90’s and was completely out of control in the early 2000’s. Steelhead that return to our rivers are mostly 3-5 years old. The 3 year olds are typically 4-7 lbs depending on their food base. The majority of the nice adult fish are 4 year olds and a few giants are 5 years old. The Au Sable below Foote Dam is very stocking dependent do to the warm water in the summer. There are some wild fish in the Au Sable but small numbers. A 5th grader should be able to figure out the rest but not “little wak”! Stocked fish start getting eaten in the late 90’s and totally wiped out in the early 2000’s and returning steelhead numbers drop off huge 4 years later. On top of that cormorant numbers in Lake Huron were over 20,000 birds in the summer eating one pound of baitfish per day. Now at least there is some summer control being done the last few years in the Great Lakes and the last two years there has been volunteers protecting our stocked fish when they enter the river. Now after two years of cormorant harassment during stocking anglers are see a increase in young steelhead. The destruction that these birds have done to the Great Lakes fishery is well documented and makes the news regularly now. Last year our governor sign the bill for more funding for control and that is from a state government with no money. As for your opinion “little wak” I could care less what you think or write. At least we have educated people in Michigan working on the problem.

[ausable_steelhead]

I think early 2000's is a fair estimate for cormoRAT destruction. I had my best season ever on the Au Sable river from fall 2004 into spring 2005, hooking 255 steelhead, all from the bank. Spring 05' was good fishing, and the first part of the fall as well. Once we hit 2006, things got drastically slower, to the point where it was hard to get any numbers going. I felt this past winter, especially December through mid-January, was pretty good steelheading, with easy limits EVERY trip. I believe the spring cormorant program is working, as there have been good numbers of 18-21in fish around the last two winters, indicating recent plants are surviving and they have been in great physical condition. I know I plan on coming over from the westside this coming spring to help out once the smolts are planted, as I feel like we're starting to get some good things going on the Au Sable. The most legit opinions and observations come from the guys who still put the time in on the Big Sandy, and Kelly is certainly one of them, being one of the few guides left on that river. There is no reason to fight and argue, all of us, as Au Sable river steelheaders, can work together to help breathe some life back into this great river:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m114/ausable_steelhead/100_1086.jpg

[Slodrift]

Kelly.... Don't waste your time trying to explain, it's not worth the aggravation, there are too many know it all's who would rather sit around and complain about the fishing and criticize people for trying to improve the fishing. We know what we are doing is having an impact, I see the results first hand every time I fish the river. If you don't believe that the Cormorants are a major factor in the reduction in Steel numbers then come up in the spring and watch one of these devil birds for a min. The number of plants they can eat in the time it takes you to scratch your head is amazing.

[Fishndude]

Kelly.... Don't waste your time trying to explain, it's not worth the aggravation, there are too many know it all's who would rather sit around and complain about the fishing and criticize people for trying to improve the fishing. We know what we are doing is having an impact, I see the results first hand every time I fish the river. If you don't believe that the Cormorants are a major factor in the reduction in Steel numbers then come up in the spring and watch one of these devil birds for a min. The number of plants they can eat in the time it takes you to scratch your head is amazing.

I don't know what you are so defensive about - nobody has criticized anyone for their efforts to improve the fishery. In fact you and Kelly have contributed HUGELY to that effort, and I acknowledged that in a previous post. But it seems like you are not familiar with the fish that used to exist on the Ausable. I simply believe that the Mussels in the river, and Lake Huron, are more of a problem than most people care to admit. I also hope I am wrong about that, and that someone will figure out how to control their numbers, or that they just start to die off a bit on their own. But they haven't so far - they have just kept increasing since they were first found in our lakes. And the fishing now, is very marginal compared to how it was just 4 years ago.

[Streamside Custom Rod]

Yes there are problems in Lake Huron with mussels filtering the water and that problem does exist in all of our Great Lakes. It has had a huge negative effect on the steelhead population and most rivers in Michigan do not get runs of the 90's. Here is as simple as I can state it. In a stocking dependent river what happens when all stocked fish get eaten before they leave the river? Food source in lake will not matter! Yeah there is no bait fish in Lake Huron but lake can support 20,000 to 40,000 cormarants some years that eat one pound of fish per day. That means there is at least 20,000 lbs of baitfish leave the lake per day in the summer. I think some are very defensive because this problem is one that could be helped if more people got involed. To minimize this problem only show your lack of knowledge of the Au Sable. Maybe in the spring of 2009 come down to Ocoda and watch the problem instead of driving around river with plenty of dead steelhead tied to your boat and complaining about how it used to be.

[Slodrift]

I don't know what you are so defensive about - nobody has criticized anyone for their efforts to improve the fishery. In fact you and Kelly have contributed HUGELY to that effort, and I acknowledged that in a previous post. But it seems like you are not familiar with the fish that used to exist on the Ausable. I simply believe that the Mussels in the river, and Lake Huron, are more of a problem than most people care to admit. I also hope I am wrong about that, and that someone will figure out how to control their numbers, or that they just start to die off a bit on their own. But they haven't so far - they have just kept increasing since they were first found in our lakes. And the fishing now, is very marginal compared to how it was just 4 years ago.

All I heard last year from the guys fishing the river (not guys here on the site) was how we were wasting our time and the fishery would never recover. Every time I would try to explain what we were doing they would just roll their eye's and laugh telling me what a wast of time it was and that they would rather fish than chase birds. Believe me I would rather fish than chase birds myself. I do remember what it used to be like, I have been fishing the river in one form or another since childhood and Steelhead fishing for some 30 years. I totally agree with you about the mussel problem, it has gotten way out of hand. Believe me I'am tired of loosing fish to a shredded leader as these things seem to cover every inch of the bottom and every rock and if they ever come up with a way to rid the river of them I will be there to help with that also. Didn't mean to get so defensive but when BW posted the remarks seemingly questioning the seriousness of the Cormorant problem (and I know it's not the only problem but it is a major problem) it just reminded me of how little support we received last year from the guys on the river. (and a lot of them were local's) It really surprises me how many guy's have never even heard of a Cormorant and have no idea what I'm talking about when I try to explain. They believe the Steelhead reduction is caused by the same thing that is causing the Salmon reduction, lack of food to sustain them and while that may be part I believe Cormorants play a bigger part. I know natural reproduction is almost zero, that's why we need to do everything possible to help the plants have a chance to return as adults including releasing them when they return as 2 year olds.... Boy this thread really went a rye didn't it, sorry Jon.:lol:

[Streamside Custom Rod]

When the alewives population crashed so did the salmon numbers and steelhead fishing remained excellent. As the Cormarants started showing up in the river and there numbers built during spring stocking steelhead numbers dropped a few years late.

Go to west and look at the Manistee River. Lots of mussels and the same for Lake Michigan. There steelhead numbers and size have dropped some but still excellent steelhead. No cormarants in the river and Lake Michigan does not support the number of summer birds that Lake Huron does.

[ajax]

When the alewives population crashed so did the salmon numbers and steelhead fishing remained excellent. As the Cormarants started showing up in the river and there numbers built during spring stocking steelhead numbers dropped a few years late.

Go to west and look at the Manistee River. Lots of mussels and the same for Lake Michigan. There steelhead numbers and size have dropped some but still excellent steelhead. No cormorants in the river and Lake Michigan does not support the number of summer birds that Lake Huron does.

I'd have to agree with you. I fish at Tippy a few times a year, usually in November & late March. The place is paved with mussels, and there are lots of fish. But very few cormorants.
I've also seen this baitfish/predator crash several times in Lake Huron, usually every decade or so. I've never not seen it rebound after a year or two. But then again, we weren't plagued by the numbers of mussels and corms back then that we are now. So the jury is still out.

Back to fish stories, a friend and I figured that we hooked around 90 over 2 1/2 days at the Hi Banks in '80. That was back when they'd run the dam full tilt most of the day, effectively shutting down the River Road side. We'd go in on the Wurtsmith side & camp for the duration of our stay.

We'd fish until noon, then go back to camp for naps, chow and a session of rebuilding our reels and tying snells and bags. Then back to the creek from around 3 'till dark. Out of those 90 hook ups, we may have landed twenty or so. They were sure hard to hold in that high water. Good times!

[CAPT HEAVY]

Its nice to see a guy like Kelly that is passionate about OUR fishery. I hate to see former east side guys complaining about the fishery. Is it like it was in the early 90's ? NO! But there is still great fishing if you are willing to work a bit for them.

[kienbaumer]

I've fished the east side hardcore from '98 to the present. Its simple cormorants are the problem period. They are out of control. Its pointless to even plant salmon. Yup i'm sure 2 or 3 come back but its not worth plant 200000 salmon. All we are doing is feeding the rats. Until we get these birds under control we are wasting money and fish. These birds suck and there is nothing good about them. You know fishings bad when the locals aren't even going to singing bridge to get away from there wifes and i'm the only one out there waving a stick.

[GONE FISHIN(LARRY)]

Jon,

I've had so many good days on that river hard to pin it down to just one day , 20 hookups a day was not uncommon back in the day . So many fond memories on the Au Sable .


Larry

[Streamside Custom Rod]

Yes so many good memories on the lower Au Sable steelhead fishing! I have short term memory April 18th 2008. Fished with a couple of friends and we landed over 10 and lost at least that many. Some beautiful steelhead with a couple over 10lbs. Here are two of pictures from that day.

http://www.michiganstreamside.com/april18_report2_2008.jpg

http://www.michiganstreamside.com/april18_report1_2008.jpg

[oldrank]

I believe my best days were in 2000 2001 2002.....great years...the pic in my avatar is me and my brother in 2000.....we proabably hooked 50 fish that day.....I have that big boy on my wall.......them were the only 2 we kept.....one for the wall and one for the grill that night at camp....It has slowed but I still fish it and have a great time,,,,,