PDA

View Full Version : Epic day and a half on the Rifle/Au Sable!!



Hullyscott
10-01-2009, 01:03 PM
Well I got back to the Detroit area late last night after an amazing 2 days on the Rifle and the Au Sable. After dismissing my last class (I'm an elementary Art teacher) tuesday afternoon, I jumped in my truck and raced up to the Rifle River state park. I jumped in the Rifle right by my campsite at 6:30pm and starting up stream. Within 100 yds, I moved 5 fish all over 18"!! I had one on for a few seconds, but he got off. I ended up landing a 19" and a 15". The 15" was a beautiful male, in full spawning regalia- the most beautiful trout I've ever caught. It was cold and overcast and by 7:30pm, I could barely see. Got up wednesday morning and hit Gott's canoe livery. I was on the water by 8:30am. The river was flowing fast and VERY dirty. It was going to be blind 'luck' top catch anything. Well at 10:30am, luck struck :yikes: Huge hit on the spinning rod, and a frantic one-arm paddle to reach the other side of the river. While holding my rod in my left hand and letting him take out drag, I paddled my way the 30+ feet to the shore. The fish was truly polite, and did not fight that hard, until I was able to jump out of the canoe (I was in waders), push the canoe onto shore, and start battling him on my feet. 10 minutes later, I netted the largest, hook jawed, brown trout of my life!!! I let out a huge yell as the sun finally broke through the clouds. 27" and at least 6 lbs!! I took many picture and videos of him, and even called my dad to tell him what I had in my net. After about 15 minutes, I worked him free from my net, and watched him strongly swim away as I gave out another cheer!! Saturday April 25th I caught a beautiful 15" brown with my dad on a small SW stream to start the season, and on Sept. 30th, I caught the biggest brown of my life (30 years of stream fishing) to close the 2009 season!!! What an amazing year.

I'm including a link below to the pix, hope it works :)

Hully

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/member.php?uid=44798&protype=1



Hullyscott
10-01-2009, 01:17 PM
Just curious

Hully
2PawsRiver
10-01-2009, 01:29 PM
Hully congrats on what sounds like a great trip and a fantastic fish.:)
Shupac
10-01-2009, 01:51 PM
Nice fish, and nice paddling. I've fishermen tip their canoes fighting smaller fish.
Boardman Brookies
10-01-2009, 03:00 PM
Awesome brown there. There are some pigs that live in the Rifle.
Hullyscott
10-01-2009, 06:01 PM
Hully congrats on what sounds like a great trip and a fantastic fish.:)

Thanks!! A mischevious idea, unlimited sick days, three hours of driving, and one cold night in a tent gave me a life time of memories :p

Hully
Hullyscott
10-01-2009, 06:15 PM
Nice fish, and nice paddling. I've fishermen tip their canoes fighting smaller fish.


It was quite the Chinese fire drill, but it all worked out in my favor :lol: As I'm holding my pole in my left hand, I'm leaning over the right side of the canoe, so I can 'brace' my paddle's handle against my forehead and crank out about 15 stonger, one-armed strokes. Caught the biggest brown of my life AND learned a new paddle technique!! Aiin't life grand?:cwm27:

Hully