6/14 - 6/18 Grayling

[MOduckdoc]

My son, and a few friends and I will be hitting Grayling on that Saturday. Looking to do a little hex fishing on Ausable and Upper Man. During the day some float/fishing on north or west branch's or any other areas you may recommend. The boys are 8 and 10 so no real tight streams please. My son and I are then going on to the U.P. (I know nothing to be posted about that area, if you have any spots you would be willing to share you can PM me), from there we are off to International Falls to hookup with some friends from St Louis and spend 5 days chasing Walleye, Northerns and Smallies, not necessarily in that order. Should be a great trip. Any recommendations you guys may have on flies to tie up and use while in Grayling area or UP would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Charlie

[ausableangler]

June 14-18th. Cant imagine Hex being started by then. Here Sunday May 18th...first actual "Bonafide" Hendrickson Spinnerfall of any kind. Several nights have been a few bugs down, but tons tonight. I would imagine the Brown Drakes will probably be just starting on the North Branch, possibly, but unlikely, the South and Main as well. Upper Manistee will probably still be showing sulphurs. Everything is was late. I hit a killer Hendrickson Hatch yesterday on the AuSable...May 17....Last year had killer Henny Hatches around the 23 of April.......thats how far things are behind. And I have never heard of the West Branch of the Ausable????????

[Beaglernr]

Good grief...still hatches of hennies this late...wow
Mo, just a suggestion...check in at the Fly Factory in Grayling..and take a guide float with your two kids. I am assuming they know how to cast fly rods???? If not and you are going to spinner toss, be sure to be careful of where you have them fishing. If you can get them to Wakley lake...catch and release gills and bass they should have fishing of a life time.
At that time what AuSable says rules and who knows, maybe the river will be straightend out by then...darn..still fishing hennies.

[SALMONATOR]

Sounds like a Helluva' trip. Should be a good time. For hex's I'd probably try the Mannistee, somewhere between Sharon and the mouth of Portage Creek that early. Be carefull down there though, as the water can be very fast the closer you get to Sharon, especially where Big Cannon Creek enters the river and below. Stay close to your boys down there.

On the As Sable, bring lots of different flies of you hit it. I've seen as many as 5 or 6 different bugs coming off at the same on June evenings in that river. So, even if you don't hit the hatch quite right, you'll have a crack at caching some trout on something. Bring some White-gloved howdy's (Isonychia Bicolor) for some pre-hex afternoon fishing, and some Brown Drakes, for the evening if the hex's are still scarce yet at that time.

Good luck, be safe, and have fun!

Al

[MOduckdoc]

Thanks guys, I start tying tomorrow night. Had to scratch the Canada portion of the trip. I have to be here on the 26th to close on my house. Will probably spend last four or five days in the UP then head back home via WI. I will try and give a full report of the trip upon return.

[troutbum64]

was in the upper a couple of weeks ago, you say your boys are 8 & 10 and don't want any tight casting areas. We fished the Fox, Driggs and East Branch of the Fox, I would not advise going to these rivers as most areas that I saw were very tight and grow over with tag alders on both banks. I had a tough time with my 6' 3wt, lots of roll casting, nymphing and casting sideways up and down the rivers. Good luck, and hope this helps. If your fishing in the upper lower I would just explore a few more days there, or take a dozen crawlers and the spinners.

[MOduckdoc]

Thanks, I was considering the Fox.

[MOduckdoc]

Guy's, We just got back home here in St Louis late last night. Isn't it amazing how sometimes even the most well laid out plans have a tendancy to change. Hit St Joseph MI at 1:30am Sat, awaken at 4:30am on Lk MI at 5:30am because one of my buddies is unable to make the trip up north. We went 5 for 9 on kings and left for Grayling at 2:00pm, cooked salmon, stopped in at Fly Factory and stayed in Sat night. Early Sunday morn hit the Manistee from 612 to 72 pulling big streamers, we raised a few browns and caught one nice brookie. It was my son's first wild trout. Sunday night hit Ausable from Wakely down to that first take out at a roads end, landed one very sickly 22" brown, some small ones and a few brookies with drakes. Monday did the Man somewhere above CCC down to it we landed one 17" brown pulling streamers and raised several others. I can see where pulling big streamers can be effective from a drift boat but is difficult with three in a canoe, even a big canoe. Monday night hit Wakely lake and caught 7 bass between 1.5 and 4.5 lbs, did it again Tuesday morning with a late start, saw alot of big bass but caught nice bluegill. Tuesday afternoon drove up to the U.P. did the touristy pics and checked out the Carp where we heard there were some steelies. Set up camp on Lk Huron just south of the mouth of the Carp. Wendesday morning hit the Carp, nothing. We cruised over to the Cut river, wow what a beautiful view. Went on up the Cut and found some steel but in a creek not much wider than my seven wt found it difficult to get a good presentation on the 28-30 steelie in very shallow water in front of me. Ended up pushing her out in no time. Wednesday afternoon head back south and camp on the upper Man at Goose Creek campgrounds. We had a tremenous drake hatch that night and landed a bunch of browns and brookies, largest brown 16". Thursday up late and heading for Traverse City to do the tourist thing and hit the Boardman downtown for smallies. While looking for the Troutsman we saw a guy out in the East bay flinging rope. Upon closer inspection the water is teaming with giant torpedoes of fish in the shallow surf. We stop in the Troutsman and get a couple of flies for chasing these monsters. Within minutes of crossing M72 in waders carrying flyrods and dragging a eight year old, by the way this is no easy task, Very busy road, landed my first Traverse Bay Golden Bonefish (carp) about 17-18lbs. I ended up landing 6 my son landed 2 all betwen 10 and 23 lbs. Finally he came to me as my arm ached, felt like I had been on the PM in Mid Sept and he said "Dad I am worn out". Poor little guy I must have seen him hooked up 15 times and lost fish, I bet he was worn out. Drove down to Kalamazoo spent the night with a friend and fished Friday morning out of St Joe. We hit skamaina 3 for 3. Cleaned up, spent a little time visiting and headed home.

You guys said you wanted to know how it went, hope this wasn't too long and boring. All in all, it was the greatest week in my life. You guys in MI sure have some great resources, thanks for sharing them with us. Oh yeah just a little too early for the Hex.

[jfink]

Thanks for the reports sounds like you had a great time.

[kroppe]

MOduckdoc,

Wow great trip, thanks for the report! I have fished a bunch of the places you mentioned with my son, and was reliving those memories. We fish like you guys do, 100% fish and the only time you're not fishing is if you're eating, driving to fish, sleeping or taking care of mother nature! ;)

[quest32a]

Sounds like a really great trip and your boys had fun too! Even got into big fish too! Just curious though, how was your 21 inch brown sickly??? really skinny or did it have a skin disease?

[MOduckdoc]

Very lothargic and very skinny. It almost looked like an eels body.

[Steve]

MOduckdoc you are a madman! I want to fish with you! After about the second day though I think I'd need some time off to rest :)

[MOduckdoc]

I hope we can make that happen someday. I would like to attend one of this forum's get togethers soon. It is just that you guy's are so far away. I will be up two or three times in Sept to the PM for my salmon fix, hope to catch up to you guys there.