Huron Above Flat Rock

[YPSIFLY]

Does anyone know of any sites to fish above Flat Rock that are below Belleville dam? I know this area is said to hold gravel. Flat Rock is becoming too crowded, and for a variety of reasons Belleville dam is not a good place to fish. Please help. I have yet to land my first steelie. I practice catch and release, pick up all trash, and I won't tell everyone on the net where potential access sites might be for this area.
Any help would be greatly appreciated'
---YPSIFLY

[YPSIFLY]

Oops! forgot my e-mail. please contact me at chcook@online.emich.edu
Again, any help would be much appreciated!

[kroppe]

Ypsifly,

I'm with you on trying to find a better spot than Hu Roc park. Two weeks ago I scouted the two larger metroparks above Flat Rock, the one that backs up to French Landing dam, and the next one downriver.

I too have heard there is spawning gravel above Flat Rock. During my scouting trip the water was too high and muddy to be able to tell where the gravel was. The best way to find the gravel is to canoe the stretch from French Landing dam to Hu Roc park. I may do this in bits and pieces, like canoe the first metro park, then on another day canoe another section.

Access in these parks is a no brainer (after you pay for motor vehicle access, and at $15 for an annual pass for all the parks, it's a steal). Just finding the spot is the key. The fish are probably stacking up at French Landing right now, but as far as I could tell there is no access near the dam due to all the electrical equipment, etc.

[Getaway]

Hey guys,
How about the paper plant in Yipsilanti. Do the Steelies get up that far? I was there last weekend (without my rod-stupid me) and there was nobody fishing in front of the coffer.

[BEAGLEMAN]

French Landing is as far up the river that they can go. I would launch at the Metro-park and canoe upriver from there
to locate any gravel.

[gunrod]

First, no fish make it all the way to Ypsi because they cannot pass the damn at Belleville. If want though if you start in Frog Island and work your way up river you can hook small mouths (and some small walleye) all day on spinners. In the summer I used to use my bow to sneak up on carp in the shallows also.

If you go to Belleville damn and walk down river to the railroad bridge you can fish. I have seen many steel's spawning right under the bridge but there is a lot of snags under the bridge. Just alittle further down are some shallow gravel beds that I have been told by locals are very good.

There is a club (Huron River Fishing Association) that meets at the Community Center in Flat Rock on the first and third Monday of the month. The first meeting is club business and the next meeting they just tie flies and b.s. about fishing on the river. I went to the last meeting and found it enjoyable. I plan on joining (for $20 a year) at the next meeting.

There are many benefits to this club. They are tight with the DNR and MetroParks. The MetroParks have given the club passes to fish in the parks to publicize the fishing in the parks. The club also raised the money for the fish ladder and places the net there to count the fish. Club members empty the net each day and log the fish before releasing them upstream for the DNR during approx 10 days when the fish are running good.

Finally, the club hosts various outings on the Huron. The next outing is planned for April 8th. The club is meeting in Willow Metro park up by Bellevile in the morning. Everyone is breaking up to explore and fish the area to learn the holes. The advantage to the club is that some of the members already fish the area and have some knowledge of the area and are willing to pass it along to others.

It may be worth looking into joining. If for nothing else, the knowledge of the river passed on by the members and to spend the off months learning some new patterns. A few of the members are excellent tiers and tie flies I would have never thought possible.

If you come to the next meeting bring your vise.

[YPSIFLY]

Gunrod
Thanx for the info. I have heard of this club before and am interested in joining. Is there an e-mail or phone number for a contact person? I'm out here wingin' it on my own, and that will only get me so far. I really want to land that first steelie, and this might be just the ticket. Sometimes it takes a communal effort for an individual pursuit to pay off.
Getaway
MAN DO I WISH THEY WOULD MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO YPSI!!! Just the thought of steelies swiming through my back yard sends chills up and down my spine. It's too bad the dam builders had a field day with the Huron. Maybe if I could convince someone to build a couple more ladders......

[gunrod]

No web site or phone number that I am aware of. There is a meeting on 03/19/01 at the Communtiy center ther at the river at 6:30. Bring your vice and tying equipment. Also if you are fishing there is a guy down there named Howard ( he has a handle bar mustache and is usually selling flies for the club). Howard is active in the club and can give you info. Just ask about him, everyone knows him. Also he spends a lot of time in the metro parks and can point you to some areas.