Some time on the river

[mikechell 0]

The past three weekends have been more rainy than sunny. This weekend is setting up to be terrible ... with 80 to 90% chances of rain and a low pressure system sitting in the Gulf.

I hope you keep getting great weather while you're up there.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Dan I would have loved to cooked some of the couple keeper sized walleye I caught, but here at the motel all I have is a microwave and I don't think I'd like microwaved fish

 

Today was stark contrast to yesterday. Seven hours on the river today and the days tally is-

 

-Small bass

-Even smaller rainbow

-One sore shoulder

-One big fat beaver almost stepped on on the path back from the river

[mikechell 0]

That's why they call it "fishing", and not "catching."

Yeah ... I fish on a lot of my trips, and that same question comes up all the time. "Do you keep them?"

 

Nope ... microwaving fresh fish in a hotel room is wrong, on so many levels.

[Steeldrifter 0]

River has been fishing really tough the past two days, and the cold that has moved in isn't helping. Managed a couple small trout and bass/walleye today but that is about it. Heavy hatch of caddis and hendricksons from 6:30-9 but almost no fish rising to anything. Sometimes you just have to gauge the success of the day by the beauty around you.

[Poopdeck 0]

What a nice trip! I love mixed bag outings minus the sore shoulder. In fact your mixed bag outings have me wanting to go there. As a comparison, I've been sitting in the house watching it rain for the last week with a forecast of more rain through Thursday. Enjoy the rest of the trip.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Getting a little rain here this morning as well so I'm just hanging out the motel watching a little tv at the moment. Going to head to the river in a few hours from now to fish the afternoon/evening. I'm hoping the cloudy skies & rain will help the trout fishing a bit. It's been clear and sunny all week so the change in weather today might be just what I needed (fingers crossed).

[Kudu 0]

Fish fried over fire is nice. Is this a different part of the river from where your cabin is located?

[Steeldrifter 0]

Yeah this section of the river is about 50 river miles upstream from where my cabin is located.

Was a very cold & wet day on the Au Sable today. While the trout have not been very active I've been getting quite the variety of other species. Landed about a 7lb redhorse on the spey rod this morning which was interesting, never seen a redhorse crash out of the water the way this one did numerous times. Also first time catching largemouth in the trout water, not just one but numerous ones today. Pike, walleye and a small bow added to the mixed bag today. Not the big trout I was hoping for on this trip but a nice mix of fish on the fly is always a welcome thing on any trip.

[mikechell 0]

Wonderful variety of fish. That's some pretty neat water you're angling !!!

[Piker20 0]

Do you see many other folk or is it quite water? Good to have variety in the catches. One thing I miss only having trout to catch.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Weekends are busy but through the week it's very quiet. Yesterday I counted 9 drift boat trailers at the first access and saw six wading anglers. Starting this afternoon when they all head home it'll pretty much just be me and maybe see one other wader in the evening.

 

I may head back in a day or so as well. Been away from things for a week now and should start thinking about getting back to home. Fishing again this evening, and still have to spend a day at the cabin cleaning up the yard and will probably sneak away for a few hours of pike streamer fishing when I get done at the cabin, but will probably be back home by about Wednesday I'm thinking.

[Rocco 0]

Steve,

 

My envy of you knows no bounds.

 

There are not many places in the US with such diverse offerings of gamefish and knockout surroundings to boot!

 

As a long time -- now 50 years ago --refugee from MI, aside from family still there, I miss that most. (Surely not the Lions, Tigers, or Red Wings.)

 

It makes my heart hurt just thinking of that magic spot in mid state where the pine trees take over from the deciduous. The air there is like no other.

 

And two whole weeks to revel in it,

 

Good for you! And thanks for sharing.

 

Rocco

[Steeldrifter 0]

Success! Nothing like waiting till the last day of the trip to finally get the big trout I had been looking for all week. This one made the entire week worth it for me. Hit the same river bend I had been hitting numerous times this week again this afternoon (one of my fav bends) but this time unlike the other days this week a trout hammered the streamer and bent the spey rod right over and started bucking. Fish made a couple great runs and thrashed at the surface making me pray the hook stayed in long enough, but it did and I was able to slide the net under 19" of beautiful Au Sable river rainbow trout. Quick pic and slid him back into the cold waters. The Au Sable makes you work for it's gems, but when it gives one up you truly appreciate what it has given you. I love this river and look forward to calling it home some day

[mikechell 0]

Outstanding !!!
Great way to wrap up the week.

 

Congratulations !!!

[zip 0]

Good looking bunch of fish!