Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2022 Nothing big this morning like last night, but a really enjoyable morning on the river. Saw the coolest thing I think I have seen on the river in 50 yrs. A huge river otter. He was out in front of the dam feeding on crawdads. I sat and watched him for probably half an hour. He would dive down and grab some crawdads and then come up to the surface and crunch them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2022 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skeet3t 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2022 He's just doing what he otter.🤪 The wife and I were camping at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains NP and watched a female and pups in their den across the river. They had a den in a rock shelf. Didn't get photos and regret it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2022 I've always said the Au Sable is heaven on earth, and so far this trip is proving me right. Soon as it started getting dark this evening a light hatch of brown drakes started coming off. Just enough to get a few real nice trout rising. From 9:15 to 10pm I landed multiple 20" browns on the dry fly. If I died tonight I would die a happy man. Counting the big brown from last night that's four browns from 20"-23" I've got in the past 24hrs. I couldn't ask for more 😎 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mad Duck 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2022 THATS what I'm talking bout!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2022 Well, now you're just showing off! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2022 Another lousy day in paradise 😁 Water temp has the fish active even middle of the day. Fished from noon till just after 3 and had some good fish rising. Got two nice browns in the mid teen size range, lost a couple others that size, and got a couple 10-12" chunky bows. Back at the motel to eat and then head back to the river in a couple hours for the evening rise to fish with a friend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandan 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2022 I'm jealous and living vicariously. Have fun for all of us that can't be there Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 9, 2022 Fished with my friend Brett this evening. It started out really well with a drake hatch with about an hour of good fishing. I got a real nice heavy brown and chunky rainbow, and Brett lost a real nice fish then landed a couple nice chunky bows. Cold & rain kind'a put a damper on the risers so headed back a bit early. Past few days have been just wonderful, been putting some really nice browns in the net this trip. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
partsman 0 Report post Posted June 9, 2022 Awesome Steve, wish I was able to be up there unfortunately I have a date Friday with a surgeon. I’m going to be hanging around home for at least a month. Keep the great reports and pics coming. Mike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted June 9, 2022 Very nice trip so far. Who ever said there were no fish in the Au Sable? Where'd you get those nice rods, the are purdy. Nice May fly too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2022 Been real busy, so I'm just getting in here. Wow! Steve, you're proving the adage, "A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work." Lousy days in paradise, must be tough ... but at least it's not work. Those are beautiful fish. So glad to hear you're having a good time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2022 Sometimes you just get everything timed just right and have a trip of a lifetime. I think I finally managed to have that happen for me on this trip. The Au Sable usually doesn't give up this many big browns on a daily bases. Some rivers do, especially when they are stocked with trout at large sizes, but with the Au Sable some of the fish are wild, and some are stocked but they are stocked at 5"-6" range so the big fish are have basically been in the river their whole lives. So to get what is happening on this trip this year is just kind'a crazy. Not that I'm complaining lol. I think with the rains bringing the water level up, and the night temps of 40's keeping the water temp at 61f it is just that I managed to have everything all come together just perfectly for this trip. Got another absolute beauty of a brown tonight. Not much action during the day/evening, but fished till a bit after dark and had a sparse iso hatch come off. Tied on a parachute iso dry and got this beauty. Thought it was a small one at first with the little dimple of a rise, but soon as I set the hook it started head thrashing and throwing water all over the place. Quick pic and released him back into the cool waters of the Au Sable to go about his business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mad Duck 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2022 Very pretty fish!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2022 Nice. The second photo is perfect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
