# South Branch River



## BassFisher91 (Sep 11, 2005)

Can anyone help me out with what type of rules/regulations are put in place for the South Branch River where the South Branch meets the AuSable? I'm having an extremely hard time finding rules and regulations, and for a newbie like me, the DNR fishing guide is very hard to follow for Trout fishing. I plan on fishing the South Branch(from Rollways Rd. to the AuSable) sometime in the next week(if any season is even open), but don't want to do anything illegal. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Chip (Jun 6, 2005)

If you call the DNR, they can tell you what you need to know...Also, do you mean the South Branch River or the South Branch of the Au Sable. South Branch of the Au Sable- like Mason Tract- is open for sure.


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## BassFisher91 (Sep 11, 2005)

I mean South Branch River.
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## RUSTY 54 (Jul 19, 2007)

I'm pretty sure it is closed until the last Sat. in April


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## BassFisher91 (Sep 11, 2005)

Ok thanks Rusty.
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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

RUSTY 54 said:


> I'm pretty sure it is closed until the last Sat. in April


Correct this is a Type 1 stream and is closed right now, but the Au Sable where it dumps in is open and is a Type 4 stream. Good luck when you get out.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

That is a tiny creek, and while it has some Trout, you won't find any really large fish. Interestingly, since it originates @ Ausable Lake, over by Lupton, it also has Pike in it, here and there. 
I don't know the regs, but I honestly haven't fished it for Trouties in a very long time - and we have a cabin close enough to walk to it. 

In late May the Redhorse Suckers used to come into it in good numbers to spawn. I will never forget the day I learned about Redhorse. A buddy and I were fishing the creek (we call it Cozy Creek instead of the SB river) for chubs, hoping to get some Bass bait. All of a sudden these GIANT shadowy fish came sliding into the small hole we were fishing, from an undercut bank. I hooked one on a small piece of crawler, and it thrashed around until it broke me off - fought like a darned Trout. We went and got a bunch more crawlers, and went back and caught a few.

I would say most of the fish in there are Suckers or Chubs, with a few Trout scattered around. It is a pretty little stream. Where Rollways Rd crosses it, there are a bunch of Tamarack trees. They are the only "evergreens" that drop their needles in the fall. They are usually bright yellow when I take my fall Steelhead fishing vacation, and they lose their color through that week, and start dropping their needles. There are some magnificent giant White Pines along it, too. You don't have to worry about it now, but Poison Ivy is rampant all along its valley. You might see a bear around at the right time of year, and day, too. Lots of Deer, Patridge, etc. 

I haven't hiked it in awhile, but I think the confluence with the Ausable is just a short ways down from Rollways Rd. Probably not 1/2 mile. 

If you are going to be up there, and just have to get out fishing, I highly recommend a bit of a drive to fish the Ausable below Foote dam. There are Steelhead to be caught right now, if you find a hole with fish in it. It is pretty easy to fish from the bank in a few places. You can find fish right in Oscoda, where it is pretty simple to park and bank fish.


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## BassFisher91 (Sep 11, 2005)

Thanks fishindude. Very helpful. I have a place at 65 and Rollways rd. I may head up monday morning and fish below Foote like you said.
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## 4lbtest (Feb 28, 2007)

Yep, there's a number of spots that dont require even waders, They come in handy for sittin in the mud though;

Fishndudes story brought back a memory for me (I'm full of stories latley) same kind of thing: as a kid I fished a creek that flow's through Hale , can't name it. But we alway's caught good brook trout, some bow's & browns. Now this is 35 years ago. We usually fished late spring early summer, but one year on the April opener, it was warm, so gramps arthritus wasn't bad, so we hit the creek. And there under a log was the absolute biggest trout I'd ever seen, ever! Of couse it was a steelhead. My first meeting you might say. I couldn't get him to take my worm, would have been bad if he would casue I always got sent down creek with a 5ft rod with 10ft of mono, tied off around the handle, which is effective for navigating thick bush and fishin a narrow creek for brookies. But not so much on steel,

Thanks for the memory F-dude, yea, South Branch river is closed till last Saturday in April, come on down to Oscoda.


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