# Ausable's Magic Waters - - - POOF!



## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

Years ago I came upon a stretch of the Ausable that was strewn with timber on the river bed. It was about 2-3 miles long.

The browns in this area where abundant, and you could sight fish all throughout the daylight hours. 

Last year, I canoed the same stretch to find that all the timber was cleared. It was like a desert! I caught one fish, but turned over a few along the bank. It was nothing like it was before.

Who would do this, and why???????


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

question is a bit vague...120+ miles in the system...Main, NB, SB, EB?

clearing debris from 2 to 3 miles of river is quite a project and one that probably wouldn't go unnoticed...care to be more specific?


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

It may have been covered by sand that eroded from along the banks upstream.


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## joefsu (Jan 9, 2005)

or they may have been blown out by spring run off, I don't think anyone would go through the trouble of pulling 2-3 miles of logs

Just a thought,

Joe


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## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

brookid said:


> question is a bit vague...120+ miles in the system...Main, NB, SB, EB?
> 
> clearing debris from 2 to 3 miles of river is quite a project and one that probably wouldn't go unnoticed...care to be more specific?


In danger of getting this thread closed.....

1. Upstream of Mckinley Bridge 

Another section would be 

2. The South side of an island just upstream of Comin's Flats. There were excellent log jams, and fast water through this section. Tough to wade, but you could carefully wade to the island and fish it from the bank.

Both sections were cleared. I don't see it being done naturally. I mean if it were then we are talking serious flooding. 

A spotter told me it was done by the DNR. Just need to confirm. As a fly angler, I view the river differently from canoers.

By the way, this would be in the trophy section Below MIO.


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## ZooCougar (Mar 29, 2006)

I know the spots you speak of well. The trees were moved out of there by the high water times (one in particular was extreme) The woody debris projects always look good, but there is nothing to hold the trees in place and they eventually all get moved downriver. If you looked at the slower backwash'ish areas you'd notice a lot of them stacked up there doing little to no good. They did another tree drop the last week of the season this year -- will be interesting to see how it came out and how long it lasts.


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## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

ZooCougar said:


> I know the spots you speak of well. The trees were moved out of there by the high water times (one in particular was extreme) The woody debris projects always look good, but there is nothing to hold the trees in place and they eventually all get moved downriver. If you looked at the slower backwash'ish areas you'd notice a lot of them stacked up there doing little to no good. They did another tree drop the last week of the season this year -- will be interesting to see how it came out and how long it lasts.


All this time, I thought it was the DNR removing the debri for the safety of canoers. I am not familiar of "tree drops". It was unrecognizable as a purposely placed debri unlike the man made lunker stations built by clubs, and organizations.

It was an amazing stretch of water. The surface literally boiled with trophies in front of our canoes.


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## ZooCougar (Mar 29, 2006)

Silverexpress said:


> All this time, I thought it was the DNR removing the debri for the safety of canoers. I am not familiar of "tree drops". It was unrecognizable as a purposely placed debri unlike the man made lunker stations built by clubs, and organizations.
> 
> It was an amazing stretch of water. The surface literally boiled with trophies in front of our canoes.


Jose,

The DNR has been dropping trees via helicopter for the past 3 years or so. They state it's approx. 200 - 300 trees, however I've never seen that many there. I spoke to one of the DNR officers the day they were dropping trees last September, because they would not allow us to float through while they were in the process. That is is one of my favorite places in Michigan to fish and I float there approx. 50 times a year. It does need more structure as they are trying to do (as far as the fishery goes) The water upriver from where you refer to, near the AuSable Loop was loaded with trees and even difficult to navigate a drift boat through briefly, untill the high waters blew it out. If a means to anchor the trees could be implimented it would greatly help. Still, it is a fantastic place


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## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

Zoocouger,

50 times a year is an enormous amount of fishing time on the trophy waters! Bet you got some great catches to go with it.

Are you a guide, a resident, or a retired gent? 

I've floated the MIO to Mckinley only a handful of times in the 20+ yrs I've been fly angling. Tough to find someone who can paddle a canoe, and or have the same level of interest in FF to team up with.

Anyhow, it was nearly a decade till I got another chance at fishing that stretch. I daydreamed about fishing it all through out that time, so you can see how disheartened I was when I floated it last summer.

Maybe it's time to shell out the money $$$ to have an experienced guide float me down....Waiting to meet someone who nows how to paddle is just not working --- $40 canoe rental vs. $$$/day for a guided trip.

It truly is the trophy waters, and it really makes the so called Holy section pale in comparison. 

Thanks for the enlightenment.


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## ZooCougar (Mar 29, 2006)

Silverexpress said:


> Zoocouger,
> 
> 50 times a year is an enormous amount of fishing time on the trophy waters! Bet you got some great catches to go with it.
> 
> ...


 

Jose, please check your PM's -- I enclosed some info for you there sir.


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## Riverkeeper (Mar 27, 2006)

Anyone hear the government might change the status of the Trophy Waters?

http://www.ausableangler.com/ausable-protection.htm


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## the rapids (Nov 17, 2005)

i heard the funding was cut for the lwd helicopter drops, i thought they stopped doing it already? can anyone confirm this?

as for the above link about the tropy waters, that stretch needs regs changes for sure. the fact that its not open past september 30 baffles me. if the fish were successfully reproducing then a closed fall makes sense, but as far as i know the water gets too warm in the summer to keep young trout alive. also, i wouldnt go so far as the change suggested in the link (to a type 1 stream), but maybe a type 6 fishery would be sustainable (open all year, artificials only, browns only kept until sept 30). that seems like the best compromise.


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## Krull (Mar 29, 2005)

the rapids said:


> i heard the funding was cut for the lwd helicopter drops, i thought they stopped doing it already? can anyone confirm this?
> 
> as for the above link about the tropy waters, that stretch needs regs changes for sure. the fact that its not open past september 30 baffles me. if the fish were successfully reproducing then a closed fall makes sense, but as far as i know the water gets too warm in the summer to keep young trout alive. also, i wouldnt go so far as the change suggested in the link (to a type 1 stream), but maybe a type 6 fishery would be sustainable (open all year, artificials only, browns only kept until sept 30). that seems like the best compromise.


I personally think the current regs are fine, as long as they are being observed. You have to weed through quite a few fish most of the time to get a 15" Brown or a 12" Bow in that stretch IMO. I have been fishing this stretch for 20+ years myself, and I do not think anglers put much of a dent in the fish population to be honest, most of the people I bump into or talk with are practicing C+R anyway. The majority of the big fish that are actually pulled from this strecth are during the first 2 weeks of the season, by guys throwing rapalas. You are also correct that there is very little natural reproduction and a high mortaility rate, that is why every year you have to weed through so many stockers to get a 12" bow or 15" brown.

In regards to the trees, log jams, ect. they definitely were not removed. The DNR and TU has put in tremendous efforts over the last 10 years to actually improve Trout Habitat on the River and various creeks that run from that stretch.


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## holdin'pile (Aug 30, 2006)

You wouldn't have to weed through so many 12-15" stockers if no-kill regs were established- because you wouldn't have to replace so many fish!! There is limited natural repro here indeed and it's critical to allow these fish opportunity to mature in order to maintain this trophy fishery. Why would you want to keep a fish from this one, brief, spectacular piece of water when there's thousands of miles of streams elsewhere open to harvest?

Apparently a no-kill, extended season would be just too good to ask for. 
Floating this stretch, with even more giant trout- what could be better? I'm with the Riverkeeper.


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