# Au Sable Steelhead Stocking & Cormorant Harassment



## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

wyldkat49766 said:


> It was neat to watch. But man some of them really want to 'beach' themselves dont they? One came flying up out of the water and landed about at my feet and I was a foot from the water.


Hope you told the little bugger about them dam birds before you slipped him back in? 
Maybe he'll spread the news...


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

wyldkat49766 said:


> I dont know about that. I remember you on your phone and not wanting to drop it in the river and thus I think your count is a tad off.


I was multi-tasking....


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## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

I tried but hopefully he got the news from his kissin cousins that went out first to watch out for them and the seagulls. 



Multitasking... HA HA Shawn. You were barely dual tasking.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

wyldkat49766 said:


> Multitasking... HA HA Shawn. You were barely dual tasking.


HEY NOW!.....:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Birds have been spotted as of today, And will be getting thick FAST! 
If everyone could do a little bit to help All could benefit the rewards...
See You Saturday

It's time to do OUR part, Let's make this the best year yet...
:help:


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Had planned to fish in the morning but instead I will be in a boat patrolling the river...... I really hate those birds!!!:rant:

We got two more trucks dumped in the river today, roughly 38,000 more little guys, these were the healthiest of the bunch, some were close to 15 or 16 inches already, so all tolled this week we dumped some were around 120,000 baby Steel in the ole AS.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

15 or 16"?- WOW!! 
Now that's working on an Issue!!
Nice..


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I fished yesterday afternoon for a little bit, and again this morning till about 10. I didn't see any cormorants at all, anywhere. Fishing was slooowww.....


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I fished yesterday afternoon for a little bit, and again this morning till about 10. I didn't see any cormorants at all, anywhere. Fishing was slooowww.....


You didn't look in the right place's :lol: they are there, I seen birds flying in town this afternoon and we got several reports from people fishing in town that there were birds on the water early this morning. Believe me I hope they are wrong but I have been seeing birds in the area for a week now, the water in the lower is dirty right now so that should help hide the fish a little. VanEttan started their Harassment Program yesterday and that will just chase the one's they have right to us.

Fishing was slow all day today, most of the guys I talked to looked like this :irked: and were doing this :banghead3 and when I asked about the fishing I got this :cheeky-sm but it won't be long and the Highbanks will look like this


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## OscodaAsh (Jan 5, 2007)

I fished AuGres last night and saw two huge flocks of comorants. They are on their way in big numbers.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I just got off the phone with Flint River Valley Steelheaders, they have decided to make a donation of $750 to the Cormorant Harassment Project. This is a big deal folks.... I would like to say Thank You! to them and I'm looking forward to meeting some of their people at the outing.

I would also like to thank Kelly for working to get that donation......Thank YOU!


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## ngheen (Apr 1, 2009)

i want to give a very meaningful thank-you to all involved in the commorant harassment program.you all have spent alot of your own personal time involved in this project and it is yet to be over. you could have just as well spent your time on the river fishing.but thank-youi have tried to spread the word of your hard work to as many as possible. this just shows the comradery and passion many steelheaders have for these great fish.thanks to your hard work they will be around for hopefully many generations.i have a 13 month daughter and cant wait for her to hook her first steelhead and thanks to you it is an even better possibility.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Slodrift said:


> You didn't look in the right place's :lol: they are there, I seen birds flying in town this afternoon and we got several reports from people fishing in town that there were birds on the water early this morning. Believe me I hope they are wrong but I have been seeing birds in the area for a week now, the water in the lower is dirty right now so that should help hide the fish a little. VanEttan started their Harassment Program yesterday and that will just chase the one's they have right to us.
> 
> Fishing was slow all day today, most of the guys I talked to looked like this :irked: and were doing this :banghead3 and when I asked about the fishing I got this :cheeky-sm but it won't be long and the Highbanks will look like this


 








Oh We got fish, Late in the day Just like I said. Full moon does that..
You left to early Shawn-


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Ron Matthews said:


> Oh We got fish, Late in the day Just like I said. Full moon does that..
> You left to early Shawn-


I knew if you hit that spot again you'd hook up, glad it worked out for you, that's the one I lost!

My wife doesn't think I left early enough....LOL


40 birds tried today and 40 birds failed.......:evilsmile


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

I told you fishing with me is very unpredictable:lol:
I'll have lisa fill her in at the outting....


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)




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## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

I see you 'watching' the fish flow out of the tube. LOL


And 'grats on posting a pic, finally.... lol


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

wyldkat49766 said:


> I see you 'watching' the fish flow out of the tube. LOLl


I told you, I was counting them.....


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## COHO (Jan 16, 2003)

almost look too big to come out of that tube, cool pics


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Seen around 150 birds this morning, only 12 tried to land right in front of
me :nono:, all the others were flying high and kept heading north. We see birds in the morning but haven't been seeing them in the afternoon so far, have only had to fire 3 shots, but we are seeing more each day.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I think with such a big initial dumping, so quick, the birds won't be as bad as normal. Alot of the rats are just hitting the area, so this early planting the majority is a really good idea. How big were most of them? I caught a planter on the West side today that must've been a foot long and thick as can be!


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I think with such a big initial dumping, so quick, the birds won't be as bad as normal. Alot of the rats are just hitting the area, so this early planting the majority is a really good idea. How big were most of them? I caught a planter on the West side today that must've been a foot long and thick as can be!


The majority were 10 to 14, we seen some that were easy 15 or 16.


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## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

And a few were no bigger than creek chubs. I know a couple I tossed back from beaching themselves fit easily into my fingers. But some I needed 2 hands for.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Did they come up with more rounds of the pyro's than they were talking about at the meeting? Good job up there, will see ya on fri. morning. Will be at the store bright and early.


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## jmckeon (Feb 21, 2009)

we will be there at round 1030am bringin up my self and 2 other guys possibly 3. so keep some raffle tickets available for us we plan on buying some


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

wyldkat49766 said:


> And a few were no bigger than creek chubs. I know a couple I tossed back from beaching themselves fit easily into my fingers. But some I needed 2 hands for.


The first two trucks were a mixed bag, but the majority were in the big range, the last two trucks had very few small one's.Hopefully the last 30,000 will be big as well........



Ralph Smith said:


> Did they come up with more rounds of the pyro's than they were talking about at the meeting? Good job up there, will see ya on fri. morning. Will be at the store bright and early.


We got it covered......



jmckeon said:


> we will be there at round 1030am bringin up my self and 2 other guys possibly 3. so keep some raffle tickets available for us we plan on buying some


They'll be plenty......


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Only seen 18 birds try for the water today, most of the large groups we are seeing are heading north..... heads up Chris!! I'm loving the slow start because I know whats coming yet.....


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