# Huron River Report 11/5/05



## Frank (Apr 27, 2003)

Fished the Huron River this morning between Telegraph Road and I-75. Caught another 22 inch 3 1/2 pound steelhead on a 1/4 oz KO Wobbler spoon.
My last fish I caught in the same area was also 22 inches long. I also saw a guy in a drift boat who had about a 12-15 inch steelhead on a stringer.
The good news is the water is going up finally. I would say the river is a good two feet deeper than last week. I also saw several steelhead in the 3-5 pound range jump as I was wading and casting in the river. I'm predicting that the fishing will steadily improve as the water gets deeper. Also, the current first place steelhead in the local contest is just a little over 11 pounds.

Frank


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## newbostonmike (Mar 5, 2002)

Hold the phone! I just came in from my tree stand about 30ft from the river, and it was down about 1ft. The water is like a yo-yo. Once we get a light snow followed by a quick melt, it should stay up (I hope).


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## Downriver Steel (Sep 15, 2005)

Fished today. The water is definitely up from where it was. I picked up a 7 pounder and seen a few other big ones surfacing. Hit it now, they are in.


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## MI_STEELHEAD (Jan 20, 2005)

I made it out on Sat. Scoped most of the river from Flat Rock to way below 75. It was a nice little cruise. Lots of new trees in the water....tons of wildlife. If I had a gun, and it was legal, I could have made my Mom a mink coat. They were all over the place. Spent ~3 hours fishing. Got a few small mouth but no steel. Apparently I am the worst fisherman on the river since it appears several other people picked up fish. I refuse to post another message on this site about fishing until I start catching steel. I evidently have no value to offer anyone. Laughin - what a frickin cry baby eh?

Congrads on your fish guys. Nice to hear they are there and people are enjoyin the fishery.


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## fishineddie (Jun 15, 2004)

just got back from the huron,fished 2 spots, no fish, the waters going back up and it should be better later this week,it was way low on sunday but now its almost where it needs to be..the fish are getting active, flopping around and what not..the splashes were pretty loud like a kid jumped in the water...lots and lots of minnows everywhere.. or are they shad?


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

More than likely they are shad. Has anyone been to the dam? I'm just curious if the dam is loaded with shad. If it is then it's really time to be fishing the Huron.


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## MI_STEELHEAD (Jan 20, 2005)

There are so many shad you can run across them at the park. millions. 



I saw several small shad jumping up and down the whole river. That could be what you saw if they were small. 



Several of the large jumping fish were suckers. I saw 4 or so of these large fish and their splashes. I did not see 1 silver side out of the jumpin out of water but I missed a lot of the splashes. I am hopeful the rest were steel. ;-)



I know ~6 people who have hit the river almost everyday this week. There hasnt been very much success based on the time spent "searchin" for them. As you know, any new day could be different and I am ready to start reading your posts of multiple fish days. 



Good luck all. If it is not "on" by this weekend....it should be real soon. A little rain tonight and tomorrow morn shouldn't hurt things. Also for M, T, and W of next week rain is scheduled (from weather.com). The good news is the fishing should be good and we can make more noise in our blinds without be detected. The bad news, my blaze hunting gear isn't water proof....it is just water resistant....prob wasn't the best place to save a buck...pun intended.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

What's the temp?


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

I went by the coffer in town on Sunday, the water was black
with shad and the seagulls were having an early thanksgivving.
Also the big yearly leaf drop occurred Sunday with the annual
big wind that seems to always hit about now,when every cast is a leaf and almost impossible to fish. 
Caught my first steel of the year that day, along with one 23" eye, was my second day out for the year on the huron.
I caught the fish...ummmmmm....*notintown. lol *

Personally I expect the water to change depth at leaast up and down
a foot during some part of each day for the next couple weeks,
It's the same on any river with several hydroelectric dams.
Not sure but I believe the term is called peeking.

Was out by Kent last night and it was down only 10 inches so far,
whoever is doing it this year is doing it reeeel slowwwww.
22 to 26 inches to go with Portage dumping, some around the 
22.
There calling for a big downpour tonight into tommorrow morning,
Would be perfect timing IMO, if the fortunetellers are right this time.

Mattt


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## TroutAngler86 (Nov 6, 2005)

Nice walleye you got. May I ask what you were using? and How big was your steelhead?


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

TroutAngler86 said:


> Nice walleye you got. May I ask what you were using? and How big was your steelhead?


Thanks TA... The steelhead was only 24" male with one adipose clipped,
but was my first for the fall,
"Man...I almost forgot the power they have"..just like a drug...
now I need another. lol..

Both came casting from shore on #4 Mepps, which I modified for the river with a ring and a single red hook.

Mattt


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## Downriver Steel (Sep 15, 2005)

The water is so Fu**in low I am really pissed. The water was doing well on Saturday and I seen 3 or 4 steelies surface and landed one. Now it has went totally down the tubes. There are millions of shad everywhere. You could see them making hundreds of little splashes everywhere on the river. Fishing will be slow if we dont get rain or more water from upstream. Pray for rain if you want steel.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Don't expect too much. There was another jump at Kent Lake but looks like it was temporary (yesterday) and the river is now running at their average flows which means we won't see much more water unless it comes from the sky.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mi/nwis/current/?type=flow

I don't see them dropping Kent Lake much more and last bit of water they did release is in Ann Arbor right now. You'll see it in a day or two and it's not much. Let's hope Belleville still needs to be dropped along with Ford Lake. If not you can pretty much hope it snows to raise water levels.:sad:


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## fishineddie (Jun 15, 2004)

i fished the same spot on sunday and today...sunday the water was really low today it was back up at least a foot... it needs about another foot and it should get good..the fish i seen flopping around was a steelhead un less it was a really silver sucker:lol:


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2005)

They opened all the gates on the Barton dam in the past couple days and today when I was by the Argo dam the alarm went off and they opened the gates there as well. Water clarity went down since they opened the gates so there is some water moving that way and it will get there eventually I guess.


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

Went by the Kent lake dam this afternoon after hunting and it
is still blasting. Once they start lowering it, they will not stop until it is 32 to 36 inches without fail.
Only down 11 inches so far.
Like I said before, each impoundment with a hydroelectic dam are
going to take full advantage of it and hold the water back a bit to 
maximize making tricity.
We really needed the big rain over the last week in order
to give us the big flush.

But from what I seen on the weekend there seems to
be a few fresh fish in the river at this point, enough to 
make it worth the trip for me.

Mattt


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2005)

Looks like a good line of weather developing to the west right now and probably a second line behind that. Might be kinda nasty tonight. We need the rain I just hope it isn't destructive, it's gonna be windy again tomorrow for sure.


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

Had a decent downpour last night along with more coming tonight.
I also called the WCDC and found out the exact dates of Portage/Baseline
lowering.
12 to 15 inches from the 11th thru the 18th.
I guess I'll be in my usual spot Thanksgiving morning.

Am going out this afternoon with my better half to give it a try.

Mattt


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I woke up during the night and we were getting the rain pretty good. I also checked the flows this morning and saw they spiked again and seemed to be leveling off.

I hope you are right about that water coming down from the top. I have most of next week off and if I bag my deer early enough I intend on spending a few days down there.


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

Me and my better half didn't make it down there until 5 pm.
Water was on the rise and we had a good 15 minutes
that made it worth the 25 minute drive.
Went 2 for 3 in those 15 minutes before darkness set in.
Both were 24 inch males and the 3rd looked to be the same.
Of the 2 that were landed, 1 was clipped.
All caught on the same exact lure, one of the 4 standards I know of
for the huron.
It was her first steel of the year, so it was great.

Gunrod
Portage/Baseline is controlled by the Washtenaw County drain commission. 
1-734-994-2525

Although the Kent lake dam sits on the state park side, it is controlled
by Kensington Metropark.
If you call them, the lady at the desk is clueless, ask for the 
Maintenance Supervisor.
1-800-477-3178

These are the only ones on the Huron that I know that drop lake levels
for the winter.
Belleville used to, but not in a few years now.

Mattt


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