# Oscoda ?



## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Anyone know if you can get out to the north pier?


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## slickdragger (Aug 5, 2014)

Yep boards are up


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## Bighunther (Jan 28, 2012)

Seems pretty do - able in a kayak


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

Bighunther said:


> Seems pretty do - able in a kayak


Not necessary... All you need is a big set of kahunas, impeccable balance, and sobriety on your side and all will be fine! Trust me, you don't want to attempt it after a few adult beverages... I've witnessed firsthand the aftermath of such an endeavor!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Bighunther said:


> Seems pretty do - able in a kayak


No fun in that :evil:. Walk that tight rope.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Go get'em Jon!


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## MapleRiverSalmon (Aug 19, 2007)

I once tied my back pack to a rope and drug it threw the water as I was making the treck with no boards, latrr to find in said backpack was my cell phone and camera. Oh well. Lol. Fish come first I guess.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

ausable_steelhead said:


> No fun in that :evil:. Walk that tight rope.


For sure the tightrope walk it is, but worth it as you know! Nice to get away from the crowds on the other side!


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Raylaser said:


> For sure the tightrope walk it is, but worth it as you know! Nice to get away from the crowds on the other side!


Until the wind shifts out of the N or NE. :yikes:


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

You got that right MFS!!!!! You've got to be weather-wary to fish that part of the pier or you will be swimming back to shore!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

mfs686 said:


> Until the wind shifts out of the N or NE. :yikes:


Oh yeah, been there and done that! Right now, with higher lake levels; better pick your days. Back to timing waves a lot more, like old times.

Always get that sense of anticipation climbing out to that pier. It has it's moments where it isn't happening, but more often than not...there's a bite to be had on the north. Sure miss all those fun nights casting for salmon and large walleye.


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## pikestalker (Dec 30, 2010)

Wow, we were there on Friday night on the south side and it was very windy. Walked all the way out to the end and there was only one person fishing. Could not imangine being on the north side.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

As Jon said, gotta pick your days when you venture out to that north "rock pile"!! And yes, do fondly remember the days when you could fish for salmon in Oscoda and actually catch decent numbers. Don't know that we'll ever see those days again. I'm glad for my memories but sad for my children and grandchildren that they may never have that chance. It was a tradition for me growing up and when I take my family there now it's a distant memory that they can't even imagine. They see the few fish caught here and there but as most of you know, nothing like it used to be back in the day.


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

It's definitely sad the decline Lake Huron has had in salmon. I remember when I was a youngster in the 90's even I would go to the river and there would be salmon every where. I read that article about the guy who introduced salmon to the great lakes and it said people would be lined up the shores on Lake Huron from Linwood to past Oscoda. Made sense why there is all those hotels, stores, and cottages along that drive.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Raylaser said:


> You got that right MFS!!!!! You've got to be weather-wary to fish that part of the pier or you will be swimming back to shore!


Thank God those concrete barriers are there. I've watched people hide behind them more than once. My Dad and I were out on the lake when the wind started to shift. By the time we got in the waves were coming over the north wall. We helped a few people get off the pier and onto shore. Pulled a boat that was pinned on the south wall rocks by the waves as well. 

Have to be careful.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

jmaddog8807 said:


> It's definitely sad the decline Lake Huron has had in salmon. I remember when I was a youngster in the 90's even I would go to the river and there would be salmon every where. I read that article about the guy who introduced salmon to the great lakes and it said people would be lined up the shores on Lake Huron from Linwood to past Oscoda. Made sense why there is all those hotels, stores, and cottages along that drive.


My Dad and I would spend the weekend in either Harrisville or Oscoda back in the late 70's and 80's. The parking lots would be overflowing and people would line the shore from Foote Dam all the way down. In the mid 80's my buddies and I would camp for a week at Harrisville state park labor day week and fish for salmon at night on the beach in the harbor. 

My Dad eventually retired and moved up to Oscoda only to have the fishery crash a few years later. 

Just a memory now.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

mfs686 said:


> Until the wind shifts out of the N or NE. :yikes:


Over the years I've seen the Coasties "save" a couple handfuls of people who got stranded on the north pier in bad weather. They have to come up from Tawas by boat, so by the time the anglers realize they are stuck, they have a long, wet, and usually cold wait for their rescue. It ain't no picnic for the Coasties, either. They have to drive up, rescue some hapless people, then drive back to Tawas - sometimes in the dark. 

I know you are experienced at this, Jon - very experienced. But this isn't something just anyone should try. 

I went out on the north pier one fall morning, with my wife. We launched a boat, drove out, and tethered it to a ladder on the inside of the pier. There were a couple guys out there, when we arrived. They were huddled up in the lee of one of the cement barriers, and sort of cuddled together. I asked when they went out, and they let us know they have been out there all night. It was apparent that they hadn't been fishing for a while. I offered them a ride to shore, which they declined. We got there at the crack of dawn, and they said they were just waiting for decent light before making their way off the pier. They took off right after we spoke, and I watched to make sure they got off safely, which they did. Weather kicked up, and we left after about an hour, and my wife had a tenuous time getting into the pitching boat from the pier ladder. She didn't want to go pier fishing anymore after that. By the time we left there were waves breaking over the pier. By the time we pulled the boat (maybe 20 minutes) it was completely unsafe on that pier.

You will be hard-pressed to find people launching to fish for Kings on the lake, out of Oscoda, anymore. I mean nobody is there. Saturday of Labor Day weekend last year had.......ZERO rigs in the parking lot. Very sad. There are still some Kings around, but not enough for anyone to target them.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

mfs686 said:


> My Dad and I would spend the weekend in either Harrisville or Oscoda back in the late 70's and 80's. The parking lots would be overflowing and people would line the shore from Foote Dam all the way down. In the mid 80's my buddies and I would camp for a week at Harrisville state park labor day week and fish for salmon at night on the beach in the harbor.
> 
> My Dad eventually retired and moved up to Oscoda only to have the fishery crash a few years later.
> 
> Just a memory now.


Hey MFS: I used to fish all up and down the East coast in the 70's and as you say it was elbow to elbow fishing in most places. We would fish the Au Sable from dam and work our way downstream over the course of a day and then fish all night at the Harrisville harbor next to the stream flowing down from the mill pond. Ahh, the memories but as you say, mostly memories now. I did catch a nice female Chinook at Harrisville last Fall but that was a rarity (especially for a wading guy with no boat).


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

Raylaser said:


> Hey MFS: I used to fish all up and down the East coast in the 70's and as you say it was elbow to elbow fishing in most places. We would fish the Au Sable from dam and work our way downstream over the course of a day and then fish all night at the Harrisville harbor next to the stream flowing down from the mill pond. Ahh, the memories but as you say, mostly memories now. I did catch a nice female Chinook at Harrisville last Fall but that was a rarity (especially for a wading guy with no boat).


Yeah those were the days....sitting on the beach all night. The silence broken by the sound of "FISH ON". Then the scream of a reels drag soon to be followed by the snap of the line and a very dis-heartening "Fish Off".

Having pizza delivered to the beach.

The sound of sinkers plunking aluminum boats that anchor to close to shore. 

Waders yelling back at the people on shore who cast to close to them. 

Waking up the fish cleaning guy at Keerl's at 4:00 am to clean fish.

Barbershop Quartet singers singing "Goodnight Ladies" every *&$% night. 

Slow nights praying for a NE wind.

Bavarian Inn Molasses cookies.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

Dude you and I must have been there at the same time ha, ha. I remember all those things exactly the way you do (even the cookies from the bakery). Of course those things were common no matter when you were there back in those days. I'm glad I had a chance to experience it for a few years before I joined the navy in the 70's. By the time I started back fishing that area in the late 80's it was already becoming a distant memory. I feel the worst for my kids and grandkids that won't get a chance to acquire the same memories that you and I were fortunate enough to have had. Good to reminisce with you about "The Good 'Ole Days!"


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