# Looking for some NE side fishing reports please.



## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

My daughter and I will be heading north in the next couple of weeks and was hoping we still have a chance at some Lake Huron fish from Oscoda north to Alpena. We've got our daddy/daughter fishing camping weekend coming up! 

Would particulary be interested if anyone would share/PM us any info for the Harrisville/Black River area. 

Paperboy? Capt Heavy? Wyldkat? You guys out there? Please PM me when you can! 

Thanks in advance!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I fished the next major river north of Oscoda last weekend, and never had a fish on. Saw a few roll, but no hookups. I used skein floated in slow water, and had a few nibbles, but they seemed likely to be little fish since none of them would commit. VERY low water - almost no flow. I have never seen so few Salmon in that river at this time of year. Ever. 
Also fished Swan Bay with a group of guys for 3 days. 5 years ago the same group landed 100 Kings in 2 weekends. We combined everyone into a single 4-day weekend, and landed 6 Kings this year. Pretty sad. I recommend that you go west if you want to find Kings and Steelhead. Things aren't looking good for Huron tribs.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I just fished the Au Sable and we landed 8 kings. A lot are colored up and around gravel. I did get one beautiful, thick chrome hen around 15-16lbs. She was easily the nicest king I've caught from the East side in a few years. Most were 8-12lbs or so, but we hooked a few that were good fish. Swinging small cranks at night hooked the most, with some coming on bags. Overall numbers were light, although in the areas with fish around, they were very fishable. I also lost what looked like a smaller steelhead, maybe 4-5lbs. The river was very low and crystal clear, pressure was light.


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## TJHUNTER (Oct 18, 2007)

nice!


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## Paperboy 1 (Aug 7, 2008)

Burk buddy...Call Jeff. He's done with work in 2 weeks so he will be freed up. (maybe) Rhonda had the baby. Healthy boy. Already up to 12 lbs.!!:yikes:

Well Jeff isn't a small boy either! :lol: Bring your yacht and we'll go over to Hubbard for some perch.

The harbor has been doing rather well. Heard good and slow reports. The slow report people are snagging. The bait and lure people are actually doing better. Call me. Paul


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## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

ausable_steelhead said:


> The river was very low and crystal clear, pressure was light.
> ]
> 
> A.S.- River conditions you describe may have answered my question but I don't know what the status is with Consumers and trying to fix the flow problem on that river. Do you have an update on that situation?


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Consumers operates many power generating dams in our State, including Foote dam. They cannot shut the flow off, but they sometimes raise and lower it more quickly, or greatly than should be done.  Overall the river flows. Could flows be betters? Sure. But they can't really pass water that isn't coming downstream without seriously affecting the backwaters of the dams. It is worth noting that it has been very dry for the last 2 months, so almost all rivers are low and clear. 

I will add that, back when there were great runs of Salmon up the Ausable, the 3rd week of October was the peak of the run. Every year. And Steelhead used to show up around the last week of September, and by the 3rd week of October, there were plenty of them around to fish for. I used to take that week for vacation every year, and always got fresh spawn, and always caught a pile of Steelhead. These days are a slim shadow of the old days, but there are still fish around, if you know where to look, and how to fish. It just takes a lot more work to get into halfway decent numbers. But they are still fun to catch.


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## rwenglish1 (Jan 6, 2007)

Fishndude said:


> Consumers operates many power generating dams in our State, including Foote dam. They cannot shut the flow off, but they sometimes raise and lower it more quickly, or greatly than should be done. Overall the river flows. Could flows be betters? Sure. But they can't really pass water that isn't coming downstream without seriously affecting the backwaters of the dams. It is worth noting that it has been very dry for the last 2 months, so almost all rivers are low and clear.
> 
> I will add that, back when there were great runs of Salmon up the Ausable, the 3rd week of October was the peak of the run. Every year. And Steelhead used to show up around the last week of September, and by the 3rd week of October, there were plenty of them around to fish for. I used to take that week for vacation every year, and always got fresh spawn, and always caught a pile of Steelhead. These days are a slim shadow of the old days, but there are still fish around, if you know where to look, and how to fish. It just takes a lot more work to get into halfway decent numbers. But they are still fun to catch.


Thanks for the update fishndude, I was there today, this morning. I went up to the Foote Damn and wanted to go down stream some, but the water was so low, I was afraid after drifting downstream my motor would hit too many logs on the way back to the boat ramp. I seen plenty of dead salmon saw some that did not know they were dead yet. I seen some steelhead also. I had some salmon look at my presentation, but that river is still kicking my butt. I can see the fish, but for the life of me, cannot get them to bite. 

But, it was a beautiful day with the fall leaf colors reflectiong on the water, and the water is crystal clear and you could see right to the bottom, not good. If we could get some rains or get some water released it would be nice.

As I drove 129 miles back home I kind of thought, I won't be back, but I don't want that river to think I am a quiter, I can find the fish and see them come out of holes and go back in holes and follow my presentation, but I am starting my second year on that river and I am starting to wonder if I should take up bowling.
rw


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## AftertheSteel (Dec 10, 2008)

If you did that .... I would call you a quiter :evilsmile you have put in too much time that is essential to that river to give up. I fished on foot for a whole year and hiked till my legs gave out... and then some, before I started to get regular hook ups, and I wouldnt even begin to think I have figured out how the chromers use the system yet.

Keep at it and hopefully I will see you down there when it gets too cold for the weak hearted !!!

Kyle


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Paperboy 1 said:


> Burk buddy...Call Jeff. He's done with work in 2 weeks so he will be freed up. (maybe) Rhonda had the baby. Healthy boy. Already up to 12 lbs.!!:yikes:
> 
> Well Jeff isn't a small boy either! :lol: Bring your yacht and we'll go over to Hubbard for some perch.
> 
> The harbor has been doing rather well. Heard good and slow reports. The slow report people are snagging. The bait and lure people are actually doing better. Call me. Paul


Thanks Paul, Sound good! I'll get a hold of you soon.

My Yacht! Wow, you people in HV are easily impressed! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I think I told about my Mom, it ended up that the trusty old 16" Four Winns never made it out the garage this year. :sad: Mom's doing better and hopefully she and boat will see some water time next year!


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Burksee, if you want to go north of Alpena, there are salmon in the Cheboygan Co rivers and there are some offshore steelhead in the St Ignace area. I got a nice steelhead this am and lost two others surf fishing. If you might be interested send me a pm.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Hey, RWenglish1. The water flow today looks pretty decent, but there is always the possibility of bottoming your motor in places on that river. Last weekend the flows were horrible, at around 800 cfs. Used to be around 1200 at normal flow, years ago. Also used to get kind of a murky green color after any rain, but that hasn't happened in many years. 

Salmon often don't bite well once they are well into a river to spawn. Steelhead in the Fall often bite VERY well, and if there are enough Salmon spawning to get eggs rolling, then eggs are the ticket - or egg imitations. 
I have an exploratory trip scheduled in a few weeks, to see if any decent numbers of Steelhead have made it into the river. I have high hopes, but low expectations.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> I have an exploratory trip scheduled in a few weeks, to see if any decent numbers of Steelhead have made it into the river


I'll be up for a couple days Breck, 10-26/27, and will fill ya in on what I find. If this was 5-6 years ago, I know I'd be good for a limit each day from the bank, at the very least; anymore it's a crapshoot. Still ready to hit the Sandy, had fun hooking some kings last week; without a soul around.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

We always used to go to the Ausable on the 2nd and 3rd weeks of October. I used to catch fish right up at the dam. Gold spoons, thrown straight across and allowed to wobble across the current worked very well for me. With the low flow though, you would probably have to crank them to keep them from just going to the bottom and laying there. Maybe I was flossing the fish. It's hard to tell, but the ones I hooked in the mouth were normally healthy looking fish and some of them did a nice tail dance for me.

I haven't been up there for salmon in many years. For Steelhead, Wobble Glows worked very well for me, as well Cleos, skein, spawn, spinners. and a 1/8 oz. maribou jig under a float. Those are a few options. I avoid deep crankbaits, like Hot'nTots, while wading because of all the wood. That's a problem with Wobble Glows too, but they are much cheaper. The last Steelie I hooked up there was on a Chartreuse Wobble Glow. He/she left the lure in a log and went jumping merrily downstream :sad: That was my last Wobble Glow [you do lose some]. I had to change to other lures, but had no more luck that day.


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