# south branch river



## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Has anyone ever fished the south branch river off rollaways rd near M-65. Its a small stream 20'-25' near my cabin and i have walked a small section of it before and fly fished it very lightly one time but have not ventured very far on it. With the labor day canoe hatch that will be on the Au Sable i was thinking of getting away from that and hitting a small stream. As i said i know where it is and that there's "supposed" to be browns in it but dont know anymore than that about it. If you want to email me instead of posting thats fine...

Thanks STEELDRIFTER [email protected]


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

This is a great little creek for.............chubs. You might find an occassional very small Brown Trout or Brookie, but I have not seen any Trout large enough or in numbers enough to fish for in there in decades. I have fished it for almost 40 years, and only go there for bait. It is a pretty little stream, though. It is actually a "drain" for Ausable Lake, and I used to find a Pike in it here and there. It was always fun to have a 20" Pike come flying out from an undercut bank and slam a small spinner I was throwing for Trouties and chubs. Didn't win many of those battles. It has been a long time since that happened as well.


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

I scouted and fished it for a whole day this summer. It suffers badly from Beaver damage. Nearly all of the shade trees bankside have been chewed down, and several dams are present. The last being only 50 yards upstream from the Au Sable.

Water temps were well into the seventies by mid July.

I agree it is a beautiful river, shame that it's to warm, good gradient, ample gravel etc.

Check your PM's!


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Knockoff64, I'm not so sure about those temps. I've been up and down South Branch stretch over a half dozen times this year and I have yet to see temperatures over 65 degrees. During the morning and evening this river is good. I have had plenty of nice sized trout in that river. But in the daytime there isn't a prayer for catching anything over 12" unless you have a cool overcast day. The SouthBranch has been colder than anyother river in the area according to my thermotimer. In one day in July I fished 4 local rivers, South Branch was far and away the coldest. I will agree that in the lower section there is some beaver damage. But the trout seem to hold in the cool deep waters above the beaver dams.


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

I guess I should give it another shot then.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Knockoff64 i am going to see how mio later in the day is and might go from there to houghton creek for saterday. Sunday i might still give the south branch a try if i do i'll shot ya a pm with what i find. Thanks for all the info guys,have a good labor day!

STEELDRIFTER


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I fished the South Branch River over the holiday weekend. A couple guys were leaving as I was arriving with my daughters, and they said they had caught a few small Rainbows - which is odd, since I have never caught a Rainbow there. I asked about chubs, and they said they hadn't caught any in 4-5 hours of fishing.
We caught 2 dozen chubs and sucker minnows in about an hour and a half, and Monday we caught 13 Bass with those baitfish - in an unnamed lake nearby.

We never touched a Trout, and were fishing just before dark. I seriously doubt if there is a hole in the stream deeper than 4 feet, and maybe nothing deeper than 3 feet.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

I didnt get a chance to try it this past weekend......

I was just reading about it though,in michigan trout streams....says there are browns to 13" and larger.....hummmmm!
Ethier there is a better section than the one i fished last year or someone isnt telling the truth


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

There must be better sections. Because I have caught numerous ones around 12". I have had on a couple of ones bigger than 16". You have to get off the path a little. There are some holes in there too. I know of several places where there is good cover and holes deeper that 4'.


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## Ausable Junkie (Oct 2, 2002)

Sounds like some of you's might be talking about different 
rivers here fellas. 

There's the South Branch OF the Au Sable, and then there's
the South Branch River that dumps into the Ausable.

Not the same, they about 50 miles apart.

"lots of good sized trout", and "holes over 4' deep" sounds
like the Branch OF the ausable.

LIke said by another, the South Branch river holds next to no 
fish. I have seen a bunch of freshly planted rainbows (planted at alcona dam) end up in the South branch river but they didnt stay too long.

I've been told by old timers that the south branch river was
certified as a blue ribbon trout stream.... in the 1940's when 
regular planting and good habitat still existed.

hope this clears things up a bit, if not, i tried. 
Good luck!

Steeldrifter, ur cabin must be a stones-throw away from my 
house. I live off of m-65 on a road just past the bear store!

Au Sable Junkie


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

The largest Trout I have caught in the South Branch river was an 11" Brookie, and that was over 30 years ago. There are plenty of sucker minnows and chubs for Bass or Pike fishing, but really not very many Trout. 
If someone knows where there are plenty of holes deeper than 3 feet, they should keep it quiet. I have literally walked the lowest 6-8 miles of river before, and haven't seen anything deeper than that. 
My parent's cabin is on Jose Lake, and I have been fishing this stream for almost my entire life. Used to get a decent run of Redhorse Suckers in Spring - and they were fun. They don't run any longer.

Now the South Branch of the Ausable is another matter. Short fly rods are the order for that )


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