# lower mio



## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

I just got back from opening day in mio, we left late friday to fish for the day on saterday. We got in to mio saterday morning around 11:00 o'clock and went to the m-33 roadside park WOW there was at least 30 or so car's in the paring lot(anybody else remember a few years ago when everybody fished grayling and you didnt have that much company in mio....just wondered) so we decided to float a section down lower,we luanched at mckenely and floated for about 5-6 hours to the take out. The weather was pretty nice around 50 degrees a bit windy,the water was at a pretty good level and had just a little color to it but was still very fishable. We fished streamer's on sinking line's slapping them tight to structure,fished a beadhead nymph on a indicator, even put on a dry (just to enjoy casting more than anything) but the only thing i saw all day was about a 12" rainbow that slashed at a conehead strip leech i was pulling.

There were no flies hatching in this section yesterday that i saw but i heard some BWO's had started in grayling.

All in all it was a slow day of fishing but it was really great to get the boat in the water give a pull on the oar's and start another season of trout fishing on the au sable. Hope everyone else enjoyed there opener as well.

Next weekend it's the au sable for steelie's (hoping to meet some of you guys for the get together) the weekend after it's back for more steelie's on the au sable,the next one it's the grand river in canada(maybe well cross the border with a 3x5' american flag wavin   so it's gonna be a good year, lot's o fishin....

STEELDRIFTER


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Almost forgot,when crossed the rifle in omer there wasnt anyone fishing for sucker's. I dont fish for them but didnt know if this would help anyone who thought about tryin there,dont know if the suckers are gone or what but usally that place is packed when we go over.

STEELDRIFTER


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## quix20 (Jan 14, 2001)

steeldrifter, we launched from mckinley around 12 or so on sat. we were the only ones in the float boats that i saw. must be the only ones that anyone up there has ever seen, i had more questions about my boat sat. than i have in the two years i have owned it!! kinda funny


anyways, we didnt even see a fish. talked to a couple of guys who had said they had a 23 and an 18, but really didnt know whether to believe them or not.

went to a small river in the area on sunday. had one follow and a ton of suckers!! at least the weather was warmer on sunday than on sat.!!

i think from now on i am gonna stick to the west side of the state for fishing!! i never do any good on the east side!


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Quix20 we where launching at noon also, where there three of you guys in the pontoon style float boats , i think one was yellow. Just wondered cas i might have seen ya!

Yeah dont give up on that section just yet it get's better around the middle of may, and i also talked to a spin fisherman who got a brown around 20" he was in a canoe with a woman, and i saw the fish, it was NICE kinda made me feel bad. The wind made it a little hard at times didnt it.

STEELDRIFTER


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## Ladykiller (Jul 22, 2000)

You guys were wasting your time, the water was too cold for stripping streamers. We were going to do the same float but the water temps dictated otherwise. We opted to explore new water instead. Best method of the wknd, nymphs and streamers, with streamers being deaddrifted or a very light twitch. One 20" fish, two 21's, and others that were small to decent. Once the traffic picked up, fishing slowed way down. Temps ranged from 45 to 55 all wknd. With the bright sun, you had to be right on bottom or close to cover.


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## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

Thanks for the info guys. I just got a phonecall and will be fishing that stretch tomorrow. 

Looks like I'll take the new spinning rod and fish spinners and bottom bounce flys.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

ladykiller thanks for the advise ,but i did run beadheads deep in some holes to no avail, i have fished the other area's alot , mio-commin's , commin's-mckinley but just did not feel like dealing with the crowd's on those area's(i'll be doin that enough this weekend below foote)anyway glad to hear you did good,i'll be hittin those area's soon enough.


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## quix20 (Jan 14, 2001)

yup, that was us. one guy was in a yellow one, the other in a blue one and i was in my green renegade.

i fished mainly rapalas and spinners, but threw streamers a little. i didnt try any nymphs, though i wish i would have tried some emergers. there were some small hatches (very sporadic and short) not sure what they were, but they were there.

i wont give up on it, just dont know when i will get back. we stayed at one of the guys cabins, and he wants to go again, but has to wait for permission from his wife after our long weekend! though we did get a scoop on some smaller streams that we wished we would have known about sooner. oh well, such is life.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Yeah i saw the small hatches you where talkin about , i thought at first they might have been bwo but couldnt find one close enough to get a good look.

That was me launching the green/white hyde at the landing(white truck) as a matter of fact i think you guy's helped us get it up the hill on the trailer(i hate that hill) thanks alot for the hand hope to see ya again!


STEELDRIFTER


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

I have fished that water for years. From the opener until it closed. Opening weekend has never been decent. Like Tim mentioned, it doesn't wake up until the middle of may. Some of the wormdunkers do ok above the powerline, but below they are illegal. The Parmalee to Mio stretch seems to be more consistant in the early season, but it's a long float to Camp 10 and much of it is frog water.

Did you guys float to the 4001?


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

yep, we took out at 4001 bridge.......hey i fish the au sable on all its part's but the area you where talkin about,above mio,i've only floated that once last summer. When we floated it the water was really stained and if i remember it hadent even rained for like a week! plus we never even saw a fish. Now i know i've heard alot about that section and would like to try it again this spring(3 weeks?) dose the water clear up like the rest of the river or dose it carry more of a tint for some reason. (maybe we just hit it on a bad day)

i think if i remember we floated parmalee-whirlpool on cherry creek or somthin like that.

Thanks for any info Shoeman 

STEELDRIFTER


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

I'm not really sure why it has a deeper tone. It may be the influx of the Big Creek???

There are some real hogs in the stretches just above the pond. Some I never saw. Some pike inhabit those waters as well, but big browns are in the mix. The area above Parmalee has some real nice water as well. I used to launch at the bridge and motor up. Rainbow City. Some up to 4 pounds. If my dad wouldn't have been along, they would call me a liar.  

Never fished bugs in there. Mostly spinners and small body baits. One day I'll get back and strip that stretch.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Thanks Shoeman, i'll have to give that a try up from the bridge.

4 POUND RAINBOW'S  WOW! congrats on those man ,the biggest rainbow i,ve got out of the mio area so far was 17" i would love to get a rainbow that size. 


STEELDRIFTER


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## quix20 (Jan 14, 2001)

yup that was us that helped push the boat up the hill. why dont they put rollers there like they have at mckinely?? would make it much easier to get out, at least i would think.

i tried telling the guys i was with to get up above and fish mio, but they insisted on that stretch. one of the guys has fished there for years, and swears he catches alot (and i mean alot) of nice trout at 4001. he has only waded there before, this was his first float, and i think he is gonna get a float boat now just because of the eye opening experience it is to float after wading for so long.

ralf, i would never call you a liar. i have fished with you and seen what you catch compared to others!! now if i can just get some of that magic to rub off on me


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## Ladykiller (Jul 22, 2000)

You guys just needed to adjust your presentation, here is my personal best (21") for this past wknd:


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Wow, nice fish Tim

What it come on? Do I have it in my box?


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## Ladykiller (Jul 22, 2000)

$hoeman, you can have one of the$e flie$ in your box ... hint hint.


Just kidding, I'll email you a pic and a recipe and how to fish it.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Alright ladykiller now you got my attention so are you gonna elaborate or is it a big secret


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Thank$ Tim



If you want to float a Monday in the next month, let me know. I'm open except for Mother's Day Weekend. Name the place, I'll be there.


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## Ladykiller (Jul 22, 2000)

Since I am getting PM's and such on this, it's going to be kept a secret.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Can't blame ya there. 

Offer stands on the fishing trip. We don't have to got there.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Well ladykiller,when you tell people that they need to adjust their presentations and show them a nice brown like that whadya think,no one was gonna ask anything


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## Ladykiller (Jul 22, 2000)

Okay, here are your tips on what hindered your fishing guys:

1) The sun was out all wknd

2) The water temps were low

That should help you out alot on figuring things out.


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## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

thats a beauty, nice going!


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