# End of December



## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

With everything locked up, I feel a report is “safe” lol. Last week of December was okay fishing. Me and a couple of my buddies had some fun in the NE. Just basic fishing, bobbers/spawnbags. It’s been pretty strange this later season, but you make do.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

I had about a half dozen skunks between Christmas and new years fishing with spinners and jointed Rapalas. Let that be a lesson for those who are still learning. You're better off bumping the fish in the nose with something that has scent then offering them something to chase or slash at in cold temperatures.


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## TroutFishingBear (Aug 31, 2007)

PunyTrout said:


> I had about a half dozen skunks between Christmas and new years fishing with spinners and jointed Rapalas. Let that be a lesson for those who are still learning. You're better off bumping the fish in the nose with something that has scent then offering them something to chase or slash at in cold temperatures.


Usually but not always the case. If you strike out with spawn all day chuck a flashy lure out there.
Great fish AU sable.good to see a couple brown trout as well.


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## Vicious Fishous (Sep 12, 2006)

Nice fish. As always, Thanks for the report and fish porn. I have to ask, where’s all the Atlantic salmon pics?


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Vicious Fishous said:


> Nice fish. As always, Thanks for the report and fish porn. I have to ask, where’s all the Atlantic salmon pics?


I stopped going after them over a month ago. They took a beating this fall with more pressure than ever on them. People flossing, snagging, boats and guides beating on the same fish in the same section day after day was a turnoff. Guides are all over them, many of whom never fished NE previously, but hey…the resource is for making money right??

I’ve honestly tired of the steelhead scene statewide, as well as increasingly up and down runs. I’m really thinking about taking a break for a few years, despite being my favorite fish. It’s just not that fun anymore. Salmon will be 100% skipped, especially after the pathetic run where I fished.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Thanks for the report, AS. I was able to get out a couple days last week to end, and start the years. I only found fish in 1 spot, after getting blanked in a handful of spots I normally get bit. But I had 4 bites Friday, with 2 Skips landed (yes, I said Skippers, lol). And I lost 2 big fish Friday, and 1 big fish Saturday. The first time I hooked it, I was floating spawn, and had a circle hook on - leftover from when I ran out of regular hooks last fall. I think I probably didn't actually sting the fish, and it just bit a different color bag on the next drift. 2nd drift I broke it off. Saturday I broke it off *again!* Each time I hooked the big fish, it was probably close to 50 yards downstream. Each time it came up thrashing, and it was pulling hard. I would guess it at least 12#. I had 17/10/8 for my float rig, and I don't like using light tackle for Steelhead - specifically because I hate breaking them off. I won't get up there again for a while, but will have nice Steelhead dreams until then. My waders, and boat were frozen when I wrapped up, Saturday.


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## Krystalflash (Nov 26, 2021)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I stopped going after them over a month ago. They took a beating this fall with more pressure than ever on them. People flossing, snagging, boats and guides beating on the same fish in the same section day after day was a turnoff. Guides are all over them, many of whom never fished NE previously, but hey…the resource is for making money right??
> 
> I’ve honestly tired of the steelhead scene statewide, as well as increasingly up and down runs. I’m really thinking about taking a break for a few years, despite being my favorite fish. It’s just not that fun anymore. Salmon will be 100% skipped, especially after the pathetic run where I fished.


Pathetic where I fish as well, I’m not giving up….however I did decide to sell off 80% of my set ups. 5 centerpin rods, 3 bouncing rods, 3 centerpin reels. Not replacing either, just cant justify that amount $ when the fishery had collapsed like it has. Took the revenue and bought new flooring for the majority of the house. Ill keep one low end centerpin rig, and a rig to bounce along with some shorter stuff for eyes. Was going to use some of the money on a Kingpin. Decided not to, so few fish its not going to matter…high end stuff wont change a thing. So there’s a sale the local tackle store won’t get…won’t need anything else either..maybe some fresh line, that’s about it. No fish…I’m sure the tackle store will fill the gap selling jigs and plastics…no shortage of eyes in the system. Filled the utility sink to clean the floor before I put the underpayment down, came back and there was 16“ walleye that must came up through the drain…their everywhere. Lol


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## UPEsox (Feb 2, 2018)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I stopped going after them over a month ago. They took a beating this fall with more pressure than ever on them. People flossing, snagging, boats and guides beating on the same fish in the same section day after day was a turnoff. Guides are all over them, many of whom never fished NE previously, but hey…the resource is for making money right??
> 
> I’ve honestly tired of the steelhead scene statewide, as well as increasingly up and down runs. I’m really thinking about taking a break for a few years, despite being my favorite fish. It’s just not that fun anymore. Salmon will be 100% skipped, especially after the pathetic run where I fished.


Come on over to the North Shore of MN, or South Shore here in WI where the fishing is half as good as the lower and twice as crowded. 

Nice fish. You must have a staggering amount of slime on your hands because giving up on these fish seems way crazier than fishing for them in November/December


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

UPEsox said:


> Come on over to the North Shore of MN, or South Shore here in WI where the fishing is half as good as the lower and twice as crowded.
> 
> Nice fish. You must have a staggering amount of slime on your hands because giving up on these fish seems way crazier than fishing for them in November/December


I wouldn’t call me much more than a decent steelheader, but I’ve been around long enough to say I’ve landed lots of them all around the state(except SE/SW). It’s just gotten commercialized and it’s not as enjoyable as it used to be.

Covid really changed the East side IMO, as guys who normally wouldn’t have fished there, found out that it’s actually pretty decent fishing and now even some lesser fished areas are consistently hit.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I saw 4 other boats on the lower half of the Ausable, last Friday. One of them was the only other boat I saw in the same stretch, Saturday. I did see a couple spots where a few Atlantics were still spawning. I haven't fished the other NE rivers I know, much, in the last 8-10 years. The Ausable is real convenient for me. I should wander around more.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Hey some people just get wore out of the same old routine, especially when you’ve done something so long. I’ve seen couple old timers just lost the fire of their past activities, sports, outdoors, whatever that drives a person. My neighbor was huge hunter, like everything from mountain goats to African safari’s,probably 100 plus mounts type guy. Recently now just lost almost all drive and it’s not his health. He’ll hunt with his son a few occasions about it because it’s his son.
At some point us “junkies” are programmed and just do, kinda like clock work. That can grow old…..
It’s not a bad thing to give things a break if that negative feeling hits you, whatever it is. So many different things to enjoy life so try something new and if the spark is still there then time will tell. Hopefully what drives me to fish stays there for long time.
No doubt Covid was hard on ton of fisheries. I’ve noticed crowds are little less then last year, by me at least, but overall more foot traffic where you’d never see many people. I can imagine the people chasing the Atlantic’s. Honestly sounds overrated, yeah cool fish but for the dollars is kinda wasteful unless more accessible rivers had them. At least they bite in rivers, darn harbor unicorns when they get caught!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

nighttime said:


> Hey some people just get wore out of the same old routine, especially when you’ve done something so long. I’ve seen couple old timers just lost the fire of their past activities, sports, outdoors, whatever that drives a person. My neighbor was huge hunter, like everything from mountain goats to African safari’s,probably 100 plus mounts type guy. Recently now just lost almost all drive and it’s not his health. He’ll hunt with his son a few occasions about it because it’s his son.
> At some point us “junkies” are programmed and just do, kinda like clock work. That can grow old…..
> It’s not a bad thing to give things a break if that negative feeling hits you, whatever it is. So many different things to enjoy life so try something new and if the spark is still there then time will tell. Hopefully what drives me to fish stays there for long time.
> No doubt Covid was hard on ton of fisheries. I’ve noticed crowds are little less then last year, by me at least, but overall more foot traffic where you’d never see many people. I can imagine the people chasing the Atlantic’s. Honestly sounds overrated, yeah cool fish but for the dollars is kinda wasteful unless more accessible rivers had them. At least they bite in rivers, darn harbor unicorns when they get caught!


Atlantic’s thrive in the Au Sable and Thunder Bay rivers. They return great to the Thumb as well, but without flow, they don’t go. That’s why coho work better there. I’ve fished coho in still water that are still bitey. Best bait is dressed jig with wax. Twitch the bobber until it goes.

I don’t mind people targeting Atlantic’s, but I tire of the same unskilled ******** that pollutes any lake-run fishery; flossing and snagging. Same guys keeping a limit everyday. Guys keeping a fouled fish just to “get that limit”. Keeping a limit stopped being cool 15 years ago for me. There is no reason nor excuse for any of that in 2022. You don’t know any better? BS, the internet is right in front of you idiot.

Boats are even worse. They’ll anchor right across from people fishing and/or motor up and down repeatedly looking for fish. You’re in a boat and yet, choose to fish popular bank access areas?? When I’m in buddies’ boats, we fish several areas for them; why wouldn’t we?


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Atlantic’s thrive in the Au Sable and Thunder Bay rivers. They return great to the Thumb as well, but without flow, they don’t go. That’s why coho work better there. I’ve fished coho in still water that are still bitey. Best bait is dressed jig with wax. Twitch the bobber until it goes.
> 
> I don’t mind people targeting Atlantic’s, but I tire of the same unskilled ****** that pollutes any lake-run fishery; flossing and snagging. Same guys keeping a limit everyday. Guys keeping a fouled fish just to “get that limit”. Keeping a limit stopped being cool 15 years ago for me. There is no reason nor excuse for any of that in 2022. You don’t know any better? BS, the internet is right in front of you idiot.
> 
> Boats are even worse. They’ll anchor right across from people fishing and/or motor up and down repeatedly looking for fish. You’re in a boat and yet, choose to fish popular bank access areas?? When I’m in buddies’ boats, we fish several areas for them; why wouldn’t we?


Hey man I feel your pain and it can get ugly. Definitely Atlantic’s do ok in the AS but anything north get to be far reach for most. Really wish they just do coho in southern ports and shoot maybe put some in by me but dnr looks the other way on that question. As far as people just move out that location/ river to the dude run leaves, but knowingly those people will be back year after year, just adjust what you do. Only limits I keep are walleye, love perch but I just don’t fish for them, never ate Atlantic from the lakes but rather not do it when fish are spawning, something about beat up river fish that turns my taste buds off.


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## TheChromologist (Oct 17, 2021)

ausable_steelhead said:


> With everything locked up, I feel a report is “safe” lol. Last week of December was okay fishing. Me and a couple of my buddies had some fun in the NE. Just basic fishing, bobbers/spawnbags. It’s been pretty strange this later season, but you make do.
> 
> View attachment 809166
> 
> ...


a few more notables from that last little bite before the Arctic happened. *See*


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

TheChromologist said:


> a few more notables from that last little bite before the Arctic happened. *See*


Off my thread heathen!


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## motoscoota (Mar 9, 2021)

Thanks for the report. The color variations are great to see😁👍.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I’ve honestly tired of the steelhead scene statewide, as well as increasingly up and down runs. I’m really thinking about taking a break for a few years, despite being my favorite fish. It’s just not that fun anymore. Salmon will be 100% skipped, especially after the pathetic run where I fished.


My season was short and I didn't get out nearly as much as I would have liked. The times that I got out were good though. No bad trips. Fishing was maybe the only decent thing about 2021. I really enjoyed the times I was able to get out.
Been fishing for walleyes more. I really like to eat them. Steelhead are my favorite fish to catch, but the older I get the more I like to catch fish that I like to eat. Steelhead are great to eat every now and then, but I never seem to get tired of eating walleyes. 

I'll be surprised if you skip the Salmon run altogether next fall. But hey if you aren't having fun dont do it. Lifes to short.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I started fishing for Kings shortly after they started returning to MI rivers. I still do a half-hearted (for me) excursion @ Rogers City each fall. But I don't actively pursue Kings, aside from that. Sure they pull hard, but once they hit the rivers, you have to find the right window where they'll bite. I get all the loose eggs I need for Steelhead fishing from bumming eggs from other people. Everyone can catch more Kings than I can, lol. And I almost never fish for Spring Steelhead, aside from a morning river-ride @ Memorial Day weekend. But the fall rockets are my favorite fish to pursue. They just bite so much better, and they are so _quick_ when fighting. 

And I'm like Erik. As I have gotten older, I spend more time chasing Walleyes. They are fun to catch, are fairly simple to target, and are great eating. And I pretty much start chasing them right around the time the spring Steelhead spawn is peaking, and the rivers are being flogged to death. I used to do spring jigging for Eyes, too. But it got to be more of a hit-or-miss game, with ridiculous wait times to launch on the Detroit River. Waiting 30 minutes to launch @ Erie is better than waiting 2 hours to launch on the river. I fish Erie til around the end of June, then take the boat to our cabin, where Augres is an easy 40 minute drive. 

It is a lot easier for me to take 2 other "semi-fishermen" out for Walleyes, than to take them out for Steelhead.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I saw that the flow dropped to 742 cfs the other day. Back up to 1050 this morning. The cold spelling coming will mean the damn (pun intended) Operators will be shutting down the flow to very low levels. There are going to be ice jams in town with these highly variable flows, and some real cold spells. Once that happens, no boating for a while, unless you launch at Rea Rd, or the Whirlpool is open.


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