# AuSable Nostalgia



## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

I was scanning some of my old pictures before they get totally ruined and came across some of the Mighty AuSable from years back. I thought some of you might enjoy them, and PLEASE, if you have some...share them with us.
Remember the old snagging days up at the dam? It was INSANE....




And of days of fishing from the 14-foot boat just outside the pierheads...


And a quieter time on the river...


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Those are some cool pics man! I've always wondered what the "good ole days" looked like. When were these taken? The crowds look ridiculous, but man, there was some WATER flowing in that river back then! There's even a couple rippers hooked up in the spill:lol:. Too bad you didn't have some pics of the kings back then.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

autumnlovr said:


> Remember the old snagging days up at the dam? It was INSANE....


Check out the guy wearing a green hard hat....Yes, it was that bad.:lol:

Then there's the guy with the cowboy hat.......they came all the way from Texas to fish there. Yeeee Ha, there's Salmon in them there waters


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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Those are some cool pics man! I've always wondered what the "good ole days" looked like. When were these taken? The crowds look ridiculous, but man, there was some WATER flowing in that river back then! There's even a couple rippers hooked up in the spill:lol:. Too bad you didn't have some pics of the kings back then.


That had to be around the early 80's (during the Urban Cowboy craze)....the guy in the plaid & cowboy hat is my old man & the other cowboy hat is a guy from the band he used to be roady for. He WAS from Texas, by way of Madison Heights (better known as MadisonTucky). 

I might have some pics of kings, I've just gotten thru the first batch of photo albums and I KNOW I've taken many more pics of the river and her bounty. When I find more, I'll add them to the thread. I'm pretty sure I've got some from drift-boating for slam-dunking steelies somewhere........


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## deepwoods (Nov 18, 2002)

AuSable in the winter time.








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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

deepwoods said:


> AuSable in the winter time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm not sure I recognize that spot...is that from the Foote pond side of the dam on the north side of the river?


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## deepwoods (Nov 18, 2002)

autumnlovr said:


> I'm not sure I recognize that spot...is that from the Foote pond side of the dam on the north side of the river?


That is above the Loud.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

autumnlovr said:


> the guy in the plaid & cowboy hat is my old man & the other cowboy hat is a guy from the band he used to be roady for. He WAS from Texas, by way of Madison Heights (better known as MadisonTucky).


:tdo12:Oooops!!... Open mouth insert foot......I was just kidding around, no offense intended.


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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

Slodrift said:


> :tdo12:Oooops!!... Open mouth insert foot......I was just kidding around, no offense intended.


None taken.....we all go through some different "phases" in our lives, don't we? I bet there's a few guys on this forum who would turn 15 shades of red if someone posted a pic of their big hair from the 80's or the polyester leisure suit from the 70's...etc. In fact, that might be a good idea for a thread.....post a picture of yourself when you were approximately 18 years old. I bet it'd be a REAL HOOT!


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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

deepwoods said:


> That is above the Loud.


Very beautiful pic. Was I at least correct guessing the north side of the river?


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## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

autumnlovr said:


> None taken.....we all go through some different "phases" in our lives, don't we? I bet there's a few guys on this forum who would turn 15 shades of red if someone posted a pic of their big hair from the 80's or the polyester leisure suit from the 70's...etc. In fact, that might be a good idea for a thread.....post a picture of yourself when you were approximately 18 years old. I bet it'd be a REAL HOOT!



Let's NOT post pics of 80's hair please. I have enough nightmares from my own album on that...


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

>


In this pick it looks like there's another set of stairs or did you take it from the coffer? Man, I can't believe how mobbed the guys are! That would be so dangerous, it's not even funny. I bet alot of fall steelhead and skams got ripped back then:sad:.



>


This pic looks like down by the BH, the river has awesome flow. That first photo with your Husband looks like he's drinking a cold one and enjoying the Circus:lol:.


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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

Yep, there used to be a 2nd set of stairs. If you walked from the parking lot down the stairs nearest the dam...then turned right & started down the stairs by the coffer and stopped....the 2nd pic is the view straight ahead. Then, if you went down close to bent fence pole area and turned towards the coffer, that would be the view in the 1st pic.
You're probably right about the cold one, kinda looks like a PBR to me. If you checked my back pocket, you'd probably have found a pint of blackberry brandy. That might have been the day I had to go up to the truck & get a pair of side-cutters to remove a treble-hook from a guy's belly. He was eternally grateful that a lady owned tools. We even disinfected the area with a little brandy. We referred to these crowds as "arsehole-to-elbow" crowds.
I'm pretty sure the pic of my hubby by the tree is on the north side of the river. If you parked in the lot below Rea Rd bridge and walked past the boat launch area, up around the bend, there were a few good spots before you got to the flats.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> That might have been the day I had to go up to the truck & get a pair of side-cutters to remove a treble-hook from a guy's belly. *He was eternally grateful that a lady owned tools*.


More like *internally* grateful:lol:!

Yeah, from what you described about the pic of your Husband by the tree, he's down by the Blockhouse run. Looks like it's the southside though, by the bend in the river, I know that whole area well.....


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

deepwoods said:


> AuSable in the winter time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 That sure looks like the bluff at Lumberman's.


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## Ausable Junkie (Oct 2, 2002)

The pic in question is looking up-river and West at a point close to where the mainstream enters the pond, shown by the lack of ice from the current. The pic is taken from a vantage point much higher than that of the opposite side.
I believe it IS taken from the Northerly side of the backwaters. There are only 2 ponds that have true highbanks (say >than 200') on the NORTH side, Cooke and Foote. Almost all of the highbanks on the Au Sable system are on the South side (or West, Alcona) of the impoundments. As the view to center of pic is West, it can't be Lumbermens 'cuz the open water would be on the left side of the pic. Can't be loud either, for the same reason.

The Northside highbanks of Cooke are very near the dam BELOW it, Foote dam. Current is almost non-existant there so you wouldn't see open water at this point. Plus, I can tell, that just ain't Wildcat Bay LOL.

I 2nd autumnlover's call,
looks like a shot of Foote to me.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

autumnlovr said:


> None taken.....we all go through some different "phases" in our lives, don't we? I bet there's a few guys on this forum who would turn 15 shades of red if someone posted a pic of their big hair from the 80's or the polyester leisure suit from the 70's...etc. In fact, that might be a good idea for a thread.....post a picture of yourself when you were approximately 18 years old. I bet it'd be a REAL HOOT!


No big hair or leisure suits here during the 80s, I was in the service and had no hair and wore camies. There could however be a picture or two of me dancing to that nasty 80s music at the bar. :lol: (they wouldn't be pretty pictures though)

I can remember days when the guys were A to E from the Dam all the way down to the first corner, just rippin and yankin and the Salmon were everywhere, boy it sure was fun to watch.


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## autumnlovr (Jul 21, 2003)

Do you guys recognize this shot?



I think it's on the southside of the river looking downstream towards Rea Rd. bridge (you can see the bridge in the background past the pylons sticking out of the water). Is the outhouse still down there? I used to spend a LOT of time at the outhouse bend. Took a 10+ pound walleye out of there the week before season started. Gave her a little smootch on the nose & put her back.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

autumnlovr said:


> Do you guys recognize this shot?
> 
> 
> 
> I think it's on the southside of the river looking downstream towards Rea Rd. bridge (you can see the bridge in the background past the pylons sticking out of the water). Is the outhouse still down there? I used to spend a LOT of time at the outhouse bend. Took a 10+ pound walleye out of there the week before season started. Gave her a little smootch on the nose & put her back.


That's exactly where it is, yes the crapper is still there, sure would be nice to see a flow like that these days. You don't see water in the river like that very often now.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Only in My Dreams
Cool pic's Thanks-


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> The High Banks did not have steps back then, and you walked/slid/fell down that hill at your own risk.


Oh, I knew that. They didn't put the stairs in until about 97'-98', something like that. I remember taking the old sand trails to get down there, you definanetly could slide. I was just wondering how many people fished it back then.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

When fish were in, there were plenty of people fishing the High Banks, all day, and all night. But since the bank was not improved, and was pretty irregular, they tended to hang out in groups, not spread out evenly, like they do, now. The funny thing is that there were so many fish that nobody really tried lining fish, like almost everyone there does, now. Now you can actually count the fish on beds, and there are usually several people casting 10+ foot leaders, with a small neutral colored fly, for each fish.


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

People didn't snag or line fish back in the old days at high banks is the biggest joke I have ever heard! I was there and it was nasty. High flood waters every afternoon and a eroded out river was a joke also. Myself I'm glad the river has changed so much. I see many loved fishing in the sewer hole at the dam snagging fish with 100's of people shoulder to shoulder and wish it was like that again. If your looking for this kind of environment you can still find it to some degree at Tippy Dam in fall and you should head over there. Maybe this is why DNR and many conversation groups completely ignored the Au Sable below Foote for so long and hopefully it never goes back to this again.


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## CAPT HEAVY (Nov 4, 2002)

I have some Pics when Kelly was young!! I am going to try and dig those up and post. Also some Pics from back in the 70's here in the 'ville. Those are in my mom's archives, but she said there are some great shots! 

Just kidding Kelly, your still a young Guy


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

I got picture somewhere when there was 150 plus guys fishing the highbanks at one time. Lots of fish but what a joke. People snagging, yelling about wanting to fight, and even throwing rocks was not all that uncommon. There are still places in the Great Lakes region you can hook 50 fish a day if that is all you are looking for.


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## UBDSLO1 (Feb 23, 2004)

Great stories guys!!! Brings back memories of past fall salmon fishing.


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## UBDSLO1 (Feb 23, 2004)

Streamside Custom Rod said:


> I got picture somewhere when there was 150 plus guys fishing the highbanks at one time. Lots of fish but what a joke. People snagging, yelling about wanting to fight, and even throwing rocks was not all that uncommon. There are still places in the Great Lakes region you can hook 50 fish a day if that is all you are looking for.


Ah, yes. Salmon fishing brings out the best of people. I too have seen "almost" fights, threats, saw a guy pull a knife on someone, spousel abuse(guy punched his wife in the face, saw it with my own eyes.), cursing, drinking, drunks, urinating in public, "mooning", no I really did see that, cutting of lines, people running into the water to try and get away from the CO's, stringers of 15 plus salmon, and the list goes on!


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## Downstate Doug (May 8, 2001)

What happend to the pics?

DD


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