# Foote Dam Report



## mpolander (Sep 4, 2013)

Fished the Ausable River yesterday at the Foote Dam. Did not see much action but I was able to catch three steelhead. Two were too small so
I threw them back but one was 17" plus. It is enough for dinner tonight. Did not see many fish caught.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

mpolander said:


> Fished the Ausable River yesterday at the Foote Dam. Did not see much action but I was able to catch three steelhead. Two were too small so
> I threw them back but one was 17" plus. It is enough for dinner tonight. Did not see many fish caught.


Was there any other anglers around? I heard there are alot of skips in there right now. That's ok though because I'm sure there's a big buck in there for me next week.


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## mpolander (Sep 4, 2013)

There were probably a dozen people fishing. Only myself and one other guy caught fish. I caught all three on nightcrawlers of all things. I tried flies, lures and everything else in my box but nightcrawlers were the only things that work.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

mpolander said:


> There were probably a dozen people fishing. Only myself and one other guy caught fish. I caught all three on nightcrawlers of all things. I tried flies, lures and everything else in my box but nightcrawlers were the only things that work.


A dozen people on a Monday? Don't anybody work? Great!


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## slickdragger (Aug 5, 2014)

Those are mostly plants that haven't made it to the lake


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

slickdragger said:


> Those are mostly plants that haven't made it to the lake


IF your implying these fish have been in the River all year. I disagree completely.


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## Shift7609 (Aug 9, 2011)

Hell no it hasn't been in the river look at the color it wouldn't be chrome had it been in river since spring


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

That fish was planted this spring and spent the summer in the lake. There were skippers in the river all year, and the ones around this summer had color and were loaded with spots.

I'd advise against roping up all those skippers. I have no problem with people keeping steelhead on the AS, but keep the adults. People go haywire with the skips, as they're abundant and EASY to catch. Same people then bitch there are "no steelhead" 3 years later. I see the identical thing happen here in the NW as well. Let'em go, let'em grow...same philosophy as the deer hunters.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

ausable_steelhead said:


> That fish was planted this spring and spent the summer in the lake. There were skippers in the river all year, and the ones around this summer had color and were loaded with spots.
> 
> I'd advise against roping up all those skippers. I have no problem with people keeping steelhead on the AS, but keep the adults. People go haywire with the skips, as they're abundant and EASY to catch. Same people then bitch there are "no steelhead" 3 years later. I see the identical thing happen here in the NW as well. Let'em go, let'em grow...same philosophy as the deer hunters.


A bunch of skippers got caught between the dams this summer on the Huron. People found out and cleaned up. I don't think any of them survived.


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## DXT Deer Slayer (Nov 14, 2009)

Please also handle these young fish with care, quickly remove your hook, and let them swim away.

Some guy at the dam a couple weeks ago asked me to take a picture of him with his smolt. Thought he was joking. Then he dropped the poor thing on the cement, and handed me his camera.

Should have been a trout dinner at that point but he still threw it back in the whitewater.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

DXT Deer Slayer said:


> Please also handle these young fish with care, quickly remove your hook, and let them swim away.
> 
> Some guy at the dam a couple weeks ago asked me to take a picture of him with his smolt. Thought he was joking. Then he dropped the poor thing on the cement, and handed me his camera.
> 
> Should have been a trout dinner at that point but he still threw it back in the whitewater.


You sure got that right - those are the future steelhead! At least better than throwing them in a cooler and posting on this site!! LOL


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## slickdragger (Aug 5, 2014)

The dark ones with all the spots are plants i don't care what anyone says. And cowboy they have been here all summer. The picture is indeed a fall run Skippy it's unfortunate it ended up being killed but true steelhead.


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## slickdragger (Aug 5, 2014)

MichiganStreamside said:


> You sure got that right - those are the future steelhead! At least better than throwing them in a cooler and posting on this site!! LOL


The drive to hold something up and say look what I got is very strong in some people. I don't think I know a single person that truly enjoys eating steelhead so I doubt it's the table fare. People are gonna keep them no matter what but don't be one of those dickheads that throw frozen fish out to put more in. If you do this your a greedy piece of ****


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Agree. I keep like one or two a year. And they are usually sizable. Always quick to release the smaller ones. Try to keep them in the water while I remove the hook also

Sent From The Halls Of Crom


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

slickdragger said:


> The drive to hold something up and say look what I got is very strong in some people. I don't think I know a single person that truly enjoys eating steelhead so I doubt it's the table fare. People are gonna keep them no matter what but don't be one of those dickheads that throw frozen fish out to put more in. If you do this your a greedy piece of ****


Your crazy man!!!! Steelhead are excellent to eat. I preferred smoked, but I will take either way. Plus, I meant that fish pictured. I know there's Steelhead in the River all year.


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## slickdragger (Aug 5, 2014)

Eat more kings and eyes!!!! Let the steelhead swim!!!


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## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

Anyone who thinks that chrome, red-fleshed Lake Huron Steelhead are poor table fare is obviously a very poor cook.


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## fishhuntsmoke (Jan 30, 2011)

SJC said:


> Anyone who thinks that chrome, red-fleshed Lake Huron Steelhead are poor table fare is obviously a very poor cook.


Yess please hahahaha My ladies second fav fish behind surf coho  cooked my first one of this year up fresh on Sunday for her and I for dinner and the second one on the boat yesterday for lunch while enjoying the jumps of a whiiite one my buddy hooked!!! Ahhh now that's life ehh  and have ate it for left over the last three days.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

MichiganStreamside said:


> You sure got that right - those are the future steelhead! At least better than throwing them in a cooler and posting on this site!! LOL


Boo hoo kelly. You can yap on me all you want, it won't do you anything. I'd be mad too if I was still zipping river skunks on the Betsie at that time.

I catch fish everywhere I go. Sometimes I keep some for others, a lot of time I release them. None of it is your business. You do your purist thing, I'll do my fish catching thing. Atleast I kept adults, which are not "our future". They're our right now.


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## Shift7609 (Aug 9, 2011)

To each their own no one has the right to bash anyone on keeping legal fish you pay for license and put your time In people feel rewarded I've kept a couple skips not saying I didn't feel bad but I have I don't like too but I eat a lot of fish and if that's all I catch in a long weekend your damn right I'm probably going to keep it. I for one think that steelhead are much much better tasting then salmon! I also release a lot of fish too be it skips or adult fish! I'm not saying go catch a limit of skips and keep them but if that's all one catches with thier hard work don't bash on them smolts that's a little harsh I'd say I've never kept a fish under 20"


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