# Ausauble 2020



## Lamarsh

Pretty sure below Foote all the way to the mouth is no wake. Even if it wasn't, it's a dick move to blast by somebody fishing and not slow to no wake. 

Guides are sort of like cops, most are good guys, but there are _just enough_ of them that are total d-bags to put a funky name on the group. It's too bad.


----------



## hbt

Definitely no wake from dam to mouth. Only enough wake to permit forward movement. Get a video with MC numbers if possible and get it to the dnr. They'll take it from there.


----------



## ausable_steelhead

Most boats rip around that river, including guys who didn’t until they got a jet. Is what it is.

Looks like a big ol’ fresh hen my man. Nice job!


----------



## Mbennie

Is what it is??? If it's no wake it's no wake.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## Fishndude

I've got a buddy who fishes the Ausable most of the time for Steelhead, and he runs an 18' Riverman, with a 150 hs jet. He never opens it up on the river, because it is so loud that he'd probably get busted, and he doesn't want to take chances. He had a couple COs go past him one day, when he was anchored, and asked if he'd been running on-plane, because someone called in a complaint. He let the Officers know that he just putzed around in his boat, but someone else with a jet blasted by him, heading upstream, earlier in the day. The COs let him know they issued a ticket way upstream, when they were coming back down, a couple hours later. 

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Nice fish, Bighunter. And really nice looking boat.


----------



## tjpm

Beautiful fish. Nice job not letting the weather deter you. So I’ve caught fish on spawn, beads and spinners. West side rivers. I’ve never caught a steelhead “plugging”. I’ve tried Hot N Tots, Wiggle Warts and Flatfish. Thought I was doing everything right. How long do you stay in one hole before you move on? Are those typical lures people use when plugging?


----------



## Bighunther

tjpm said:


> Beautiful fish. Nice job not letting the weather deter you. So I’ve caught fish on spawn, beads and spinners. West side rivers. I’ve never caught a steelhead “plugging”. I’ve tried Hot N Tots, Wiggle Warts and Flatfish. Thought I was doing everything right. How long do you stay in one hole before you move on? Are those typical lures people use when plugging?


I like using hot n tots the best out of the ones you mentioned. I try to keep it in mind while going through the hole, that I want to be going as slow or slower than half of the current speed. So I go through most holes in 15 - 20 minutes, I would say. 

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'll have my GoPro on the next trip and cell phone handy.


----------



## Steve

Bighunther said:


> Battled the rain and Pulled plugs Saturday. Two other jet boats launched before us. Went 1 for 2.
> 
> Jet boats were flying up and down the river. I thought Ausauble was a no walked river? Anyone know? One of the guys is a guide and years past he would go by with a big wake, while I was working a hole with the plugs. Pretty rude, won't even wave to say hi either. Rant over tight lines
> View attachment 485649


Cool looking boat. Would love to see some more pictures of it.


----------



## ale_wife

Here are the regulations below Foote Dam:
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79772_79773_83491-38752--,00.html

It's Slow/No Wake all the way from Foote Dam down to the mouth. We've been told to take a picture with our phones and send it to the CO's. Make sure you get the MC numbers. A video might help, too.

Here's another quote from the Michigan Marine Law:
SPEED LIMITS
1. Slow – no wake speed within 100 feet of the shoreline, any watercraft, pier, person, raft, swimming area, and swimmers.

It applies to all rivers in Michigan. If the rivers are not wide, boaters should be traveling at Slow - No Wake speed no matter if there's a special law or not.


----------



## Bighunther

Steve said:


> Cool looking boat. Would love to see some more pictures of it.


----------



## oldrank2019

Cool boat.


----------



## steelslam

i like those wooden drift boats for plugging. but what kind of MC numbers are those showing on the front port side ??


----------



## Bighunther

steelslam said:


> i like those wooden drift boats for plugging. but what kind of MC numbers are those showing on the front port side ??


Have to have mc numbers to use a motor on a 16ft or bigger boat.


----------



## Shoeman

Bighunther said:


> Have to have mc numbers to use a motor on a 16ft or bigger boat.


On any length motorized boat!

Too many numbers from what I see


----------



## SJC

The whole slow no wake thing on this river is kind of a joke. If there's some flow, it's hard to make upstream progress without making some kind of a wake. I know my jet makes a way bigger wake laboring upriver than when I'm on plane. If you are operating safely and not making a large wake, that should be enough. Especially in the lower river. Plenty of room and the river is pretty straight. I don't know how many time I've been crawling along down there making a wake when no one was around while thinking, "this is stupid!" For the record, we went faster before I had a jet. Back then just about everyone went faster than they are now. I'm actually thinking of going back to an egg beater...


----------



## Bighunther

Shoeman said:


> On any length motorized boat!
> 
> Too many numbers from what I see


Amazing the attention to detail people have on this site. So I double checked my title because I don't know how many mc numbers there should be. Upon inspection I found that it is actually missing a 1 before the 7 at the end. So thank you I'll be sure to fix this. 
Can't wait to get back up there....


----------



## Shoeman

MC **** MF


----------



## Fishndude

SJC said:


> The whole slow no wake thing on this river is kind of a joke. If there's some flow, it's hard to make upstream progress without making some kind of a wake. I know my jet makes a way bigger wake laboring upriver than when I'm on plane. If you are operating safely and not making a large wake, that should be enough. Especially in the lower river. Plenty of room and the river is pretty straight. I don't know how many time I've been crawling along down there making a wake when no one was around while thinking, "this is stupid!" For the record, we went faster before I had a jet. Back then just about everyone went faster than they are now. I'm actually thinking of going back to an egg beater...


Yeah, I've been scolded for going faster than some riverside property owners thought I should before. So, I sometimes make it a point to stand on my back boat seat (weight in the back), which is much easier than standing in the middle seat (long stretch even with a tiller extension) as I am creeping upstream, and my boat is throwing a bigger wake than it would if I was underway. If I fly, I barely have a wake, going upstream (from my experience on the Big Man ). But at my creeping speed, I probably push a 1 foot wake. Downstream doesn't really make any wake. 

I will add that, from the Trestle down, _*any*_ wake is going to push flooding water into the yards of some really nice homes. It is pretty much impossible to avoid if you are using a motor. 

I love the wooden drift boat. Beautiful.


----------



## Bighunther

You sir are correct my mistake. Looks like I'll be replacing those numbers. 



Shoeman said:


> MC **** MF


----------



## DXT Deer Slayer

It's a no wake river........ "_You're_ a no wake river".
:lol:

I mean c'mon, the Ausable is like the freeway. I go a few mph faster than I should, but not enough to significantly impact my fuel economy.

Theres a super-soaker at all times in my boat for any Antifa protesters that would like to take a video of me respectfully passing them. 33 degree river water is cold, especially 10 gallons worth.


----------

