# Ausable river?



## Joeker Jr.1 (May 13, 2008)

How highly rated is it as a trout river nation wide?...... and how highly rated is it in Michigan?

just curious..... any info/opinions would be great.

JJ1


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

The following is purely opinion based...

I think its rated pretty highly nation wide. If nothing more than being the birth place of TU. It's also a perennial TU top 100 river, and also listed in the book "fifty places to fly fish before you die." I've also read it spoken highly of in many other publications.

In Michigan i think it could be arguably talked about as one of the best, if not the best trout river in the state...but again, i think its more opinion based.

Having said all that, it doesn't mean your going to spend three days on it and have lights out fishing. It's about as finicky of a river as you'll find. If its on, its on...but boy if its off...

I absolutely love the place and can't think of a river i'd rather spend more time on, but i personally don't think it's the best trout river in the state...or the nation for that matter, not even close.

My good fishing buddy refers to it as "the world famous AuSable, all the six inch brook trout you can catch." Needless to say, he's not a big fan.

So, your mileage may vary.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

brookid said:


> The following is purely opinion based...
> 
> I think its rated pretty highly nation wide. If nothing more than being the birth place of TU. It's also a perennial TU top 100 river, and also listed in the book "fifty places to fly fish before you die." I've also read it spoken highly of in many other publications.
> 
> ...


I think a correction is in order....TU was not born on the AuSable, but rather on the Boardman in TC.


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

TU Was founded on the Ausable by George Griffith and George Mason (among others). Griffiths cabin still stands on the Ausable near the TU research property. The Adams (the fly) was tied by Len Halliday for
Judge Clarence Adams on The Boardman.


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

http://www.celebratetu.org/


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## beer and nuts (Jan 2, 2001)

I think what makes the AuSable most appealing is the public access it has, either from canoe/boat, access to access, or the amount of access it has via foot...wading.

Alot of rivers and alot of famous rivers have alot of private or access is very limited.

Certain popular stretches of the mainstream, north branch offer the smaller variety of fish, but the AuSable and branches has some huge trout in it, making some stretches trophy waters. Of course, we grew up listening to Grayling guys talking about catching fish(8-12 inchers) and then talk about catching a trophy(17 inches)...we laugh...not sure I even get off the dock to pursue a 17 incher feeding!!!

This weekend I saw a boat casting rapalas and they had two 18 inchers and one nice 20 incher, floating from McMasters down.


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## Joeker Jr.1 (May 13, 2008)

the reason i ask is because im going on an over night canoe trip next weekend......... i plan on doing alot of fishing while im floatin.... we'll prolly launch at Hinchman and float to McKinley Bridge im thinkin...... not sure yet, but needles to say.....im STOKED!!!

Ive done 4 over nighters on the river but that was years ago. i remember catching trout left n right back then. hopefully i can get some of the same action when i go :coolgleam


and yes, fish porn will be available as soon as i get back.:evil:


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## Molson (Apr 18, 2003)

Joeker Jr.1 said:


> the reason i ask is because im going on an over night canoe trip next weekend......... i plan on doing alot of fishing while im floatin.... we'll prolly launch at Hinchman and float to McKinley Bridge im thinkin...... not sure yet, but needles to say.....im STOKED!!!
> 
> Ive done 4 over nighters on the river but that was years ago. i remember catching trout left n right back then. hopefully i can get some of the same action when i go :coolgleam
> 
> ...



Hinchman (Mio dam) to McKinley Bridge 

atificials only. many big browns in this area if you can catch them. as an earlier poster mentioned ... "fickle" to say the least.

Big Au Sable browns (18' +) are a predominant night feeder. Not that you can't catch them during the day. 

The area you are floating gets heavy plants of browns and rainbows. You should have action as they plant in April.

It also gets alot of boat attention. 

Good Luck !!!


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

brookid said:


> http://www.celebratetu.org/


 
I stand corrected.


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## ready4pullback (Jun 9, 2008)

I think the A is a great river, it's nice to fish somewhere that has the kind of history that river has. I haven't fished it a TON, but I have fished it a bit. I prefer to fish lesser pressured water and take pleasure in going where nobody else thinks to go as often. I agree with the statement that when its on, its ON, and when its not, it can be the most frustrating experience. Good luck with your trip!


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

pm sent


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## Barfly (Jan 29, 2008)

I live in Manistee and fish Lake Michigan, the Big M and the Little M. My wife and I bought a cottage near the Ausable this year so decided to fish that river for this years opener. Opening day fished below Mckinley and never saw another fisherman. Next day saw one or two boats go by. There were a few people fishing at the bridge in Mckinley, but a 1/4 mile downstream there was no one. Went the following weekend and fished up and down from Mckinley and never met a soul on the river. If that's pressure, I'll take it. That river is amazing and I think it and I are going to have a long and lasting relationship.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> the world famous AuSable, all the six inch brook trout you can catch


That can be said for lots of rivers in this State. If you want to see what can be had on big browns, check out Kelly's site: http://www.michiganstreamside.com/ . Lots of the rivers in Michigan hold big stream trout, the Au Sable is just one of them. It certainly is _one_ of the best in the State, easy.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

While there are fish in the Ausable, I think its a little over hyped. I generally fish other streams in the Roscommon/Crawford county area with MUCH better fishing.

Great canoeing river though. And fishing can be good if you fish the lesser known parts.


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## Litehen55 (Apr 2, 2006)

My family ---and now I----have owned a cabin on the AuSable since 1927. During that time, we have kept logs of the fishing, have thousands of pics, and even more memories. The AS is as good a stream as any East of the Mississippi, and better than most. While I would say the fishing has changed in my 50 years on the river, it is still very good and they are wild fish exclusively above Mio. Fewer rainbows now---no planting---above Mio, but larger on average browns, particularly in the Wakely to Mio pond stretch. Great streamer fishing when the fish are on, fantastic hatches of nearly every common mayfly, caddis, and stone, and very fertile and steady cool water. 
I exclusively fish with a fly rod myself, but this year on the opener, some of my guests took some nice fish on plugs and bait in the Parmalee section and above. 
Having had the opportunity to fish many different places, it can be a tough, unforgiving stream at times, but can also turn on and be phenomenal. For fly fishing, the educated fish in the Holy water and the Mason tract can be very frustrating, but when you get a good one, you have earned it and it is tremendously rewarding. We are fortunate to have the AuSable as a resource, please respect it. JIMC


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Evaluating any aesthetic object--paintings, poems, trout streams, etc.--becomes beyond a certain point a highly subjective endeavor. Some objects are clearly superior to most others. I think most film buffs would agree that _Raging Bull_ and _Memento_ were better films than _Pretty Woman_ or whatever the last Indiana Jones movie was, and I think most fishermen would say the Au Sable and the Little Manistee are better streams than Paint Creek or the White, but beyond that, rankings are more or less a matter of taste or predilection. I think fly fishermen would rank the Au Sable higher than most other Michigan streams because of the diversity and consistency of its hatches. But some might find the average size of trout caught there is smaller than on some other streams, and prefer to go where they get larger fish. Some might have had a standout experience on some other streams and prefer them on the basis of that memory. Others feel that fishing in the UP is always better than fishing anywhere else. You have contrarian types who dislike the Au Sable simply because so many people revere it. 

The Au Sable offers good hatches, (sometimes) difficult trout, large trout if you can figure out when or how to get to them, an extended season, and a wealth of history. I go there more often than not because of the hatches, proximity, familiarity, and ambience. I always try to fish other places over the course of a summer, but when I do, I often find myself wondering what's happening over around Grayling, Lovells, and Mio.


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## Bulletproof (Jul 26, 2005)

What's the objective criteria?

If its:

1. Stable Flows/Cold Water/High Oxygen/Overall Water Quality

2. Prolific hatches

3. Access/Ease of fishing/Great recreational opportunity(129 Miles of Mainstream and a total of 476 miles of branches and feeder streams)

4. Good Biomass

Then it's tough to beat. You'd be hard pressed to find anything in the state, besides maybe the Manistee, that comes close.

Subjectively, it's a highly romanticized river. There's a lot of history. I feel she deserves high honors and most people realize that it's a special place.


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

This was posted before but I think its appropriate to post it again considering this thread  a video I made to 1 of my friends songs
YouTube - River of Sand Alan Cayn (Michigans AuSable River Tribute 
Song)


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

i've caught 5 browns over 18 inches with the biggest 26 inches in one night fishing the hex hatch.where else can you do that wading state land?????


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