# Ausable kings



## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

Do kings come all the way up by Mcmasters bridge? Looking at some fall fishing time up there.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

They can only get to Foote Dam.


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## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

So then am I correct in assuming that foote damn is usually crowded during that time?


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

Usually, but if you know the river below that, you can find places to fish that are a little crowed. As with all the dams, the easier the access, the more people are there.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

There aren't a lot of Kings that return to the Ausable anymore. Foote dam doesn't get real crowded, either.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

All of the "salmon fishermen" are on the west side of the state doing the Benzie Twist force feeding them flies. The Ausable will have a few salmon but don't expect limit catches. You might get a mixed bag of kings,cohos, and steelhead though.


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## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

I would be happy with one or two to take home and eat. My wife and kids don't like fish, so I don't need to limit out every time I go out.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

River Kings are poor table fare, for the most part. I recommend that you wait until mid-October, and try for some Steelhead. They bite better, fight better, and taste a lot better.


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## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

If I was going to use a 5wt floating line for kings and chrome at the damn, would a egg pattern be the best?


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

I wouldn't go with anything less than a 7 wt, and would rather use my 9 wt, I think a 5 is just too small.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I got one of my daughters an 8.5' - 5 weight IMX, and had it built for spinning. It is really too light for Steelhead in my opinion. My favorite stick for Steelhead, hands-down, is a 10 foot, 8 weight IMX. Little fish aren't a lot of fun, but it sucks to hook a real trophy, and not have any chance at all of landing them. I do use a 10 foot 6 weight IMX quite a bit, but if the current is heavy, and I find I am having too much trouble landing fish, I will switch up to my 7 wt or 8 wt in a heartbeat. 

For Kings, I won't go lighter than an 10 weight, and I really like a heavier rod.


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## Outdoorsman17 (Dec 28, 2005)

I have landed plenty of salmon and steel head on 10 1/2' 4/5 weight. Would I recommend it for the average guy, hell no. I would recommend a 7-9 weight for salmon


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## GrizzlyAdams237 (Jan 29, 2010)

toto said:


> I wouldn't go with anything less than a 7 wt, and would rather use my 9 wt, I think a 5 is just too small.


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## salmonguy10 (Dec 24, 2011)

Fishndude said:


> River Kings are poor table fare, for the most part. I recommend that you wait until mid-October, and try for some Steelhead. They bite better, fight better, and taste a lot better.


I would do the opposite if I were you...salmon in the river when they are fresh are still good to eat and you will never find a fish in the river that fights harder than a big ol' king salmon...everyone knows that


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

I would cast spoons at the mouth with a decent spinning rod, like I'm going to try tonight


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

salmonguy10 said:


> I would do the opposite if I were you...salmon in the river when they are fresh are still good to eat and you will never find a fish in the river that fights harder than a big ol' king salmon...everyone knows that


I didn't say Steelhead pull harder, LOL. I said Steelhead_* fight better.*_ They accelerate faster, swim faster, jump, change directions faster, etc. Kings get bigger, and have much larger fins, so they can sit in a current and pull for a lot longer. For me, the fight of a Steelhead is far better than tugging on a log of a King for a long time. Also, I would put any fresh Steelhead up against any fresh King for table fare, for MI fish. Fresh Cohos give Steelhead a run for the money. I actually don't eat a lot of fish, but when I do, I mostly eat Walleyes; which fight like a wet sock. 

Other than right close to the mouth, you would need a boat to fish for fresh Kings in the Ausable. I can't remember the last time I saw a "fresh" King up by Foote dam, and I've fished the river every year - for decades. In two months there should be very fresh Steelhead from top to bottom of the Ausable. Did I mention that Steelhead bite a LOT better than river Kings, too. :lol:


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I'd fish below Foote dam and the deep, slow holes around Rea rd for kings. Drift or bobber fish fresh skein or big bags early and late in the day. You can also cast hardware or plugs and catch fish. Mid-September to mid-October is the best window for salmon on the Au Sable.


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