# Lower Au Sable



## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I’ve got some nice fish from the AS the last few weeks. Lots of people, so spots were tough to get some days. It wasn’t a great steelhead run, but there were fish to be caught. Also a few bonus fish around. I’ve found sucker eggs, steelhead eggs, mussels, bugs, a coho smolt and a piece of blue plastic in stomachs this spring. 





  








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## cmueller302 (Jan 30, 2007)

Nice fish! Thanks for sharing. Just curious what was best method? Seems like everyone jumped on bead bandwagon so small spawn sacs worked better for me this year.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

So, blue plastic is working? lol

Thanks for the fishing report, Jon. Is that first fish a Brown? It has the square tail, and looks......Brown-ish.


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## MEL (Jul 17, 2005)

Nice work!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Yeah, first fish is a nice little spring brown. Also got a refurbished Atlantic.

Beads have exploded on the Au Sable the last few years, but they’ve also caught a bunch of fish. All my fish this spring have come on beads, under bobbers and bounced.

Stomachs have been cool:





  








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## Spin to Win (Dec 7, 2010)

Nice haul AS! Thanks for posting some great pics.

I'm always interested in seeing the stomach contents of these fish, so those photos are really cool. Looks like the mussels in your fish were maybe the by-product of eating eggs on or near the bottom? I'm curious if you've found any fish where the mussels looked like they were the primary food source, or like a fish was actively seeking them out as a meal? Obviously, those filter feeding creatures have changed the entire food web in the Great Lakes, and Lake Huron especially. I know there's some evidence of certain fish species targeting the mussels now, but was just wondering if you've noticed anything first hand.

Nice work out there!
EditDeleteReport


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Spin to Win said:


> Nice haul AS! Thanks for posting some great pics.
> 
> I'm always interested in seeing the stomach contents of these fish, so those photos are really cool. Looks like the mussels in your fish were maybe the by-product of eating eggs on or near the bottom? I'm curious if you've found any fish where the mussels looked like they were the primary food source, or like a fish was actively seeking them out as a meal? Obviously, those filter feeding creatures have changed the entire food web in the Great Lakes, and Lake Huron especially. I know there's some evidence of certain fish species targeting the mussels now, but was just wondering if you've noticed anything first hand.
> 
> ...


I think they just mistake them for bugs honestly. There were always just pieces, not a full mussel.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Are you sure those aren't Fall Steelies? They're eating pretty good.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Steelhead are long gone, and summer mode has started to set in...





  








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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Steelhead are long gone, and summer mode has started to set in...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Always appreciate your updates Ausable. I am very interested in the health of the Lake Huron fishery/tribs and how it transitions through the year. You always give a great snapshot of what’s going on. Thanks man.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

Hell yeah! Pounding them. And a quill back!!! Cool fish haven’t seen one for years.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Been tough the last couple weeks. Seems the summer patterns are just not there like normal. That comes as no surprise with the way this year has went. I did manage some good eating though this week, so all was not lost.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Another tough bite, but we managed a 19” rainbow and 3 solid eyes. The bow had a hole below the adipose; I assume a heron took a shot. The dark blood mark in the fillets are part of that injury.

Next week is my first trip for skams this summer; hoping they’re around where I fish.


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