# Great Job With The Plow Truck On Lower Au Sable!



## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

After years of this ramp/parking lot being left unplowed in the winter its so nice to see our Michigan DNR stepping up and doing a great job at the Rea Rd ramp now. After 10" of new yesterday it was taken care of today. Thank you so much Parks and Recreation Division from E. Tawas! Made launching boat very easy today.


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## herb09 (Jan 11, 2009)

Awesome job guys.

Sent from my XT1080 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

The groomer came through, and REALLY cleared the lot out! That thing is a beast man...


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Oh snap. Look at that Brown Trout pattern. Dangggg


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## RML (Apr 24, 2009)

I will second that. The State DNR has been doing a EXCELENT job over here on the Pere Marquette at M-37 and Sulak haven't checked Walhalla or goten a report at that launch..

Glad to here you can fish over there and launch and retrieve your boat without busting your 4 wheel drive axles and drive shafts or having to call a wrecker to pull you out.. Enjoy yourselves and go catch some fish..


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## ale_wife (Oct 3, 2011)

The credit should go to the Iosco County Park Board. It's my understanding the snowmobile trail groomer took care of the parking lot at Rea Road, not the DNR from Tawas Point State Park. Just responding to "credit where credit is due."


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

ale_wife said:


> The credit should go to the Iosco County Park Board. It's my understanding the snowmobile trail groomer took care of the parking lot at Rea Road, not the DNR from Tawas Point State Park. Just responding to "credit where credit is due."


Thanks for pointing that out and huge thank you to the Iosco County Park Board! That might explain why it was done so well the last time using the correct equipment.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

That is fantastic that they have kept that parking lot plowed! It has been a very long time since we had a winter like this one, and the lots (Rea Rd, and Whirlpool) were always a challenge in deep winter. Kudos to Iosco County for this. 

How far down/up is the river frozen? It sounds like it will be quite a while before the lower river (in town) is open.


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## fishagain (Jan 2, 2014)

Not 100% sure but I think the Recreation Passport fee has helped with maintaining access areas in the state. Would hope so.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

fishagain said:


> Not 100% sure but I think the Recreation Passport fee has helped with maintaining access areas in the state. Would hope so.


Its just nice seeing people caring about the lower Au Sable now a days!! US Forest Service even put garbage cans of salt/sand at the Whirlpool ramp this winter.


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## ale_wife (Oct 3, 2011)

fishagain said:


> Not 100% sure but I think the Recreation Passport fee has helped with maintaining access areas in the state. Would hope so.


You'd hope the Recreation Passport would be helping with the plowing, but it doesn't seem to be any better. I don't know if the snow plowers are not skilled or if the DNR is not sending them out as frequently as needed&#8230;.or both! The lots had one path plowed through with no parking. We were told it was "plowed", which it technically was, but it didn't have parking spaces. Aggravating. 

I think the Iosco County Park Board was responding to complaints. They seem to be more in touch with the local economy and providing services for locals & visitors.


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## open road (Jul 9, 2007)

Fishndude said:


> That is fantastic that they have kept that parking lot plowed!
> How far down/up is the river frozen? It sounds like it will be quite a while before the lower river (in town) is open.


River is wide open from Rea Road to Whirlpool, and a little ways beyond.
The ramp at Whirlpool is currently not usable. The snowplow pushed a pile of show on to the ramp and the weather forecast isn't showing a thaw anytime soon. This photo of the Whirlpool ramp was taken yesterday (Feb 24th)


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

open road said:


> River is wide open from Rea Road to Whirlpool, and a little ways beyond.
> The ramp at Whirlpool is currently not usable. The snowplow pushed a pile of show on to the ramp and the weather forecast isn't showing a thaw anytime soon. This photo of the Whirlpool ramp was taken yesterday (Feb 24th)


That channel has really opened up a lot in the last few days!! I might have to go give that ramp a little work and figure away in tomorrow.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

The plowing has varied this winter, but when they've been by, it's accessible. When the trail groomer came through and "cleaned up"; it was cleared for however many vehicles wanted to park. That thing really moved some snow.

I'm not going to complain; most winters on the Au Sable are tough without 4wd. Any plowing is better than nothing at all. The river is plenty fishable, and looking like it always does...


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Any plowing is better than nothing at all.


That is the way I see it too!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

open road said:


> River is wide open from Rea Road to Whirlpool, and a little ways beyond.
> The ramp at Whirlpool is currently not usable. The snowplow pushed a pile of show on to the ramp and the weather forecast isn't showing a thaw anytime soon. This photo of the Whirlpool ramp was taken yesterday (Feb 24th)


I've launched on that ramp when it was worse. But I had to hook my boat to my truck, and drag it up onto the ice, then crank it onto the trailer to get it back out. :lol: That was literally the only time I've had my truck get stuck, and not be able to do what I wanted to do with it. And I haven't felt that adventurous with my truck since. But that open water sure looks nice to me. 
In fact, the time I had to drag my boat out across the ice, the river channel was only about 30 feet wide for a long ways. A buddy and I ran way upstream that day, and saw one other boat - Kelly's. He was parked in a great spot upstream of the Claybanks a couple bends. And without thinking about it for a second, we ran _*upstream*_ from him, which caused tons of shelf ice to break up, and (I am sure) blew him off the river. :yikes:

In case I never said it before, Kelly, I am truly sorry for doing that. It was a nice COLD day in January, and Dan and I just didn't think before running upstream of you. About a mile up Dan mentioned it to me, and by then we figured you would rather shoot us than have us apologize. Sadly we didn't catch any fish that day, either. But I learned a couple of lessons that I won't forget, and which I share with others.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

Fishndude said:


> I've launched on that ramp when it was worse. But I had to hook my boat to my truck, and drag it up onto the ice, then crank it onto the trailer to get it back out. :lol: That was literally the only time I've had my truck get stuck, and not be able to do what I wanted to do with it. And I haven't felt that adventurous with my truck since. But that open water sure looks nice to me.
> In fact, the time I had to drag my boat out across the ice, the river channel was only about 30 feet wide for a long ways. A buddy and I ran way upstream that day, and saw one other boat - Kelly's. He was parked in a great spot upstream of the Claybanks a couple bends. And without thinking about it for a second, we ran _*upstream*_ from him, which caused tons of shelf ice to break up, and (I am sure) blew him off the river. :yikes:
> In case I never said it before, Kelly, I am truly sorry for doing that. It was a nice COLD day in January, and Dan and I just didn't think before running upstream of you. About a mile up Dan mentioned it to me, and by then we figured you would rather shoot us than have us apologize. Sadly we didn't catch any fish that day, either. But I learned a couple of lessons that I won't forget, and which I share with others.


HAHAHAHA. I dont remember but it sure has happened a few times! Got to creep around slow with the boat in heavy shelf ice. Knock too much loose and you might cause a jam below you.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

Had good fishing yesterday but shelf ice is starting to grow again. Found a nice pod of bright fish - spring is coming!


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## fishagain (Jan 2, 2014)




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## cdoj (Mar 14, 2013)

Gorgeous fish!


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