# Ausable lower river electroshocking question



## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Years ago, when the lower Ausable had runs of Chinook, the DNR did electroshocking studies every fall, starting the 1st week in Oct. 

Never quite understood what they were trying to accomplish. Just watched them from shore, mostly kind of bummed out because they always floated my favorite sections and during the peak of the run. I would see em coming up the river, they would kick me out. Always hated it! And always surprised at how many fish were in the holes I was just fishing.

But anyway, basically they would shock fish, net them, and throw em in the boat, just to see how many they could get. Fill their boats, and take them back to the launch, count em, and I guess/heard they would give the meat away, but I never followed them back to the launch to find out. 

Years pass and I gave up on chasing Chinooks in the Ausable. I figure they dont do it anymore. Least I've never seen em. 

Anyone know what happened with the study? Did it accomplish anything?

Just curious.


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## flatfish (Jan 4, 2014)

yea, they gave up... no fish why should they bother,,,


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## LoganStaley (Oct 9, 2017)

You'd be surprised by the salmon in there. Last year I saw a few dozen by the dam...


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

LoganStaley said:


> You'd be surprised by the salmon in there. Last year I saw a few dozen by the dam...


A few dozen, you say? 20 years ago there were 10's of thousands of King Salmon that ascended the Ausable to spawn each year. At least several 10's of thousands. A DNR Biologist once told me that he figured 15,000 - 17,000 Steelhead returned to the Ausable each year. That's a lot of Steelhead for 10 miles of river. The fishing was pretty great.


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## LoganStaley (Oct 9, 2017)

Fishndude said:


> A few dozen, you say? 20 years ago there were 10's of thousands of King Salmon that ascended the Ausable to spawn each year. At least several 10's of thousands. A DNR Biologist once told me that he figured 15,000 - 17,000 Steelhead returned to the Ausable each year. That's a lot of Steelhead for 10 miles of river. The fishing was pretty great.


I'm not saying it's not what it once was but it's just simplified to the point that we all think they don't exist at all anymore in lake huron. There were probably hundreds if not thousand(s) of kings that came in last fall. There's enough fish around to the point that you can find them if you know where to look.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I know where the Salmon hold in the Ausable. There were zero in the lower river holding spots they used to hold, last weekend. There were plenty of kayaks, canoes, and tubes, though. It was nice to see people enjoying the river. I did float some skein through the "Catfish Hole," FKA, "The Salmon Hole." No Salmon, or Catfish bit. It was a nice day on the river.


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## LoganStaley (Oct 9, 2017)

Fishndude said:


> I know where the Salmon hold in the Ausable. There were zero in the lower river holding spots they used to hold, last weekend. There were plenty of kayaks, canoes, and tubes, though. It was nice to see people enjoying the river. I did float some skein through the "Catfish Hole," FKA, "The Salmon Hole." No Salmon, or Catfish bit. It was a nice day on the river.


I checked another smaller river last weekend and only found brownies. Maybe with the monsoons we just had some fish came in. I'm heading up today. Will look.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

To be fair, the Ausable always had one of the latest runs of spawning Kings in the lower peninsula. 20 years ago the piers were HOT action on Labor day, as was the river, from the US-23 bridge to the mouth. Floating skein at the end of the north pier was just ridiculous fishing when the fish were thick. Then there are a couple nice holes not real far upstream from the River Rd bridge, that they used to pile up in (none last weekend). I saw 1000's at 3-Pipes once, but only a lot that one time.


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## LoganStaley (Oct 9, 2017)

I just wish the west side and east side had the salmon run at the same time. It would make it easier. Less crowds on the east side nowadays, fewer fish but still enough to target when you know where to look


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Usually the third week in September for fishable numbers


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## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

Well, this just happened...









Plus, my little cousin and his buddy got three over the weekend long lining flicker shads out front. All of them were clipped as well. Those swan plants show up in about every river from mackinaw to Port Huron.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

SJC said:


> Well, this just happened...
> Plus, my little cousin and his buddy got three over the weekend long lining flicker shads out front. All of them were clipped as well. Those swan plants show up in about every river from mackinaw to Port Huron.


I would like to make more trips over there this fall. Last fall started good for me, but then I made like 3 trips in a row with nothing.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

I used to like the 1st week of Oct. Bring my bow, fish in the morning and hunt in the afternoon. 
My folks lived just south of Oscoda for several years. They ran the Driftwood Den on US23.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

SJC said:


> Well, this just happened...
> View attachment 786154
> 
> 
> Plus, my little cousin and his buddy got three over the weekend long lining flicker shads out front. All of them were clipped as well. Those swan plants show up in about every river from mackinaw to Port Huron.


Oh no! That will get the weekend warrior crowds swamping the Oscoda Pier the next couple weeks!!


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Took a trip up friday. Stopped at a few different spots on the way. Not alot of fish by any means.
Caught some sm bass and a nice little hoho at the end of the day. Got him drifting skein tied into nichol size bags. Hot pink. Last spot of the day on the last bag I had tied. Pleasantly surprised. Nice orange meat. He is dinner tonight.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Erik said:


> Took a trip up friday. Stopped at a few different spots on the way. Not alot of fish by any means.
> Caught some sm bass and a nice little hoho at the end of the day. Got him drifting skein tied into nichol size bags. Hot pink. Last spot of the day on the last bag I had tied. Pleasantly surprised. Nice orange meat. He is dinner tonight.
> 
> View attachment 789997


Looks more like a steelhead than a coho. I got two coho from the A yesterday and they didn’t look like that


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Looks more like a steelhead than a coho. I got two coho from the A yesterday and they didn’t look like that


Well if thats the case even cooler.
Gums are grey though. Meat is like a spring coho. Bright orange. Its a male. No fin clips. Did fight like heck. Wouldn't give up right to the end. Tastes awesome! I want more


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