# South Branch of the PM by Ruby Creek



## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

I used to never miss a opener with my dad 50 some yrs ago. We fished the south branch of the PM. My dad and uncle did well catching 12-18 in browns and some bigger. But once the salmon were planted thing seem to have gone down hill. I was told the salmon ruled the roost. Just wondering if anyone still fishes it or the Ruby creek. If you have any stories please lets hear them.


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## abbatoys (Sep 3, 2005)

I have messed around a bit on the south branch. Nothing to write home about. I bet if someone put in some leg work they could find some decent browns in the wood.. Lot of sand in the river too. Always wanted to give Ruby Creek a shot too..


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## Pinefarm2015 (Nov 29, 2015)

Not to toot my horn, but when I was co-owner of BBT, I probably fished the Big South more than about anyone foa about a decade. I bought a 10' pram specifically to fish the Big South. I loved the solitude of the Big South, in non-salmon minths. After talking to fishermen all day at the store, I had zero interest in going to the main branch to see and talk to more fishermen. So I started fishing the Big South not for the fishing as much as the solitude and knowing that there were some fish there. Some, not lots.

A couple things to keep in mind. In the old days when people caught lots of 16" browns, those fish were planted by the 1000's and they were often big fish when planted. Those days are long over and will never return. So you can't compare now to the distant past.

Lots of bank erosion sanded in much of the Big South. However, the PMWC and other stakeholders started doing major stream improvements about 15 years ago. Still. those are long term solutions.

But the Big South has it's moments. From Ruby Creek to the first two bridges down are the best sections, with some nice browns in the 18-20" range. I never turned any "giants" in the 24" plus range, in years of fishing it. For complete solitude, I enjoyed fishing some of the waters way upstream. While more like a big drainage ditch in the far upstream reaches, I caught a few nice browns in the 18" class and even an odd steelhead in the Spring. But fish were few and far between up there.

For trout streams, I'd give the Big South a solid C+ for fishing quality in the better sections and an A+ for solitude during the midweek prime times of May and June, if you want to canoe it or pram it, with several portages if you do from Ruby Creek to the next bridge down. DO NOT take a full sized boat it.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Pinefarm2015 said:


> Not to toot my horn, but when I was co-owner of BBT, I probably fished the Big South more than about anyone foa about a decade. I bought a 10' pram specifically to fish the Big South. I loved the solitude of the Big South, in non-salmon minths. After talking to fishermen all day at the store, I had zero interest in going to the main branch to see and talk to more fishermen. So I started fishing the Big South not for the fishing as much as the solitude and knowing that there were some fish there. Some, not lots.
> 
> A couple things to keep in mind. In the old days when people caught lots of 16" browns, those fish were planted by the 1000's and they were often big fish when planted. Those days are long over and will never return. So you can't compare now to the distant past.
> 
> ...


Yeap, I once had to take a float boat pretty much apart and reassemble to get around one such "portage".


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## Pinefarm2015 (Nov 29, 2015)

Steve said:


> Yeap, I once had to take a float boat pretty much apart and reassemble to get around one such "portage".


Even with a pram, travel light. Leave the beer cooler at home. Bring shoes vs. flip flops if warm.

A better place to fish with even more portages is the upper White, for the first sections below M-20. The upper White has some great fishing, but it's a ton of work.

On a side note, I've been having some issues posting here, where the cursor locks up and letters don't pop up when typing or if I type several, then many pop up and it's a pain to fix spelling errors. Is that a cookie problem where I need to dump cookies?


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

Pinefarm2015 said:


> On a side note, I've been having some issues posting here, where the cursor locks up and letters don't pop up when typing or if I type several, then many pop up and it's a pain to fix spelling errors. Is that a cookie problem where I need to dump cookies?


X2, it just took me 5 min. to post this.

D


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## StStutz (Jan 19, 2006)

well, so much for postings restrictions about certain stretches of water. 

Thumbs up to those assisting in the habitat restoration in the upper stretches of this system. IMO erosion is one of the biggest issues in the more popular sections of this branch of the PM.


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## Corey K (Dec 11, 2009)

StStutz said:


> well, so much for postings restrictions about certain stretches of water.
> 
> Thumbs up to those assisting in the habitat restoration in the upper stretches of this system. IMO erosion is one of the biggest issues in the more popular sections of this branch of the PM.



I'm also confused why this thread is still on here....


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## Pinefarm2015 (Nov 29, 2015)

StStutz said:


> well, so much for postings restrictions about certain stretches of water.
> 
> Thumbs up to those assisting in the habitat restoration in the upper stretches of this system. IMO erosion is one of the biggest issues in the more popular sections of this branch of the PM.


Well, so much for not reading the rules about posting on specific holes or runs.

*Reports and questions on Big Manistee, Bear Creek, Little Manistee, White, Pere Marquette, Big Sable, Platte, Betsie, Boardman, Jordan, Pine.  Please do not reveal specific holes or runs.*

I was a moderator here. I not only know the rules, I suggested some of them back in the day because people used to post about small non-navigable creek waters on private property that had no public access or about specific Little Man holes for early salmon.

First, I am talking about the Pere Marquette, as a question was posed about the PM River. The Big South makes up nearly 42 miles of the watershed. Second, I did not reveal specific holes or runs. If you fished the Big South of the Pere Marquette, you'd know that there are no hole names or run names like on other popular rivers, unless some individual group of guys had a pet name for a hole. In truth, there really aren't any big holes on the Big South. It's more pocket water and structure fishing. Even the sections from bridge to bridge don't have a name. It's a "fair to marginal" trout stream. Most people don't want to go there.

I merely mentioned several huge sections between bridges that takes at least half a day to float, with multiple portages. If that's too specific, why even mention the river name or the species being caught?


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

StStutz said:


> well, so much for postings restrictions about certain stretches of water.
> 
> Thumbs up to those assisting in the habitat restoration in the upper stretches of this system. IMO erosion is one of the biggest issues in the more popular sections of this branch of the PM.


Annnnddddd...here come the whine asses!


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## Corey K (Dec 11, 2009)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Annnnddddd...here come the whine asses!


Where is the whining? Just remember to yourself next time your picking up trash along the more popular rivers and streams on why certain areas shouldn't be mentioned.


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Corey K said:


> Where is the whining? Just remember to yourself next time your picking up trash along the more popular rivers and streams on why certain areas shouldn't be mentioned.


Oh yeah I forgot that nobody knows about the south branch of the PM!


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## Corey K (Dec 11, 2009)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Oh yeah I forgot that nobody knows about the south branch of the PM!


Thanks Mr obvious!!!


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## Pinefarm2015 (Nov 29, 2015)

Corey K said:


> Where is the whining? Just remember to yourself next time your picking up trash along the more popular rivers and streams on why certain areas shouldn't be mentioned.


Certain area's? Those are the area's with trout. That's like mentioning the main branch from M-37 down to upper branch.


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## Pinefarm2015 (Nov 29, 2015)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Oh yeah I forgot that nobody knows about the south branch of the PM!


Except the 100's of salmon snaggers that always went there. One day the CO wrote 50 people up for open snagging.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Looks like it's time to close this one.


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