# The Ocqueoc & Cheboygan



## WorkHardFishHard (Sep 22, 2010)

Any reports on theses rivers? How are the water levels on both? Going up in a week in search for steel.


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## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

The Cheboygan is an unmentionable.


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## WorkHardFishHard (Sep 22, 2010)

Yea I forgot. As a Moderator you should have a report on the Ocqueoc.. right?


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## POOR SPORT (Oct 19, 2013)

the water on the Unmentionable is high fast & dirty, steel run was nil salmon near as bad , for info call Dave or Kenny


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

A buddy fished the general area of those rivers a couple/few times in the last 45 days. No good reports for Salmon, or Steelhead. He is a pretty good fisherman, and knows the area well. Not saying there aren't fish around, but he didn't do well this year. 

Funny, we've been crying about low water in the NE part of the State for a few years. This year the water levels seem _*perfect*_, but the fishing isn't great. The high water mark at the mouth of the Ausable was about 5 feet out of the water, 2 years ago. Now it is about 1.5 feet out of the water. The river should be swarming with Steelhead, but it isn't. There are fish to be had, if you know your way around. Lots of Skippers, so perhaps next year will be the stuff dreams are made of.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Fishndude said:


> A buddy fished the general area of those rivers a couple/few times in the last 45 days. No good reports for Salmon, or Steelhead. He is a pretty good fisherman, and knows the area well. Not saying there aren't fish around, but he didn't do well this year.
> 
> Funny, we've been crying about low water in the NE part of the State for a few years. This year the water levels seem _*perfect*_, but the fishing isn't great. The high water mark at the mouth of the Ausable was about 5 feet out of the water, 2 years ago. Now it is about 1.5 feet out of the water. The river should be swarming with Steelhead, but it isn't. There are fish to be had, if you know your way around. Lots of Skippers, so perhaps next year will be the stuff dreams are made of.


I don't know what's up with the AS. It just doesn't get the same October steelhead fishing it once had. Ten years ago, they would be THICK on a year with conditions like they've been. November can be pretty good, but December through March is the best fishing there, IMO. 

A buddy of mine has done quite well on one of the small tribs, hooking multiple fish every single time out. He hasn't fished hard nor too thorough; just an hour or so after work in the late afternoons. The Au Sable had the conditions for a big fall push, and nothing happened. This after a very good summer lake fishery. Strange anymore on the East side.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I don't know what's up with the AS. It just doesn't get the same October steelhead fishing it once had. Ten years ago, they would be THICK on a year with conditions like they've been. November can be pretty good, but December through March is the best fishing there, IMO.
> 
> A buddy of mine has done quite well on one of the small tribs, hooking multiple fish every single time out. He hasn't fished hard nor too thorough; just an hour or so after work in the late afternoons. The Au Sable had the conditions for a big fall push, and nothing happened. This after a very good summer lake fishery. Strange anymore on the East side.


Every one keeps telling me how bad the Au Sable is fishing but when I go we catch a bunch and there is nobody there! Another 4 for 6 today! If I can do that with flies you should able to triple that with bait. At least that is what I read on this site! LOL


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

Anybody think the Kang Krash has anything to do with the lower number of steel in the fall?


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

MichiganStreamside said:


> Every one keeps telling me how bad the Au Sable is fishing but when I go we catch a bunch and there is nobody there! Another 4 for 6 today! If I can do that with flies you should able to triple that with bait. At least that is what I read on this site! LOL


I haven't been on the river at all this fall, so I have to go by what I read Kelly. I'm of the notion that it wouldn't be as bad as stated either, if I went myself. 

Funny you mention bait. I have hardly used any salmon eggs this fall on the little NW unmentionable I've been fishing. Beads have hooked most of my fish, though I did get a nice skamania buck on a wiggler nymph last week. There is always something satisfying about getting them on flies/beads. Not sure what it is, but there most definitely_ is_!


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Jayvelaz1130 said:


> Anybody think the Kang Krash has anything to do with the lower number of steel in the fall?


They are just coming into the river later than normal is all.


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

MichiganStreamside said:


> Every one keeps telling me how bad the Au Sable is fishing but when I go we catch a bunch and there is nobody there! Another 4 for 6 today! If I can do that with flies you should able to triple that with bait. At least that is what I read on this site! LOL


Fish or no fish, I will be up there four days next week fishing it and I can't wait to get on my favorite river.


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## DXT Deer Slayer (Nov 14, 2009)

Flows look pretty good! Sharp dropoff on that day of wicked cold but picked right back up.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

DXT Deer Slayer said:


> Flows look pretty good! Sharp dropoff on that day of wicked cold but picked right back up.


Flows will be all over the place I would think in the near future with these temps and with current setup at Foote.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

MichiganStreamside said:


> Every one keeps telling me how bad the Au Sable is fishing but when I go we catch a bunch and there is nobody there! Another 4 for 6 today! If I can do that with flies you should able to triple that with bait. At least that is what I read on this site! LOL


I've fished behind you with bait enough to know you educate a lot of fish, Kelly. :lol: I know people who have caught good numbers of fish on the A this fall. My boat didn't rack up the same numbers. I don't think I'm doing anything really different. 
One of my buddies did hook into a really big SOMETHING quite a distance upstream of the Whirlpool, though. He thought he had a fish, then thought he was snagged. He grabbed his line, and tried to pull it off the snag twice - before he realized it actually was a fish. :yikes: Then he fought it for another couple minutes, until it broke him off. 

Hopefully there are big fat Steelhead still coming, and I can find time to get out in December. It has been a long time since I could get out in December. Too long.


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## MichiganStreamside (Jan 19, 2014)

Fishndude said:


> I've fished behind you with bait enough to know you educate a lot of fish, Kelly. :lol: I know people who have caught good numbers of fish on the A this fall. My boat didn't rack up the same numbers. I don't think I'm doing anything really different.
> One of my buddies did hook into a really big SOMETHING quite a distance upstream of the Whirlpool, though. He thought he had a fish, then thought he was snagged. He grabbed his line, and tried to pull it off the snag twice - before he realized it actually was a fish. :yikes: Then he fought it for another couple minutes, until it broke him off.
> 
> Hopefully there are big fat Steelhead still coming, and I can find time to get out in December. It has been a long time since I could get out in December. Too long.


Seen your buds last week with a couple of good ones on a rope! 47 degrees and rain for Monday!!!


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## wyandot (Dec 5, 2013)

Fishndude said:


> I've fished behind you with bait enough to know you educate a lot of fish, Kelly. :lol: I know people who have caught good numbers of fish on the A this fall. My boat didn't rack up the same numbers. I don't think I'm doing anything really different.
> One of my buddies did hook into a really big SOMETHING quite a distance upstream of the Whirlpool, though. He thought he had a fish, then thought he was snagged. He grabbed his line, and tried to pull it off the snag twice - before he realized it actually was a fish. :yikes: Then he fought it for another couple minutes, until it broke him off.
> 
> Hopefully there are big fat Steelhead still coming, and I can find time to get out in December. It has been a long time since I could get out in December. Too long.


My local unmentionable produced one of those REALLY BIG SOMETHING'S this afternoon. I did bank him, and it was the prettiest Laker I've ever seen.


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

Are the fish planted in the AS, Little Manistee strain? Couldn't be the egg take has been getting later and later for the past 5 years or so? I think we are planting too many late spring fish instead of mixing it up with some true winter spawners. My own logic here, nothing scientific I have really discussed much before...


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I understand your logic, Treven. But the DNR puts the weir in around the same time every year, and captures fish from approximately the same timeframe. They just have been taking the eggs later for a few years. That kind of squashes the natural run on that river, for that timeframe. But that just means there should be more fish that run earlier, and later than "the norm," by my logic. The earlier, and later running fish wouldn't be stopped by the weir. 

I am basing my Ausable observations on about a 9 day period at the beginning of November. Sadly, I haven't been able to get back up to fish the Ausable since. And, yes, I know some guys who are doing quite well there, and nearby. I used to plan my week-long fall Steelhead vacation for the 3rd week of October, which coincided with the peak of the King spawning. Then I pushed it back to the last week of October. Then the first week of November, for quite a few years now. Maybe I need to take Thanksgiving week off next year?


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## bigjonbuck (Sep 19, 2006)

The oc is the highest ive ever seen it. report was a few stealhead being caught. I regreted not taking my pole with me this year.


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