# Boat and motor for Au Sable steelheading



## westjam (Dec 15, 2010)

I have a question for all you guys that are experienced at fishing the lower Au Sable for Steel. I've been up there a few times but always fished from the bank or waded, but I want to try using my boat. I have a small 12' V with a 6HP outboard that I would like to try out up there but I'm a little worried about knocking that prop around on rocks and logs. Plus I'm not sure how much power I need to motor upstream with that little 6HP. What boat/motor setup do you guys recommend? Any help you can offer would be very much appreciated.


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## JigginRod (Dec 29, 2010)

I have a 14' Starcraft v- bottom with a 15 hp Evinrude that works pretty good,but wish I had a 25hp for going upstream. A jet drive would be nice too.Just have to remember to leave it in tilt mode.I've hit a couple stumps so hard going downstream that the motor kicked all the way up and turned a little sideways with no ill effect:yikes: ,knock wood.
With that 6hp it'll be a slow go upstream but it's better than nothing! 
Tilt-mode


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

The river is no wake anyway you can't go that fast. You will be fine.


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## JigginRod (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks for the info Guppy.Looks like I can take that 25hp off my wish list.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

That boat/motor combo should work fine for you. It will be slow going upstream, but like others have stated, the entire river is no-wake. Going downstream is a LOT faster than going up. I run with a 16 foot aluminum rowboat, with a 25 horse. I have often fished from the mouth to the dam, and back, in a day. But it takes ALL day to do it, and I skip a lot of places to make that run. And it takes me a solid hour to run from the dam to the launch at the mouth, and that is without fishing at all! 

I will throw in that running the river is one thing. Anchoring to fish is something else. You will want to get some heavy chain for an anchor. It lays down and will drag you to a stop quickly, in all but the fastest water. I have chain anchors of 35#, 42#, and 65#, with some lighter anchors for the stern (for places where a swirly current will turn your front-anchored boat in circles). I just use an anchor tool I got from Cabelas on the bow, and some 1/2" cheap nylon rope from Home Depot. This is what I fixed to the bow of my boats for anchoring. 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Anch...5&Ntt=anchor&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


Another useful took is a handle extension for your tiller outboard. This will allow you to stand up while you are underway, which gives you a better ability to see into the water, to avoid hitting stuff. Trust me, it makes a big difference. But you will still hit stuff. Also, if your motor has a shear pin on the prop, get some backup pins. If it is the newer kind, where the plastic bushing spins when the prop hits too much resistance, get a spare prop. And make sure you ALWAYS have oars in the boat. I have rowed out more than a couple times, for various reasons.


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## 4lbtest (Feb 28, 2007)

I would have said ask Fishndude, but I see he replied with pretty much all ya need to know. I'll say between the boyscout & sandslide there are about 8 deadheads heads up...

just one more cast...


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

4lbtest said:


> I would have said ask Fishndude, but I see he replied with pretty much all ya need to know. I'll say between the boyscout & sandslide there are about 8 deadheads heads up...
> 
> just one more cast...


Yeah, that stretch is best learned at a slow speed. There are 3 deadheads in the straight-away above the Scout Camp, that are in the middle of the river; and a few more above the Birch sweeper. There are also 2 sets of deadheads at the top of the Highbanks run - one on each side of the river. You do NOT want to hit any of those, as they could easily poke a giant hole in your hull. 

Nice rig, 4#. That handle extension is the best investment for fishing the Ausable.


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## westjam (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks for all your advice guys. It really helps to have good guys that give decent advice to a newbie on that stretch of river. I really appreciate the comments about chain for the anchor, tiller extension, and extra shear pins (hard to believe I didn't think of that one, but honestly I didn't!). I also really appreciate the deadhead spots to look out for. Hopefully I'll see you guys up there soon.


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## 4lbtest (Feb 28, 2007)

Fishndude said:


> Yeah, that stretch is best learned at a slow speed. There are 3 deadheads in the straight-away above the Scout Camp, that are in the middle of the river; and a few more above the Birch sweeper. There are also 2 sets of deadheads at the top of the Highbanks run - one on each side of the river. You do NOT want to hit any of those, as they could easily poke a giant hole in your hull.
> 
> Nice rig, 4#. That handle extension is the best investment for fishing the Ausable.


Keep oars an extra shear pin and prop in her too (like you said)


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