# Cold weather, Cold water, Cold fishing



## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Hit the river for a few hours this weekend, and it wasn't looking good most of the day. Finally, my last stop produced two nice hens a few drifts apart. So the streak continues. I'll post an update each week until I strike out...lol. River _was_ flowing nice, but they dropped it down below 1000cfs. The water has bottomed out in [email protected] 33*. 

Both fish took the bait with eagerness, and fought scrappy for such cold water. Being a weekend, I saw a few guys out and about. Never saw any other fish, but it's hard to tell whos got what. Shelf ice is forming, and the recent higher water combined with the subsequent drop in flow, has created slippery shore ice in spots. So far this year is much slower than the last couple, but I believe the bad weather this fall is the main reason. No good blow events or rains made for a fall "trickle" instead of a run. It'll get better at some point, just gotta make due.


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## RJEgolf (Jan 23, 2013)

Nice fish!!! Do you fish in Petoskey? I think I have seen you there.

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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

RJEgolf said:


> Nice fish!!! Do you fish in Petoskey? I think I have seen you there.
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Oh yeah...at times. I fish that area when I can't make a road trip NE.


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## twbeyes (Nov 25, 2010)

I was on the river Sunday, hit the damn first i had a good 2 hrs there ware I found a little spot ware some fish were holding I ended only landed 1 out of 5 and had 2 pike cut me half way inn. I went dwn river and fish in town and never had a nibble. All fish that hit came on spawn. Has anybody noticed at the damn u have to use a little more weight? I was jw I though I usually used half Ora 3/4 oz but I couldn't hit bottom without useing 1oz I though that was a little weried.or maybe not!!?


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## Shift7609 (Aug 9, 2011)

Half or one ounce holy cow i never used anything over 3/8 to bb

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## twbeyes (Nov 25, 2010)

That is what I was thinking too. I run 6lb maxima straight. And I bought that new wild river from linn i Dk if it was just the line rod combo but I was hooking fish and I could feel the bottom and wasent dredging the bottoms eather .I'm not acting like I Dk what I'm doing I do. I was just looking to see what your guys opion is lol. I Dk maybe they had the gates opened up a little more. Thanks for the reply tho.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

twbeyes said:


> That is what I was thinking too. I run 6lb maxima straight. And I bought that new wild river from linn i Dk if it was just the line rod combo but I was hooking fish and I could feel the bottom and wasent dredging the bottoms eather .I'm not acting like I Dk what I'm doing I do. I was just looking to see what your guys opion is lol. I Dk maybe they had the gates opened up a little more. Thanks for the reply tho.


From the looks of it, the river level was dropping at a fairly rapid rate, all of Sunday. It is quite low now - 874 CFS. I am sure this is due to the extremely cold weather we have had. 

All that being said, I have only tossed an ounce of weight during incredibly high water events, over the years. I'm not saying you weren't getting a good drift - heck you caught fish, right? I normally use less than .5 oz of weight for bottom bounding below the dam. It is a somewhat tricky drift, because the water comes screaming over the coffer, then the flow slows as it works downstream. Up high there are lots of big rocks to get snagged on, and the water isn't real deep - which makes it good that the current is fast there. Further down the current slows, the water deepens, and the rocks are smaller.


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## twbeyes (Nov 25, 2010)

Yeah maybe it was just the new Rodd. I really couldn't believe that I was useing a 1oz weight lol. But like Said I was hitting fish and wasent getting snags. Thanks for the response guys.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

twbeyes said:


> Has anybody noticed at the damn u have to use a little more weight?


Yes, but that seems to go by what gate they've got running. Lately, it's been the same turbines. I haven't touched anything in the normal drifts at the dam, I _can_ say that. Nice job on the hookups; I may have saw you from a distance...


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## copper95b (May 24, 2006)

I'm in a three week drought. Only one hook up in that time. This is my first winter steelheading on the AS. I know that the fishing gets slower, but it has me rethinking what I learned in the spring and fall of this year. Here are some questions if anyone cares to help. PM's welcome if you would rather.

1. During a normal drift should I feel the bottom continuously? Like a "bump, bump, bump, ect"? Or should I only feel the bumping occasionally? A few bumps per drift? I generally use a 3/8 oz. pencil and cut about a third of it off? 

2. Is 6lb Ultra Green to thick for the leader? And should the leader be longer or shorter then 2ft? 

3. For winter fishing is the spawn from the Dam Store too large for their lock jaw? Or should I use just waxies with or without a little foam ball?

Thanks in advance as I am in a serious drought and it has been playing head games with me recently. I have a two week holiday break coming up so I will be out a lot during that time if anyone wants to fish!


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## oldrank (Dec 5, 2006)

Great job on some nice winter fish...


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## twbeyes (Nov 25, 2010)

Yeah I seen ya I was trying to be sneaky lol with the hook ups but only landed a pike and one steelhead. I got there and u showed up right after me. U were working some water I would never work this time of the year, had me thinkin lol!!


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## Shift7609 (Aug 9, 2011)

I would run 4lb maxima in the cold weather and spawn from the store usually is garbage i would run waxies till you can either get some salmon spawn fresh or a fat female hen

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## copper95b (May 24, 2006)

Shift7609 said:


> I would run 4lb maxima in the cold weather and spawn from the store usually is garbage i would run waxies till you can either get some salmon spawn fresh or a fat female hen
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Thank you!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

twbeyes said:


> Yeah I seen ya I was trying to be sneaky lol with the hook ups but only landed a pike and one steelhead. I got there and u showed up right after me. U were working some water I would never work this time of the year, had me thinkin lol!!


I'm very observant and saw you in the rocks twice; knew exactly what was going on. I didn't fish up there at all. The spot I was fishing isn't really a winter hole, I was just seeing if anything was still in a little more flow; there wasn't.

Copper, don't worry about your streak; we all have them. I haven't hit any numbers yet, whatsoever, but I'll keep trying. It's slower so far this season, but they'll come.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Copper: I like to feel my weight tick the bottom every so often, but not really be dragging along. Sometimes I anchor my boat by a shallower sandy flat, and watch some drifts happen, so I can learn to feel the various things I feel in drifting. I like to tell newer anglers, "when in doubt, lighten your weight." I've seen Steelhead literally stand on their nose to eat a spawnbag, but most often they will bite something that floats by at their eye level. And they don't usually lie right on the bottom of rivers - they suspend slightly. 
I like to use flourocarbon for leader - especially in the Ausable, which is gin-clear, most of the time. I use Maxima Ultragreen for my mainline. Personally I hate dropping down to 6# leader, but will do it once in awhile, if I'm not getting any bites at all. I like a leader that is 3' - 4' long, but I will throw a really long leader on occassion - when I'm not getting bites at all. 
I haven't bought spawn from a store in decades. I make sure to get loose Salmon eggs every fall, which supplies me with enough bait for the following year. One year I didn't get enough spawn, and I ran out. :yikes:
I never let that happen again. Skein Steelhead spawn can work a lot better than cured or uncured loose Salmon eggs at times. Sometimes Salmon eggs work better. Work hard to catch a hen Steelhead, and take advantage of it.


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## copper95b (May 24, 2006)

Thank you Fishndude! Everyone has been very helpful! You all are awesome! I was doing some things wrong for wintertime steel and now I feel confident that I have a solid base to stand on!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

You caught fish! Some people just fish to experience the out-of-doors. Others fish to feel the bite, but don't really care about fighting or landing fish. Others fish for food. Some just like the fights, and release everything they catch. Most of the guys I know like to fight fish. They keep some, and release some. But we love the fights. 

If you find something that is working, don't just toss it aside because someone else gives you different advice. Build your experience and knowledge base, and over time build up your tackle collection. And go fishing as much as you think you can get away with. :lol:


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## wyandot (Dec 5, 2013)

Thanks to Fishindude' and all other guys for helping Copper out. I hit his profile by accident earlier and see He's active duty U.S. Coast Guard. It's not allways easy for these guys to fit in with local guys, been there myself. If you see the guy on the river struggling, help him out a bit, give him a few bags for Pete's sake!! PM me if you want somebody to B.s. with Copper.


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## copper95b (May 24, 2006)

wyandot said:


> Thanks to Fishindude' and all other guys for helping Copper out. I hit his profile by accident earlier and see He's active duty U.S. Coast Guard. It's not allways easy for these guys to fit in with local guys, been there myself. If you see the guy on the river struggling, help him out a bit, give him a few bags for Pete's sake!! PM me if you want somebody to B.s. with Copper.


Thank you! I am semi-local being born and raised in Flint. But I fell in love with steelhead fishing years ago at Tippy Dam! 

Merry Christmas and tight lines to all!


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