Memorial Day Weekend Update
The hennies are done for the year, but right now there’s a smorgasboard of bugs on the river. Sulphurs, lots of caddis, and stoneflies should be good choices. We may also see brown drakes by the weekend, and there are sporadic march browns.
Call for updates, as the flies are changing rapidly, and as the weather continues to get warmer.
Another Opening Day
It’s another trout opener, and, true to form, the weather is cold and windy. How many openers have we had in the last few years that have featured cold or wet weather?? Seems like it happens every year.
Despite the cold weather the fishing is good. Hendricksons are active through the Trophy Waters, as are BWOs. If the cold temps today keep the bugs away, stop in and try some of our new articulated sculpins and other colorful streamers.
Stop in for a cup of coffee, and have a great opener. And don’t forget, the river is open year round.
October 1 Update
Just a reminder that the Trophy Waters section of the Au Sable is still open for fishing, per the new regulations that were put into effect this year. The weather’s nice, the water temperatures are great for trout, and the fish are active, so give it another shot. Fishing for trout amid the blazing fall colors is a great experience. Streamers are the best option.
Labor Day Update
White fly hatches have been sporadic for the last couple of weeks but are still coming off. Olives, isos, and various attractors are also working. We have a good selection of white fly and iso nymphs for the days when the fish aren’t hitting the surface, which seems to be a lot of days lately. Bigger streamers might be a good option this weekend with the rain we’re supposed to have.
Don’t forget that the Trophy Waters does not close at the end of this month, it’s now open all year round. There’s still a lot of good fishing in October.
White Flies
Better news this week. The water temperatures have fallen below 70 degrees and it looks like they may stay there. White flies are active now throughout the Trophy Waters. Other good choices are terrestrials and, occasionally, isonychias. All in all, the best fishing report we can give you in quite a few weeks.
Water Temps and White Flies
As of today the water temperatures are still too warm for productive fishing in the Trophy Waters, and dangerous because the fish will die when caught. However, the good news is that the forecast for the coming week is calling for cooler temperatures and some rain, which should combine to bring the water temperature back below 70 degrees. White flies have been spotted sporadically from Mio to 4001, but look for epherons to increase significantly over the next week which, combined with the lower temps, should improve the outlook dramatically. Check back for updates.
Water Conditions for July 24
Yesterday’s rain was nice, but did little for the high water temperatures. The river at the Mio boat launch was 76 degrees this morning. There is just no reason to fish during these conditions. The trout will be hiding most of the day anyway, and if you are lucky enough to catch a few you will probably kill them. Best to wait until this heat wave subsides.
Try fishing the local lakes for bass, pike and walleye instead, and maybe check with us next week if the weather improves the outlook on the Trophy Waters.
July 16 Update
We are urging extreme caution when fishing the Trophy Waters stretch due to water temperatures consistently above 70. With even hotter weather on the way, this will persist for awhile. Fish caught during these high temps will often die even when released quickly. The water does cool as you get farther away from the Mio Dam.
Best options now are terrestrials. The water is very clear, so something with a little color will help get the trouts’ attention and get them to the surface.
Hex are done, and isos are sporadic.
Update for July 9
Attractors and stimulators may be the best choice this week. Try anything with a flash of bright color. Hex are pretty much done, although there could still be a sporadic hatch. Isos and cahills are still possible, but fading. We may be very close to terrestrial time.
Watch the water temperatures as they have pushed above 70 in the last few days. If you fish on these hot days, please be extremely careful with any fish, and release them gently. We want these fish to get bigger, not die in their first year in the stream!
Hex Report
The hex hatch is in full swing in the usual places on the Au Sable — between Parmalee and Whirlpool, Mio Pond, and downstream from the Trophy Waters between McKinley and the 4001 Bridge. I must have scraped a few dozen of them off my windows this morning. Who knows how long the hatch will last, but warmer termperatures may keep them around a few extra days.
Try Isos during the day, or stoneflies. Small olives between #18 and #22 will also get results. Light cahills have also made their appearance. These flies are whitish in color, but not like white millers — cahills have clear wings.
Isos
Isonychias are the dominant dry fly right now. There have been scattered reports of hex below 4001 Bridge, but the big hatch is still lurking.
For variety, try stoneflies and iso nymphs. We also have some great new streamers, so stop in and give them a try if you’re looking for the big ones. Water levels and temperatures and normal.
Brown Drakes
The brown drakes are here, along with sulphurs, olives, and yellow stoneflies. Isonychias are also making their first appearance. Fishing is excellent right now, and the water levels are normal despite heavy rains this morning.
This is prime fishing time — it won’t get a whole lot better.
June 4 Report
Not much change from last week in terms of flies on the water. Sulphurs are the dominant bug. Look for Brown Drakes to start very, very soon.
Water levels and temperatures are good on the Trophy Waters. You can’t ask for better conditions.
Memorial Day Update
Like last week, there is a mix of bugs now on the water. Sulphurs appeared several days ago and should be the dominant fly, but there are also a few light Hennies, olives, and mahoganies.
Stoneflies are also a good choice, and we have a limited selection of mattress thrasher stoneflies tied by local guide Dennis Davis. I can’t keep these in stock, so get them while you can.
River conditions are perfect, with normal water levels and cool temperatures.
May 21 Update
Hendricksons are still coming off in decent quantities, but will be diminishing very soon. Olives and stoneflies continue to get results. Sulphurs have begun to appear in small numbers and should take off within a week or so.
Took a trip down the Trophy Waters with local guide Dennis Davis yesterday, and I’ve never seen so many white caddis in my life. They reminded me of clouds of shedding cottonwood trees. The fish weren’t interested, though, and we figured out too late that they were probably gorging themselves on the caddis nymphs. Anyway, they weren’t rising much. Still, it was a beautiful day and we got to try a lot of different flies! Speaking of which, we have a lot of new flies in, some tied by Dennis and a lot of others tied by expert Michigan fly tier Paul Younggren, who produces most of our popular local patterns. We’re really proud of the improving quality of our flies, and we’ve kept our prices level with last year, so come in and check out our wide selection.
Water levels are back to normal, so head north and hit the river. We’ll be here….
May 14 Conditions
The dry fly of choice for now is still hennies, with olives and stones running second. The water levels are up again after last week’s rains, and with this weekend’s cooler temperatures streamers will be a good choice for the next few days.
We just stocked some excellent new streamer patterns tied by Dennis Davis, a local guide, so come in and check them out. They’re tried and true patterns that Dennis has been getting great results with lately — brightly colored rabbit strip streamers, special zoo cougars, and some great articulated streamers. Dennis’s streamers don’t have any fancy names — they just work.
Current river conditions
The water level on the Trophy Waters is still a little high, but has receded closer to normal levels. Fishing should improve this week as the temperatures start to rise.
The Hendrickson hatch is in full swing. Nymphs and lighter colored streamers should also get good results.
Be cautious when wading due to the higher water flows.
Trout Opener Update
Welcome back for another great season. I, for one, am happy to see the official end of winter. Seemed like this one was never going to end. Just ten days ago we were plowing a foot of snow out of our driveway, but today it’s sixty degrees. Better days are ahead!
The trout opener for this year was pretty well washed out by the high waters and winds. It looks like the weather should stabilize over the next week, so look for more favorable conditions for next weekend. For flies, Hendricksons have started, and stoneflies should get good results, as will olives around a #18. With these conditions streamers may be the best choice, so stop in and check out some of our new selections.
A lot of you have been asking about the new regulations for the Trophy Waters. This year, finally, the new regs have gone into effect, and here they are:
* The Trophy Waters, from the Mio power lines to the McKinley Bridge, are now open all year.
* It’s still flies and artificial lures only.
* The possession season is the last Saturday in April to September 30 for brook trout and brown trout, although rainbow trout can be taken year round.
* Minimum size limits: brook trout 7 inches, rainbow trout 10 inches, brown trout 18 inches.
* Daily possession limit: still two trout, but only one trout can be 18 inches or more.
That’s it. These new regs are a welcome change, and should help increase the number of trophy size fish in the big water.
We’ll keep you updated on conditions and bugs, so check back often.
Current Conditions
Rain and cool temperatures have cooled off the water considerably — 65 degrees this morning. White flies have petered out. Best bets are nymphs, terrestrials, and streamers.
Water temperature and fly update
The water temperature below Mio Dam this morning is 66, which is a big improvement. Cooler nights have helped. That could creep back above 70 over the next few days of hot weather, but it looks like a cooling trend toward the end of this week will keep the water where we need it for the foreseeable future.
Contrary to some reports, white flies are still hatching below Mio, although the hatch will probably peter out over the next week to ten days. Orange rubberleg attractors, tarantulas, and ants for daytime action, and mouse patterns and white flies in the evenings are getting good results. We also have a good selection of nymphs and streamers that are working — just stop in for suggestions.
Update for August 20
The white fly hatch remains the best evening choice. These flies should start coming off around dusk every night. Other options are slate wing olives, hoppers, ants, and other terrestrials.
The water temperatures have finally dropped below seventy degrees, and cooler days ahead should keep it that way.
We have several white fly options at the shop, so stop in and we’ll fix you up.
They’re Here
White Flies have made their arrival. The Au Sable near McKinley Bridge was covered with them last night, and cooler temperatures should liven up the fish. Expect the next few weeks to be productive as fish look for this prolific hatch.
Fishing Update for August 1
It’s been a slow month of fishing on the Trophy Waters, with water temperatures consistently above 70 degrees and no dominant hatches. The temperature this morning at Mio Dam was 71. The best time to fish is still morning and evening, but recent rains and cooler temperatures should help things considerably as we move into August.
We are very close to seeing the beginnings of the Epheron hatch, better known as White Flies. Look for them by next weekend. This is one of the longest and most productive hatches we see all year, and the Trophy Waters is possibly the best place in Michigan to fish it. In the meantime, fishing with various terrestrials, slate wing olives, nymphs, and smaller streamers will produce fish.
Call the shop for daily updates.
July 5 Update
The water temperature below Mio Dam today is 72 degrees, so be very careful releasing fish, if you must fish at all.
Best dry choices continue to be light cahills, isos, hoppers, and ants.
It looks like the hex hatch is pretty well done for the year, at least on the Au Sable. We haven’t heard about any significant sightings for at least a week.
