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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The water temperatures below Mio Dam have returned to safe levels with the recent rain. The water level is up a bit today, but not to unsafe wading or drifting levels.

Lots of people are asking about the Hex hatch. The answer is, who knows? I’m getting reports of sporadic hatches on the Upper Au Sable and downstream of McKinley Bridge to 4001, but nothing very predictable. Our guess is the Hex are petering out and will be mostly gone in the next week or so.

Other good choices are still isos, #12 and #14 Light Cahills, BWOs in #18, stoneflies, rubberleg hoppers like the black and yellow skunks, Dave’s Hoppers, and Tarantulas, and of course several different attractors like Adams and Borchers. In other words, a smorgasboard, and if one fly doesn’t work throw another one on.

For streamers, try an olive Matuka sculpin, a Little Rainbow Trout, or a ghost.

Although the water levels below Mio have come down, the water is still higher than normal, so be very careful when wading or operating drift boats.

Hex and Isos are still the dominant flies, along with olives and various stoneflies. There are reports of light cahills, which would be an early appearance by these whitish bugs.

We also have some new streamer patterns, so stop in and take a look.

It’s that time of year again. Hex flies have appeared in their usual places throughout the Au Sable, although they are sparse on the Trophy Waters until you get past McKinley Bridge. They should stay abundant over the next week or so. Call for updates.

Isos are still plentiful and should stay that way for awhile, and are the best choice right now for the Trophy Waters.

Brown Drakes are pretty much done, although there may still be a few here and there. The dominant fly will now be the Isonychia, which should be appearing anytime. Blue Wing Olives should also get results. We have some new streamer patterns that are good choices on these overcast days, so stop in and check them out.

The water temperatures have returned to a safe level below Mio, and should stay that way through the weekend. As always, treat the fish carefully.

The start of the Hex hatch is probably very close, and there have already been scattered reports of Hex on the upper Au Sable.  Keep your eyes and ears open.

Just a word of caution — anyone fishing the Trophy Waters should use great caution when releasing fish.  The water temperature below Mio dam hit 72.

Sulphurs are still active, but Brown Drakes have started and should be numerous below Mio by the end of the weekend.  With the hot temperatures, a little more patience is required….

There is still some light hendrickson action, mostly in the afternoons, but the better action is with the sulphurs, which started a few days ago.  We have a good selection of a couple of different styles of sulphurs at the shop.  Also, hares ear and pheasant tail nymphs, prince nymphs, and zug bugs will produce good results.

The weather is expected to stay dry and hot this week, so that should produce good dry fly action right into June.

It's hard to believe another winter has passed and opening day is upon us. Seemed like a short winter — maybe it was the lack of heavy snow.

The Au Sable River is in fine shape for the opener.  Good dry fly choices for tomorrow are the perennial hendricksons, and also olives.  Streamers will be a good choice as well if it's overcast and rainy as predicted, which seems to be the standard opener weather the last few years.

The steelhead are pretty much gone from the Rifle River, in case anyone is interested.  They're usually there through April, but the warm weather led to an early run.

The shop will be open today and at 7:30 am tomorrow, and we'll have donuts and hot coffee.  Hope to see you even if you don't need anything.

Here's to another great season!

Rusty Gates, owner of Gates Au Sable Lodge in Grayling and President of Anglers of the Au Sable, passed away on December 19 at the too-young age of 54.  Except for possibly George Mason, it is doubtful that there has ever been anyone who devoted as much time, energy and vision to protecting and preserving our wonderful Au Sable River, and probably no one in the midwest who promoted fly fishing as well and as long as he did.  He will definitely be missed by everyone who loves this river.

Anyone who wants to make a memorial donation can visit www.gateslodge.com or www.ausableanglers.org .

The next week or so, if not sooner, should bring one of the most productive hatches to the Trophy Waters:  epherons, also known as White Flies.  This hatch will last for several weeks and will bring a lot of trout to the surface.  We have a good selection of every stage of this fly.  There are still light Cahills coming off, and hoppers and other terrestrials are good selections.  With warmer termperatures expected next week, look for a lot of bugs.  There are still isonychias, and for the last couple of weeks orange stimulators and stonefly patterns have produced good results.

Stop in for an update, as the action can change frequently this time of year.

We are still getting questions about hex flies, but that train has pretty much left the station.  There could be a flare-up or two with the warmer weather, but heading out in search of hex is probably a fool's errand at this point (although, of course, it doesn't hurt to have a few in your fly box).

A better choice would be the ever-present isonychia, light cahills, olives, and stoneflies.  A Michigan skunk will be a good choice also, as the temperatures rise.  For nymph action, try a zug bug or prince nymph. 

As always, be mindful of the water temperatures.  Extreme caution should be exercised with our Trophy Water fish when the water temperature exceeds seventy. 

There have been a few hex sightings in the lower Au Sable and a few on Mio Pond, but for the most part the big hatch has not happened yet.  It could happen any day, though.  Call the shop for more timely updates or check this site.

It's now officially my favorite time of year when it comes to bug hatches.  Both brown drakes and isonychias have made their appearance on the river, and the fish are happily feeding on them.  The drakes will be most active in the evening, as will the isos.  Duns and spinners will get the best results, but it will be worth trying the emergers earlier in the day as well.

Another good fly to use right now is the Roberts Yellow Drake.  It's not exactly a brown drake or iso, but it seems to get good results during these hatches.

The river is in good shape right now with decent water levels and good temperatures for trout, and the canoeing pressure on Saturdays has not peaked yet.  If you're thinking about fishing the Au Sable or taking a guided trip, there isn't a better time than right now. 

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, conditions on the Trophy Waters look very nice.  The water level is within the normal range, and water temperatures are ideal.  Dark Hendricksons are pretty well done, although there are still light Hendrickson spinner falls.  Last night the fish were looking for sulphurs, and it should stay that way for at least a week or two.  Other good fly choices are mahoganies and Borchers Specials.  For nymph fishing, stick with hares ears and pheasant tails, with the occasional prince nymph.

Don't forget to remember our fallen troops on Monday.  It's easy to forget what this holiday is supposed to be all about.

Hendricksons have been coming off steadily for about a week now and are producing good fish.  Our guide Dennis went out the other day and pulled in about 20 fish, all on Hennies. 

The water level is a little high but the Trophy Waters are very fishable right now.  Don't miss the Henny hatch, it's maybe the most fun you'll have on the stream all season.

Opening weekend was a little wet, but we've come almost come to expect that the last few years.  The rain took the water levels up, so most opening weekend folks were using nymphs and streamers, and quite a few of them caught nice fish.  Dry fly action is still a little slow, but look for the hennies and olives to reappear, then the fish should start looking up.  Black and tan caddis is also evident, as are black stoneflies.  This weekend looks to be cool but fairly dry, so there should be more bugs. 

I'm getting calls from a few people asking if we're renting drift boats again.  The answer is yes … for now.  You may recall that I stopped renting them last year after several unpleasant incidents, but I've relented, at least for now.  However, if anyone's interested, one of the drift boats is for sale for $2,500, which is a very good deal for a boat that's still in fine shape.  Call the shop at 989-826-3411 for details.

Well, the 25th is finally here.  Look for light and dark hendricksons on the river, along with larger blue wing olives.  Streamers should be a good choice too, since the hatchery fish just got planted this week.  The water temperature is about fifty degrees.

Be sure to stop in for all the flies you'll need, plus free coffee and donuts…

A lot of people have asked about new regulations on the Trophy Waters this year.  Unfortunately, there are no new regulations.  It's still 12 inches for rainbows, 15 inches for browns, limit 2 per day.  However, we are hopeful that the DNR will change the regulations for 2010 so that the river will be open all year, and will be either a no-kill zone or will have very strict rules about keeping fish.  Stay tuned.