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;void(0)) TROUT FISHING UPDATE ;void(0)) July 6, 2011 AuSable River Mio to 4001 Bridge The Hex hatch has wound down and we have returned to regular hours of sleep and lightened our caffeine intake. It was a memorable, but grueling two weeks of nighttime fishing for big trout. The experience was enhanced each evening at our secret site with appearances by a resident bear and her cubs. Presently, the main evening hatch of choice is now the Isonychia (aka Mahogany Dun, Slate Drake, etc) We are also seeing a variety of evening bugs. Various sizes and shades of Stoneflies, Light Cahills, Gray Drakes and some diminutive Blue Winged Olives are appearing as the sun starts to recede. Some fishermen who adapted to the nighttime fishing, and don't want to give up the chance at a super-sized trout, are still out during the twilight hours throwing deer hair Mice patterns toward the shoreline. And, as always, nymphs and small streamers are effective during the daytime hours. ;void(0)) Smallmouth BassAuSable River First Mile downstream from the power dams. During July and August we spend a lot of time in pursuit of Smallmouth Bass. We are taking good numbers of Smallies during the daytime with streamers and crawfish patterns. Around 9 P.M. we switch to surface poppers and frog patterns. The largest fish seem to feed at dusk and they have a fond appetite for the frogs. Occasionally you will be surprised by a hungry Northern Pike. Ontario, Canada September 24, 2011 LATEST UPDATE from the Sault Ste. Marie / St. Mary's area: Nothing new to report, few fish, no increase in numbers. A few aged (black) king salmon are in the Garden River. A fair number of fresh (white bellied) pink salmon are in the Soo rapids. Kings are few and far between. Trollers are striking out for kings. Everyone is hoping for a late fall rush of fish ??!! Most of the productive fishing action is for Coho salmon in the upper St. Mary's River and the mouth of the Garden River.  If you enjoy stalking trophy trout, please remember: large trout are elderly trout. They are no longer in prime physical shape and they fatique easily. Use a stout rod (7 wt) and hoist these fish to the surface and bring them to shore quickly. If you play around battling these old timers on your favorite 5 wt rod, you will probably exhaust them to the point that they will not recover from the battle. Be sure to patiently revive your trout (moving them back and forth facing upstream) before you release them. Studies done to evaluate the stress and mortality levels of trout that were caught and released have shown the mortality rate is probably much higher than most people think. Be aware that during the warm weather months of summer, when the air and water temperatures are high, stress and mortality levels are also considerably higher. Ideally you should bring the fish carefully to the edge of the stream or river and unhook it while it remains in the water. However, most anglers will want to capture the memory of the catch by taking a photograph. If this is your plan, try to keep the fish in the water at all times, handle it as little as possible, and when you do grip the fish, wear a wet cotton glove so you won't remove the trout's protective slime coat. If the hook appears to be deep and not easily removed, cut the line and leave the hook in the fish. The less time the fish is on the line, the better its chance for survival. By considering water conditions, air and water temperatures, fishing techniques and how the fish is handled prior to release, anglers can directly influence the well-being of the fish they are catching and releasing. Remember, just because a fish swims away when released, does not mean damage has not already been done and that the fish won’t still die in the upcoming hours or days from the experience. But, by considering all of these factors and trying to minimizing their stress, the prized trout that you just released will have a better chance of survival to be caught again on another day! Smallmouth Bass Fishing  Bass and bluegill are just starting to bed and spawn. Fishing for smallmouth will be very good for the next several weeks. Be sure to quickly release all spawning fish! Tom Buhr's informative article on the AuSable River's summertime Smallmouth Bass fishery first appeared in the August 2003 issue of Midwest Fly Fishing Magazine. Click on the hot link to read Tom's story. ;void(0))  Robert Thompson has a highly energized web site "Third Year Fly Fisher" that features his high-energy videos. Robert's talents with video camera and computer are sure to get you excited. Click on the link to view some Tawas Bay fly rod action. Be sure to check out the other videos on Robert's site. | AuSable River Emergence Schedule | AuSable Stream Flow Data | Testament of a Fisherman | AuSable River Trout Fishing Map | Fly Fishing Photo Gallery | | Return Home | Clothing & Outerwear | Footwear | Cross Country Skiing | Corsair Ski Trail Conditions | Kayaking & Canoeing | Hiking & Backpacking | Tawas Bird & Nature Observation | AuSable River Fly Fishing | Events Schedule | Links | Contact Us | Employment | The Dale Ann Bradley Band in Concert | |
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