The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report
It’s been a great week of fishing for me. Now, granted, I really only get to go after the shop has closed. And, while that limits me to hitting the stream for the evening rise, I’m fine with that because it’s usually the time to find bigger trout feeding. Unfortunately, that hasn’t quite been case this past week and even though I was able to trick a couple of older fish, the last hour of daylight hasn’t fished like it should.
So what’s made it such a great week of fishing for me? It was the smiles on angler’s faces. It was seeing our rivers satisfy so many fishermen. And it was the boys I took fishing from the Alma College
Fly Fishing Literature Class that looked wide-eyed at everything Au Sable and fell a little in love with the place that we hold so dear. It was the fact that most everyone has been catching a lot of fish in the daytime. These aren’t big trout, but they are many and they are eager. The fishermen are happy and the guides are relaxed. Fishing has been easy and I don’t get to say that very often.
Caddis and suplhurs remain the chess pieces of choice and most folks are tying on two at a time to the end of their leaders. Dry fly and dropper rigs and double dry fly rigs are the standard offerings. Soft hackles, wet caddis emergers, and caddis pupa knotted to dry caddis or stonefly has been deadly. But as soon as an angler is satisfied with the number of trout to hand, many are eliminating that second fly and the headaches and inevitable tangles that two flies promise. Folks become content to just continue to catch plenty of speckled trout with the single dry fly. It’s simply been fun.
It’s about to get even better, though. Drakes are nearly here. As a matter of fact, the Brown Drakes will likely be thick by the time you hear this report. Then the daytime numbers of fish will be strongly punctuated with exclamation points of large trout. The whole of Crawford County streams are about to show their medal.
It should be a fine week of fishing. We have a chance of thunderstorms each day and the fishing right before and after these afternoon cloudbursts can be very good. These aren’t all day, monsoons we’re dealing with, but fast, dark events that may just make the trout and mayflies more active. Should be fun.
Don’t forget to sign up you and/or your loved ones for our beginning fly fishing class with myself and industry professional Ben Hunting on Sunday June 12. Class starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Lunch is included as well as a fly rod and reel package. Cost is $200 for a class/gear package that retails for $365. It’s a great deal and a fantastic was to introduce a newcomer into the weird little world of fly fishing. Plus, I simply love teaching class . . .
Hope to see you soon,
Andy
Andrew, excellent report as always! I always find your reports timely, and accurate. I do have 1 complaint on this one though, the picture you chose for the river report home page. The three “fishermen” standing in the river next to poorly built replicas of such an esteemed icon as the AuSable River long boat, should be ashamed! They are apparently, as we at our fishing club call them, “river hooligans” and should stick the bowling alley’s. They are not worthy, in my humble opinion, to grace the website of such a fine shop as yours. I have been fishing the AuSable system now for 3 years, and have seen plenty of these fakes on our beautiful river, I wish they would find another venue for their shenanigans. Just had to get that off my chest. Thanks again for your professionalism, look forward to seeing you this weekend for the what, and where’s of it all! Sincerely, Ed Finckbinder.
Hi Andy! I was in your establishment last weekend with my son, Carson, and we met. I want to congratulate you on the fine job y’all have done remodeling and revamping your store. It presents beautifully, and is very comfortable. Your staff was friendly and helped me select a fly guide. I am new to the sport, but was made to feel very welcome. I look forward to coming back soon!
Again, congratulations and best wishes!
Thank you. Happy to help.
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