River Report – April 20, 2023

Man, fishing has been great. We just haven’t been catching anything! There’s always an air of excitement around the Au Sable River in Spring. Everyday is filled with the anticipation of good angling and bug hatches even if your birdbath is filled with fresh snow. So, the fishing is always great, even if the trout … Read more

River Report October 1, 2022

The best month of the year is here.  I wish October stretched into Spring.   The undisputed king of the calendar offers everything outdoors folk could want.   Winter has snow, Spring has showers, Summer has sunshine—October has all of that and more.  Sure, it might be short of wildflowers and swimming and snow skiing, but … Read more

River Report August 1, 2022

Where has the Summer gone!?  It won’t be long and kids will be filing back into schoolyards. My clan has been camping a lot.  We’re weekly bivouacked in the tent or some lakeside, summer camp style cabin.  Jack has learned to swim this Summer.  He’s made a lot of one-day campground friends.  It’s amazing how … Read more

July 18, 2022 River Report

It’s full-blown Summer here in Northern Michigan and the weather is spectacular.  We’re running a little cooler than normal, but all that means is that “the water is fine”. Lakes are plenty warm enough for a plunge and the River is keeping cool enough for pretty decent trout fishing.  In fact, July has offered up … Read more

River Report – May 13, 2022

I live by the Au Sable River mostly because of May and June.  Those two months are hatch match time – the time of the year when water-born insects like mayflies and caddis flies emerge and live out the adult part of their life cycles (even while sandal wearing fifty-year-old fly anglers with Peter Pan … Read more

River Report – May 5, 2022

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report. Windshield wiper smeared bug guts mean fishing is getting good.  We’ve been lurking on the top of the basement steps of water temperature – peeking through the door but, now, the forecast warm weather is about to karate-kick-splinter the opening of Hendricksons.  Things have been hovering just … Read more

River Report March 14, 2022

This is the weather we’ve been waiting for – Spring is breaking.  We’ve moved the clocks and the kids will steal a week away from school.  There’s a change settling into Northern Michigan.  Spring creep is kindly welcomed.  Temperatures move from twenties to thirties and thirties move to forties and each marker sheds a layer … Read more

River Report – March 5, 2022

March toward Spring I say.  Even though this month often serves up some of our most ferocious winter weather, it’s nice to turn the calendar page.  Days are getting longer and the sun’s angle stronger.  There’s no more going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.  We can look forward to … Read more

River Report – February 7, 2022

You won’t often hear these words, but January flew by for me.  The cold was so bitter that it, in fact, shut down the lake effect machine.  Weather prognosticators had foreshadowed a warmer than average winter highlighted by heavy snow fall due to an unfrozen Lake Michigan.  Clearly, they are overpaid. No problem for Michiganians—we’re … Read more

River Report – October 2, 2010

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Fall color is upon us.  We’re getting close to peak change in Northern Michigan.  This is easily my favorite season of the year.  Splashes of red and orange and gold pop against evergreen ridges.  And over every rise and in buried in every swale, drumming grouse and … Read more