Fly Tying – 2023

It’s winter and while that means ice in the rod guides for some, it certainly means fly tying here at the Old Au Sable Fly Shop. We will be hosting open fly tying once a week at the dates and times listed. I’ll be doing proven, production patterns and folks are welcome to watch, ask … Read more

RIVER REPORT – December 2,2022

The Old AuSable Fly Shop Fishing Report I had the encounter. It wasn’t close, but it was with the bone-horned brut I saw last year on the same runway—one year older. I’ve taken a lot of bucks, but this one is an entirely different animal.  His antlers look too small for his body, but that’s … 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 – April 4, 2022

I’m glad March came and glad it’s gone.  Streamer fishing has been solid on the best days and will just keep getting better with more of those best days to come.  I love pitching meatbugs and stripping flies from the bank and pausing them into the streambed contours, and jolt-strikes, and a leviathan, thick-sided brown … 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 February 15, 2021

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report The miserable cold snap has finally ended.  It has been a beautiful, mild winter and the cold spell lasted just long enough to thicken the blood.  Mild temperatures are in front of us for a good while and after the toughening up, it’s going to feel like … Read more

River Report February 4, 2021

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Well, when you live in the North it’s only a matter of time before winter turns tough and Arctic air dumps into the Great Lakes Region. There’s a beauty of a deep freeze settling in. The snow will be squeaky when daytime high temperatures just tickle single … Read more

River Report – January 29,2021

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Ice fishing is in full swing.  We have lots of hard water to fish and anglers have been taking full advantage. So many anglers are hitting the ice in Northern Michigan, that I could barely find a tub of waxworms to buy last Sunday night in preparation … Read more