AuSable River Smallmouth fishing report - June 11th

 

  Smallmouth action is getting going in the lower sections and backwaters of the Au Sable River.  Right below Alcona, Five Channels, Cooke and Foote Dam are all great places to look for these very aggressive smallmouth bass.  This time of year the larger bass are really looking for food with big sculpins and baitfish patterns being our top flies.

 

For information and photos of upcoming fishing - updated May 20th (click here)

 

June 8th - Matt Obermiller and Au Sable River guide Jeff Boks with some nice smallies below Alcona Dam on the Au Sable River.  Warm weather of late has gotten these fish active.  This is a excellent section to fish from mid June thru Aug for smallmouth bass and even a big trout now and then.  Right now streamers during the day and then top water in the late evening.  If you are looking for a great mid summer float with a lot of actions we do have a number dates open in my calendar and in Jeff's.

 

October 1st - This a excellent time to chase big smallies around the shoreline of Lake Huron.  The mouth of the Au Sable is another excellent place and does produce some in the 4-5lb range this time of year.  Sculpin and baitfish patterns are top producers right now.

 

August 9th - John O'Neil with a nice big AuSable River smallie.  Lots of streamer action today!  Of late hot dry weather has made for some very slow trout fishing but it has not slowed down the river smallmouth fishing.  Flashy baitfish patterns were our top flies today.

 

August 9th - Todd Zwetzig with another nice bass on today's float.  Still a bunch of dark Hex spinner just before dark and we had a few nice bass up and rishing.

 

August 8th - Float the very lower Au Sable (below Foote Dam) and found huge numbers!  Bernie and Tom caught four different types of bass today - smallmouth (above), largemouth (below), white, and rock bass.  All streamer action today.  Best flies were Lite Bight Minnow, JJ Special, Alewive.  This water stays warm for another month in this section and bass should remain excellent.

 

 

August 1st -  Extremely hot day on the river today!  We did find a few good smallmouth streamer fishing during the afternoon and evening.  Heavy hatch and spinner fall of dark hex and a good number of bass were up and rising just before dark.  Mike Moreau pictured above was dry fly fishing with a hex pattern and catching a number of rising bass.  Then we got a little surprise - this one was not a bass but a big trout!   What made it even more shocking was we were almost to Loud Pond which is very low in the system.  The dark hex is a great hatch this time of year and should last for a couple more weeks!

 

August 1st - Tom Buhr with a beautiful Au Sable River smallie caught streamer fishing.  One hot afternoon but we still got some nice fish.

 

July 31st - Paul Timmerick with a huge smallmouth bass on the Au Sable River.  Hot summer days of late but fly fishing for smallies has still been pretty good.   These big river bass do not mind feeding during bright sun.  Two streamer combo was the best setup for the day.  Big flashy fly upfront and natural woolly bugger as the dropper.

 

July 30th - Tom Buhr with a big smallies right at dark fishing top water poppers.  On hot days look for good top water action when sun starts to go down.

 

 

July 29th - Excellent dry fly fishing for smallmouth bass just before dark of late!  Above are the two species of Hex that have been hatching of late in huge numbers.  These are not the same bugs that hatch in June on the Au Sable River - similar but a different species of the Hexagenia.   Late July and early August is the peak time for these bugs to hatch.  Look for good spinner flights coming off of Foote Pond, Loud Pond and Alcona Pond.  Hatches and spinner falls are typically from 8:30pm to 10pm.  This is not a after dark bug like the June species.  This hatch can produce some very nice rising smallmouth bass and trout.  When hatch first starts swinging small woolly buggers on a floating line can be very productive.  Typically best fish start rising when spinners hit the water.

 

July 29th - Au Sable River smallmouth bass that took a Hex dry fly.  Good numbers of bass were up and rising just before and after dark.

 

July 26th - Robb Smith with a nice big smallmouth bass on the Au Sable River.  Had a real good fishing today - during the day streamers and right at dark on top water poppers.  Top flies were large woolly buggers in peach/white, chartreuse wolverine,  grey/white deceivers, small crayfish looking woolly buggers.  The late summer dark hex hatch is going strong - look for these bugs about a hour before dark.

 

July 26th - Tom Buhr with a big smallie caught on a top water popper.   Tonight right at dark bass came to life on top water.  The next couple of weeks should be the best fishing of the summer for rising bass!

 

July 24th - Randy Smith a real nice smallmouth bass on the lower Au Sable River.  Big flashy streamers with a small crayfish colored woolly bugger dropper was the best combination today.  Dark Hex are starting to hatch off the ponds which will lead to some excellent dry fly fishing for these smallies over the next couple of weeks.

 

July 18th - Tom Buhr with a nice smallmouth bass from backwaters of the Au Sable River.  Lots of great water on the AuSable River this time of year for smallies.  Today baitfish patterns were the top producers fished on sink tip. Grey/white deceiver was one number.  Had a little top water action just before dark but storm ended things a little early.

 

July 16th - Tom Olenczuk with a nice smallmouth bass and northern pike (below).  We floated the very lower Au Sable today below Foote Dam.   This section is noted for lots of small bass and a few very large ones that come up from Lake Huron.  Today we had some very nice fish coming to our surface poppers right at dark.

 

 

July 13th - Wayne and Marc caught a few nice smallies to go with there trout today.  Right now sink tips with crayfish looking patterns are the top producers.

 

 

June 20th - Mike Sargent with a couple of huge Au Sable River smallmouth bass.  Late June through early August is just the perfect time to fish the lower AuSable and its backwaters for these fish.  Photo below was two bass caught at the same time!   Fishing two streamers about a two feet apart is very effective.  Front fly a big sculpin pattern and back fly a JJ special is just the perfect combo.

 

 

June 2nd - Kris Walley with a nice smallmouth bass on the Au Sable River below Alcona Dam.  This is just a beautiful section of river with very few people, lots of smallies, and a few big trout.  With bright sun and hot afternoon we had excellent streamer fishing today.  Had one giant rainbow trout chase streamer in on two casts in a row but no hook up. 

 

June 2nd - When weather gets too hot for good day time trout fishing smallmouth bass can make for some excellent fly fishing.

 

June 2nd - Had a few nice pike chasing our streamers done near Loud Pond.  One big one followed a smallmouth to the boat.  A Fin Clip in Chart/White is just the perfect pike fly.

 

Smallmouth Bass photos from the 2006 season  (click here)

Smallmouth Bass photos from the 2003 & 2004 season  (click here)

 Steelhead photos from the 2005 season  (click here)

Trout photos from the 2005  & 2006 season  (click here)

 Trout photos from the 2004 season  (click here)

Salmon photo gallery  (click here)

Lake Huron brown trout photos from the 2003 & 2004 season  (click here)

Lake Huron & Lake Michigan brown trout, salmon and smallmouth photos from the 2005 & 2006 season  (click here)

 

 We do have summer dates open for those looking for guided float trips.   If interested in trips or any questions you can contact us via email or give us a call at 989-848-5983.

       Current water levels at Parmallee Bridge - Trout waters

Current water levels at Mio Dam on the AuSable River - Trout waters

Current water levels at Alcona Dam on the AuSable River - Smallmouth Bass & Trout waters

Current water levels at Foote Dam on the AuSable River - Steelhead waters

 

Michigan fly fishing opportunities this season include: