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River Report - August 23, 2016
The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report.
The rains came and all is well in the Au Sable River Valley. Perhaps the best aspect of life in Northern Michigan is in the weather changes. That is, at least, when the changes are in your favor. We’ve broken the back of a hot, dry Summer and Fall is around the corner and in the air on the best days. Average daytime temperatures now should settle in the mid-seventies and the cool nights will warrant open windows and a thick blanket.
The Summer trout fishing trends will largely continue for the next few weeks, but the bite should get just a little better under the high sun with overall cooler water temperatures. Look for tricos in the morning hours with olives hatching right on their heels. The tricos will start just a bit later on the chilly mornings, so look for those bugs in the nine o’clock hour. Olives in size twenty and twenty-four should show in the late morning for a brook trout brunch. After that, it’s flying ants headlining the terrestrial troop or it’s attractor patterns like patriots, borchers, and skunks.
Wet flies like soft hackles and small streamers have been extra effective in the absence of rising fish and anglers wanting a bend in their rod would be foolish to ignore the subsurface possibilities. The hopper/dropper tactic has continued to produce lots of action when all other efforts are snubbed. There are simply piles of young trout stirring in the center of our streams this season.
So the status quo is steady and perhaps even improving in spots, but the best news is that the early Fall goodness is starting. The water temperatures below Mio are beginning to improve and that coupled with the start of the white fly hatch below the dam opens up a whole new game to play. The white flies are the last great hatch of the season and on the best nights offer some fine hatch match dry fly angling. If you get down there, be sure to stop by the Trophy Water’s Fly Shop and see Bruce. He’s been sending anglers away from the too warm water temperatures below the dam for nearly a month—he’s made a business sacrifice in order to save the trout down there and should be applauded.
And be sure to stop by the Old Au Sable. It’s the end of Summer and we’ve got super sales and deals on all sorts of great, brand name gear. We’ve got deep discounts on everything from summer shorts to waders and raingear. You won’t want to miss it.
Have a great week and I hope to see you soon,
Andy
The Summer trout fishing trends will largely continue for the next few weeks, but the bite should get just a little better under the high sun with overall cooler water temperatures. Look for tricos in the morning hours with olives hatching right on their heels. The tricos will start just a bit later on the chilly mornings, so look for those bugs in the nine o’clock hour. Olives in size twenty and twenty-four should show in the late morning for a brook trout brunch. After that, it’s flying ants headlining the terrestrial troop or it’s attractor patterns like patriots, borchers, and skunks.
Wet flies like soft hackles and small streamers have been extra effective in the absence of rising fish and anglers wanting a bend in their rod would be foolish to ignore the subsurface possibilities. The hopper/dropper tactic has continued to produce lots of action when all other efforts are snubbed. There are simply piles of young trout stirring in the center of our streams this season.
So the status quo is steady and perhaps even improving in spots, but the best news is that the early Fall goodness is starting. The water temperatures below Mio are beginning to improve and that coupled with the start of the white fly hatch below the dam opens up a whole new game to play. The white flies are the last great hatch of the season and on the best nights offer some fine hatch match dry fly angling. If you get down there, be sure to stop by the Trophy Water’s Fly Shop and see Bruce. He’s been sending anglers away from the too warm water temperatures below the dam for nearly a month—he’s made a business sacrifice in order to save the trout down there and should be applauded.
And be sure to stop by the Old Au Sable. It’s the end of Summer and we’ve got super sales and deals on all sorts of great, brand name gear. We’ve got deep discounts on everything from summer shorts to waders and raingear. You won’t want to miss it.
Have a great week and I hope to see you soon,
Andy