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> > Fishing Report with Photos: Au Sable River near Grayling May 26th 2012, Page 2



Oldredbarn has attached these 9 pictures. The message is below.
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Nice Brown that loved eating Drakes. Spence seems happy too!
Nice Brown that loved eating Drakes. Spence seems happy too!
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My friend Jim holding my last Brown of the evening and this trip up. We both had fished over this one with no luck when he finally took my offering. We caught this just as another boat was sliding by in the dark. I yelled, "There he is Jimmy!" and they were waiting down at the take out and asked how big it was.
My friend Jim holding my last Brown of the evening and this trip up. We both had fished over this one with no luck when he finally took my offering. We caught this just as another boat was sliding by in the dark. I yelled, "There he is Jimmy!" and they were waiting down at the take out and asked how big it was.
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This is my biggest Bow from the upper Au Sable. It absolutely destroyed the pool! My rod tip was pointing east and he was somewhere north jumping two feet out of the water...Then he headed south of us and did it again...The third leap done it in and we finally boated it. Jim kept telling me to land the thing and laughing his, you know what, off. It was like someone had tossed a stump buster in the river.
This is my biggest Bow from the upper Au Sable. It absolutely destroyed the pool! My rod tip was pointing east and he was somewhere north jumping two feet out of the water...Then he headed south of us and did it again...The third leap done it in and we finally boated it. Jim kept telling me to land the thing and laughing his, you know what, off. It was like someone had tossed a stump buster in the river.
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Jim holding same fish as above.
Jim holding same fish as above.
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E invaria
E invaria
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E invaria side view.
E invaria side view.
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Rayburn Lodge where I stayed for the first three nights up with a gang from the Michigan Fly Fishing Club...The river is down a hill on the other side of the Lodge.
Rayburn Lodge where I stayed for the first three nights up with a gang from the Michigan Fly Fishing Club...The river is down a hill on the other side of the Lodge.
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Au Sable River Boat...Also called a "Stick-Boat"...Still being made along the Au Sable and dating back to the logging days. Was used to pole upstream supplies etc to logging camps. Makes a great platform for fishing as well. Chains are used and you float at current speed for long drag free floats. That's Joe in the rear there hiding from the camera. He guides out of Gates' Au Sable Lodge.
Au Sable River Boat...Also called a "Stick-Boat"...Still being made along the Au Sable and dating back to the logging days. Was used to pole upstream supplies etc to logging camps. Makes a great platform for fishing as well. Chains are used and you float at current speed for long drag free floats. That's Joe in the rear there hiding from the camera. He guides out of Gates' Au Sable Lodge.
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I know this is not a fish but a Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii). I finally checked this rare bird off my list after talking about it for 20+ years. Took a tour out of Mio with the US Forest Service and spotted maybe 6 different males...Females hadn't showed, but were due any day. This bird was close to extinction and over the years its population has rebounded due to management of Jack Pine habitat and the Cowbird population. This photo was taken by the Shank family who had travelled all the way from Virginia to see this bird...They had some serious camera equipment and were nice enough to email it to me. There was another fella in our tour from CT...All I had was a pair of Zeiss binoc's and felt totally un-prepared in comparisson. The guide did have a nice scope as well. The Shank family publishes a magazine called "Nature Friend".
I know this is not a fish but a Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii). I finally checked this rare bird off my list after talking about it for 20+ years. Took a tour out of Mio with the US Forest Service and spotted maybe 6 different males...Females hadn't showed, but were due any day. This bird was close to extinction and over the years its population has rebounded due to management of Jack Pine habitat and the Cowbird population. This photo was taken by the Shank family who had travelled all the way from Virginia to see this bird...They had some serious camera equipment and were nice enough to email it to me. There was another fella in our tour from CT...All I had was a pair of Zeiss binoc's and felt totally un-prepared in comparisson. The guide did have a nice scope as well.

The Shank family publishes a magazine called "Nature Friend".
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Page:12
WiflyfisherJune 1st, 2012, 9:26 pm
Wisconsin

Posts: 663		Great report Spence!

I had the rod in hand for ten days and hadn't paid for it. My friend finally got around to asking me what I thought of the rod. I said, "What rod." :) When I ponied up he said, "Spence. This rod will give you a lifetime of pleasure." I said, "Lets hope its a long life, eh?!" :)


BTW, I had a Hardy Zenith 9 ft 5wt rod in my hands out in West Yellowstone. I really, really liked it and they wanted me to take it fishing, but I knew if I did I would not return it. Since I just finished a 5 wt, Granger taper grass rod this Spring I knew not to use the Hardy or I would be in the dog house when I got back. Although I ended up buying a brand new Hardy Perfect at a super deal.
John S.
https://WiFlyFisher.com
OldredbarnJune 1st, 2012, 10:01 pm
Novi, MI

Posts: 2608
BTW, I had a Hardy Zenith 9 ft 5wt rod in my hands out in West Yellowstone. I really, really liked it and they wanted me to take it fishing, but I knew if I did I would not return it. Since I just finished a 5 wt, Granger taper grass rod this Spring I knew not to use the Hardy or I would be in the dog house when I got back. Although I ended up buying a brand new Hardy Perfect at a super deal.


No need to explain to me John...Boys and their toys,eh! :) I have a Hardy that has served me well since 1991 and I'm still hooked on how it sounds with a running fish...

I have had a recent PM dialog going with Kurt about the current state of our newer rod offerings...We are seeing some nice tempting stuff out there.

I bid on a Sweet Grass rod at the Angler's 25 anniversary...Didn't win it. It was sweet brother and had the 25th written on it and dedicated to Rusty...

Spence

Hey! Is Ross Mueller still knocking about out your way?



"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
GutcutterJune 2nd, 2012, 7:39 am
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
the current state of our newer rod offerings...We are seeing some nice tempting stuff out there.


It is interesting to me that Winston is going "retro" with their newest boron rods.
The BIIIX is "softer" than the BIIX and much softer than the BIIMX.

In my opinion, their best boron rods were the unfortunately discontinued BL5 which was advertised (correctly) as a very fast rod with the classic Winston action.
Unfortunately, they caved in to the ultra stiff rod craze and dropped the line.
You will have to pry my cold dead fingers from my BL5 five and seven weights.
I sold my nine and twelve weight BL5s as they were a not quite the best tool for casting on the flats... The BIIIX is a great compromise between the softer BL5 and the stiffer BIIMX. The discontinued XTR series was the best saltwater flats rod that they ever made.

I'm heading off to the Keys today packing my Winston's - BIIIX 10 wt and XTR 12 wt...
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
OldredbarnJune 2nd, 2012, 11:41 am
Novi, MI

Posts: 2608		Tony,

I can't imagine that rod in a 10wt! It must be a rocket launcher...:)

Good luck down there and don't forget the camera!

Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Page:12

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