Coming into a very popular time to fish the Au Sable River with all the summer like weather of late. Many do get sick of the end of winter and early spring with a mixture of cold weather. Then the last few days come along and they want to spend it outdoors fly fishing with dry flies. The problem with this is the Hendrickson mayfly is a foul weather bug. Many think high heat will produce big hatches but typically it produces spare hatches in warm sun. If you still want to fish dries need to do it in the low periods in the morning or in late evenings right to dark. Currently right now we are in the middle of the Dark Hendrickson and I would say at least another good week is coming.
Above some of best Hendrickson pattern and below a huge spinner fall.
Lights have just started with a trickle duns the last couple days. It’s time make sure you have #14 Robert’s Yellow Drake in box all with Dark Hennie patterns. With a cool week coming should see some great hatches.
On these bright sunny days with trickle hatches it’s time to break out a nymph rig with bead head Hendrickson nymphs or some very small streamers and work them with a long light leader on a floating line. Small sparkle Minnow, weight muddler lots different little buggers and leeches.
On days with some rain, dark days or rising water you got to match the hatch with streamers. In the Big Waters 68,000 little runt trout have stocked and the better Browns do eat them up! For pattern size for Browns 3″ to 5″ and for Rainbows 5″ to 7″. In lower Au Sable roughly 150,000 steelhead, Atlantic Salmon and Coho are being stock in mid to late May. Great time to strip streamer that resemble this stocked fish and can get a variety of fish – steelhead, Atlantic Salmon, Lake Trout, Smallmouth and Walleye. Here is link to some flies we use for this: https://michigan-streamside.com/product-category/flies/streamers/great-lakes-deceivers/
Next big major hatch the Sulphur size #16 – #18. Look hatches to in late afternoon to evening. Spinner fall in late evening but if hot typically right at dark and last well into dark. This time of year there are a lot different hatches starting – March Brown, Sand Drake and Yellow Cahill.
Currently thunder storms rolling thru this afternoon. Heat is leaving and with the wet air could be killer evening for trout to be rising!