Fly fishing for steelhead can be the most rewarding or the most frustrating fishing you’ll ever attempt. We target steelhead in the lower Au Sable in October thru December and again in March and April. Because there are only a few river miles between Lake Huron and Foote Dam, steelhead concentrate in this section of the Au Sable. In fall we find them mixed with Atlantic and Coho Salmon and in the spring, they rule the river.
Fall Steelheading
The fall run fish come up the river to gorge themselves on salmon eggs and then stay over winter to spawn in the spring. These aggressive fish can be caught on swung streamers, stripped streamers, eggs, and nymphs. They’re called chrome bullets for a reason–they fight better pound-for-pound than any other freshwater fish. Book a trip for October or November to find out what all the fuss is about.
Spring Steelheading
As numbers of steelhead increase in the system when the fish are approaching the spawn, we employ both swinging and nymphing techniques. Some of the most beautiful fish are caught in the spring time as they color up for the spawn. Once the fish get on the redds, we look for drop back fish in the holes behind redds and lower down in the river.
Call us to inquire about dates and availability.
