Thats the question now on the Au Sable – Steelhead or Trout! Both are doing pretty good. A good answer is both in the same days and I have done a number of these floats in the past.
Currently the lower Au Sable below Foote Dam is in very good shape. Water levels are up but not super high like earlier in the month. Not the gin clear of last spring and this is much better for good biting fish. Steelhead run has been late this year and numbers keep increasing of late as water temps are finally rising in middle 40’s. Look to the deep gravel runs for holding best numbers. Not much spawning is happening yet which is a good thing. Should be good steelhead for another month!
Browns have started to coming to life last week in the bigger waters above and below Mio. All the flood waters are gone now but water levels are still above normal. That’s a good thing the way I see it! Late April is streamer time on the Au Sable and one of the best times of year to hunt for Big Browns. Water temps jumped up yesterday throughout system as it felt like a summer day with air temps in mid 70’s. Water temps in the Big Waters is in the lower 50’s which for trout is perfect but maybe a little snow tomorrow! Many are asking when Hendrickson hatch will start and I’m sure another week to 10 day is a pretty good guess.
Of late our top patterns have our Great Lakes Deceiver in Chart/white, olive/yellow, black/black also Dungeon and peanut with best colors black or white. Soon Big Waters will receive is yearly stocking of little runt trout. Great time to fish our Great Lakes Deceiver in Rainbow and Brown Trout. With how small the stocked Brown Trout have been getting of late I might have to redesign this pattern down to 3″.