Tips and insight for fishing on the mighty Huron River and northern trout streams
Twelve Classic Trout Streams in Michigan.
Here's part of the process of collecting local fishing information, in part as told by people who say "you shouldn't write this down, but ..." Secret fishing places up north are as secret as secret morel hunting places, but there are some things that are readily shared. More importantly, the story of fishing is the story of habitat for fish and food for fish, which means bugs; your favorite fly fisherman is an amateur entomologist as well.
This is an update in part to my April "going fishing" links; to the extent that it's incomplete, it's because I tried to write about it then.
New books about fishing in Michigan
The University of Michigan Press has released a new edition of Twelve Classic Trout Streams in Michigan, originally written in 1985 by the late Gerth E. Hendrickson and revised by Jim DuFresne. The book gives detailed accounts of fishing on a dozen streams in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, including the Au Sable, Manistee, Pegeon, Sturgeon, Black, Jordan, Boardman, Rifle, Pere Marquette, and Pine Rivers. The book includes maps, stories, descriptions of riparian habitat, and the insects that trout feed on. The maps include precise GPS coordinates so that you can locate what you're looking for, and the access information also describes the kind of current you can expect when wading and the bottom of the riverbed so that you know if you're stepping into sand or gravel or mud.
Mark you calendars for an author signing by Jim DuFresne on Thursday, June 3, at 7 p. m. at Nicola's Books, 2513 Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor. Here's what he had to say about the production of new edition of this classic book on the University of Michigan Press weblog.
I never met Gerth but through his words, analyzing them one by one, I know him well. He was an avid fly angler but also a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey who surveyed many of the great trout streams in the Lower Peninsula. Gerth was a researcher, a man of science, so he could never say the stream is 2 to 3 feet deep but always had to add a "usually" or "generally" or "most of the time" in front of such a statement. He loved wild trout, was suspicious of salmon that were introduced in the Great Lakes, and while he himself had long ago given up bait and spinners, choosing to fish only with flies, he never looked down on anybody who tossed a worm into a stream in search of a brookie.
A second new fishing book is Gerald R. Smith's Guide to Great Lakes Fishes; sports writer Andrew Reid reviewed that a couple of weeks ago.
Fishing regulations in Washtenaw County
My previous fishing roundup was criticized by some anglers for not having information about the regulations peculiar to the area. Here's an attempt to address that.
The Michigan DNR Fishing page is a good place to start for finding detail from the state on specific fishing spots with restrictions on seasons and equipment. Salmon and trout maps are only available online; the local area is page 44 of the collection.
Huron River Fly Fishing
This section of the Huron River is designated as no-kill for largemouth and smallmouth bass; anglers should do catch and release fishing only. The Huron River Fly Fishing Club is putting up new signs along the river.
Google Maps
The Huron River Fly Fishing Club meets the first and third Thursdays of the month from October to May and the third Thursday of the month from June to September at 7 p.m. at Gallup Park, 3000 Fuller Road in Ann Arbor.
Water levels on the mighty Huron
Huron River water levels, actual and predicted. The abrupt change in water flow on Tuesday is not yet explained.
National Weather Service
Water levels on the Huron River as measured at Ann Arbor are still high enough to be at the "action stage", where any severe rainstorm could lead to flood conditions. I saw people canoeing on the river with boats rented from the City of Ann Arbor Wednesday, but you shouldn't wade in.
Fishing in fiction
No fish story would be complete without a quote from Ishpeming native John Voelker (Robert Traver).
I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful, and I hate the environs where crowds of people are found, which are invariably ugly.
Fly fishing
Trails to Trout's Michigan hatch chart is one guide to insect emergence on the rivers. Important hatches on the Huron include Isonychia bicolor (the Mahogany Dun), the mulberry hatch, and the hex hatch.
I'll embarrass my family by not speaking authoritatively about invertebrates important to fishing in the area; each of these important aquatic species deserves its own page on Arborwiki, the civic encyclopedia for the area which is perpetually a work in progress.
Edward Vielmetti observes riparian habitat for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
ribs1
Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 9:16 a.m.
Rork, It certainly is possible that some trout migrate down 50 miles form the proud lake stocking program. However, it is far more likely that they come from the many private trout ponds adjacent to Mill Creek. It is also more likely that any trout caught in the Huron could have come from Arms Creek.
Rork Kuick
Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 11:35 a.m.
Ribs1: that it is unlikely that they come down 50 miles is true in a normal year, but in years with huge April water it has happened. I'm talking trout over 18 inches. 9 weight rod is my steelhead rod too, but I use 7 weight sometimes too, and see my next disclaimer. I want to tell any would be anglers that there is no best way - there are outstanding fisherfolks using all different kinds of gear and tactics. I don't doubt that drift fishing real crayfish or hellgramites may perhaps beat every other method - but that would be like using dynamite. I asked people to please leave those hellgramits alone, since they aren't that common. The adult (Dobson fly) is an experience few get to witness - it's huge.
ribs1
Sun, May 30, 2010 : 7:47 p.m.
Braggs, I have done caught a smallmouth in Paint Creek. Huron should be in good shape though. Gauge is down under 700 so wading should be safe in spots. Check out our discussion forum and send me a pm over there for more info. http://www.huronriver.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=50b3e39a805161167a464f3cdc096599
braggslaw
Sun, May 30, 2010 : 6:41 p.m.
Ribs, Any smallmout action in paint creek? What is the best way to access?
ribs1
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 10:08 p.m.
Braggslaw, You are talking about Paint Creek (not to be confused with the other Paint Creek near Rochester) I have fished the creek many times in the last 10 years. I have not caught a trout in a long time. The DNR stopped the stocking program in 1997. I don't believe there are any trout left. However, there are occasional steelhead in Paint Creek that run up from Lake Erie via Stony Creek.
braggslaw
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 6:59 p.m.
Rumor that a creek off Willis road in Saline has brown trout.... any body ever fish it?
ribs1
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 10:36 a.m.
Tom, It is far more likely that trout came from Mill Creek than from the plant at proud lake. A number of home owners along mill creek have trout ponds near the river. When the river floods, trout escape. It is unlikely that trout make it from Proud lake to Dexter Huron Metropark. You are talking about 50 river miles and 4 dams and warm water temps.
Tom Teague
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 8:53 p.m.
Rork / Braggslaw - Hey thanks! You just solved a mystery for me: Two years ago in June, I caught one small, pale rainbow in the Dexter Huron Metro Park. I never could figure how it got there and never told anyone figuring that I'd lose all my credibility in identifying fish. Caught it on a Elk Hair Caddis that I tied on my five-weight out of sheer frustration at losing a couple of smallmouth earlier. See you on the stream. I'm the guy perpetually untying wind knots in his leader.
braggslaw
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 2:01 p.m.
Rork, Some of the Trout from Proud Lake made it down to the Ann Arbor area? That is pretty neat. 9 Weight is a steelhead rod for me. Favorite time of year is a September evening with the Hex and Ephron on the water.
Rork Kuick
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 1:40 p.m.
Excellent info-packed article by Edward, again. I liked the book "The Huron River: Voices from the Watershed" by John R. Knott and Keith Taylor. It has some fish pieces but mostly other things. The history of our native clams and the industry around collecting their shells for example, but it's not just for outdoor nuts. I throw mostly heavy flies with a 9-weight rod. Often frank crayfish imitations of mostly deer hair. Barbless. My patterns started as weighted muddler minnows, but mutated with time, til I finally realized what the fish thought I was imitating. If a hatch is obvious I do that though. I imitate the Hex spinner (imago) at that glorious time of year when you can see every fish in the river chowing down, though the dun (sub-imago) works too. The smallmouth are much more powerful when the water gets a bit warmer - you might be underwhelmed in cold water. Some years, when the water is really high in spring, the trout from the upper reaches will disperse down here, and you'll catch one here and there through July, and they are acting like real (not rubber) fish then. I was wondering if a few might show up this year. If they do, do not expect a report from me.
braggslaw
Thu, May 27, 2010 : 10:28 p.m.
The water in the Huron is too high right now for any quality fishing. People should Read Dirk Fischbach's book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0971602107/qid=1086223232/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-1771906-1002361?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 It gives you access points and some inside information. Although not all the secrets of the Huron are included. I believe the best two ways to fish the huron are: 1. 5 weight Flyrod and woolybugger/clouser/sparkle grub in the early summer. Switch to Chernobyl, Hex, Ephron and Hoppers in late fall. 2. I have been experimenting withlight spinning tackle with a simple swivel and circle hook I use a plastic hellgrammite or worm as the lure. This is a very effective rig if you cast upstream of a feeding fish and allow the hook/lure to drop and tumble above the floor of the river. Don't set the hook immediately, allow the circle hook to follow the contour of the fish's mouth until it hooks the lip. Easy on the fish and easy to remove the hook. Golden Drake can set you up with a light spinning rig. The Huron is a great river to fish. While there are not trout(other than those planted in the Proud lake area), the Huron has an abundance of large fierce smallmouth bass.
Tom Teague
Thu, May 27, 2010 : 8:25 p.m.
Edward - Thanks for this; I hope to see you on the stream very soon. For your readers: If you've never fly fished before, the stretch of river in the map is a delight. It's beautiful, forgiving to learners, very healthy and full of fish. Heed Edward's warning and wait until it has dropped below the action stage before you wade in; most long-time anglers have stories about being swept off their feet when the water rises unexpectedly due to an upstream rain storm.