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River Report - June 14, 2018
The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report
We’re riding insane waves in a tide of schizophrenic weather and that has made fishing predictions nearly impossible. We’ve been waiting on the immanent brown drake spinner flight on the Manistee River and we’ve been spending late nights watching for Hex on the slower waters of the Au Sable River. The weather has been changing drastically every day. I’m half expecting mildew to grow in my car since I have to blast the air conditioning on the way to the river each night and blast the heat every morning on the way to work. We’ve already had more days topping out over eighty degrees this year than we had all of last Summer and my furnace is running as much as it did last October. Crazy.
Anglers have reported each bug in very limited numbers on each of the rivers on each night over the past week. But still, neither hatch has yet materialized en masse. It’s all coming , though. The next wave of heat has to cook the muck banks and get everything rolling. All of the phenological indicators point to an immediate emergence of the legendary Hex hatch. The fireflies are blinking in the tag alders, and the little white moths are on the two tracks when we return empty netted from the river watch. There’s been Hex on the local lakes. And, most importantly, the irises are in bloom along the riverbanks.
I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet and will be astounded if we don’t see bugs before the next report. But who knows? I’m starting to wonder what I know. I think that just might be the beauty of what we do here. It doesn’t matter how much you think you know or how skillful you may you are—the fishing depends on the hatches and the hatches depend on the weather and here we are in Northern Michigan. It’s simple and frustrating and beautiful. Maybe it’s nice to have something you just can’t buy. When it comes together, you get to have pride in the fact that you were there to experience it.
So kiss your loved ones and say goodbye to your bosses—it’s time to fish. It’ll probably be good tonight.
Phil Cook, the Scott Rod Sales Representative will be onsite at the shop on Saturday June 16th to help anglers tighten their loops, increase their accuracy, and just generally dial in their casts. When you fall in love with one of the rods he’s showcasing, we will help you take one to your car by trading in your old rod toward the purchase of your new favorite stick.
Get driving.
See you soon,
Andy
Anglers have reported each bug in very limited numbers on each of the rivers on each night over the past week. But still, neither hatch has yet materialized en masse. It’s all coming , though. The next wave of heat has to cook the muck banks and get everything rolling. All of the phenological indicators point to an immediate emergence of the legendary Hex hatch. The fireflies are blinking in the tag alders, and the little white moths are on the two tracks when we return empty netted from the river watch. There’s been Hex on the local lakes. And, most importantly, the irises are in bloom along the riverbanks.
I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet and will be astounded if we don’t see bugs before the next report. But who knows? I’m starting to wonder what I know. I think that just might be the beauty of what we do here. It doesn’t matter how much you think you know or how skillful you may you are—the fishing depends on the hatches and the hatches depend on the weather and here we are in Northern Michigan. It’s simple and frustrating and beautiful. Maybe it’s nice to have something you just can’t buy. When it comes together, you get to have pride in the fact that you were there to experience it.
So kiss your loved ones and say goodbye to your bosses—it’s time to fish. It’ll probably be good tonight.
Phil Cook, the Scott Rod Sales Representative will be onsite at the shop on Saturday June 16th to help anglers tighten their loops, increase their accuracy, and just generally dial in their casts. When you fall in love with one of the rods he’s showcasing, we will help you take one to your car by trading in your old rod toward the purchase of your new favorite stick.
Get driving.
See you soon,
Andy