Au Sable and Manistee Rivers FALL Trip Wednesday August 29 Saturday September 1, Steve Bailey Trip Coordinator

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1 Au Sable and Manistee Rivers FALL Trip Wednesday August 29 Saturday September 1, 2012 Steve Bailey Trip Coordinator Phone: Trip Description Travel Fly Fishing on the Au Sable and Manistee Rivers We travel to the land of Hemingway s youth where two great rivers await us. The Au Sable has three branches, the Main, the North and the South. The Manistee is just a few miles away and is more serene than the Au Sable. All have wild populations of brown, rainbow and brook trout. Some of the most fabulous hatches that you will see anywhere are on these waters. Nearly all of it is wadable and of course you can float a shallow boat, canoe, kayak or pontoon as well. The Trout Unlimited chapters have worked on these streams of years and it shows. These rivers are too good and too close to pass up. Depart from home the morning of Wednesday August 29, 2012 at around 7:00 a.m. Drive time is 6 hours and 36 minutes, non-stop, or 7 8 hours for most people. You will be passing Cabela s at 110 Cabelas Blvd E, Dundee, MI - (734) , Exit 17 on US 23, about 20 miles into Michigan after Sylvania, Ohio. Call Steve Bailey when you arrive in Grayling, The General Plan and Schedule We will return on Saturday September 1, If you need or ride or are willing to share a ride, let the Trip Coordinator know a soon as possible. Wednesday August 29 - Members travel from home to Grayling. Call Steve Bailey when you arrive in Grayling, Those arriving early enough can join us for fishing that afternoon or evening. Thursday August 30 7:00 a.m. We meet at the Grayling Restaurant, 211 E Michigan Ave, Grayling for breakfast, information and partnering for the day. We fish the Au Sable Holy Waters until 4 p.m. Bring a streamside lunch. We then drive to Mio, about 27 miles in 40 minutes. We have supper in Mio between 5 and 6 p.m. We drive to the White Fly Hatch and are in the water no later than 6:45 p.m. We fish the hatch until dark, about 9 p.m. We drive back to Grayling and call it a good day around 10-10:30 p.m. Friday August 31 Breakfast on your own. We meet up at the times and locations agreed upon the night before to travel to one of these locations to fish until noon. Then we move to another location after a streamside lunch. Those that want to repeat the White Fly Hatch in the evening can do so, and those that want to explore even more locations can do that.

2 Where to Fish ( I have maps for all of these, and those of us who have been here before will be glad to go with you): Main stream of the Au Sable (Holy Waters and more) North Branch of the Au Sable (45 minute drive) South Branch of the Au Sable (10 minutes from Holy Waters) Manistee River (25+/- minute drive) Rifle River (45 minute drive) Pigeon River (1 hour drive) Saturday September 1 Departure time is on your schedule. Those who want to get on the road we bid adieu. Those who want one more cast can make their way to the river. Drive safely, mind your speed and wear your seatbelt. It is Labor Day Weekend! The police in both states will be out on the highways en masse. Lodging Our accommodations have been researched and we have found that on this trip, the consensus is to rent a motel room. Usually, a couple of guys will share a room, or singles can snore their heart away by themselves as they feel most comfortable. This worked well for the group that went in previous years. You can make your own reservations or simply show up and do some friendly price haggling as some did last year you might save a few extra bucks. You can spend as much or little as your budget allows. Here are just a few of the many suggested places to stay: Gates Au Sable Lodge Located on the Holy Waters of the Au Sable River. There is an Orvis Fly Shop and a very nice restaurant on site. Rooms are $60 - $100 per night depending on the room etc. Look out your window to the Au Sable River. Other members have stayed here and they like it. Woodland Motor Lodge, Motel and Cabins Rooms are $35 - $110 per night. It s at the north end of Grayling, on MI 93, easy to find and only a short distance from either river. It received good reviews on Tripadvisor.com Here is the web site Super 8 Motel, Rooms are $65-75 per night. It s at the south end of Grayling, easy to find just off I-75 and only a short distance from either river. It also received good reviews on Tripadvisor.com Here is the web site There are many more choices in and near Grayling. It s a resort town and has lots of motels and cabins available. Just Google for Lodging Grayling Michigan.

3 Meals Meals are at your own expense. There are several good restaurants in the area. We can help you locate them when we arrive on site. Here are some of our favorites: Grayling Restaurant 211 E Michigan Ave, Grayling, MI 49738, (989) Good home cooking and reasonable prices! And they open early. Dawson & Steven's Classic Diner, 231 E Michigan Ave, Grayling, MI (989) Great diner food and ice cream and it is a Coca Cola Museum! bottlecapmuseum.com Spike s Keg o Nails N James St, Grayling, MI 49738, (989) You have to stop in for burger and a cold one. You can get a T-Shirt too! spikes-grayling.com The Ole Barn, 6811 W M 72 Hwy, Grayling, MI 49738, (989) Great food better prices. When we travel to Mio for the white fly hatch, we usually eat supper in Mio. We can show you where to eat, including Walker s Bar - Restaurant and Bowling Alley in downtown Mio, and Ma Deeter s cowboy bar and restaurant in downtown Luzerne, MI. License A Michigan Fishing License is required. Non Resident Annual = $42, One day = $7 Online license link: Equipment A 4-6 weight fly rod is ideal for fishing either river. Some may even want to try a 3 weight. Both 6X and 7X fluorocarbon leaders and tippets are highly recommended. We will be in the middle of the White Fly Hatch on this trip. It is something to be seen and we will be traveling to Mio on one or more evenings to take part. Flies See the hatch chart at During the day, you will want to fish the standard flies like pheasant tail, hare s ear and prince nymphs; caddis; black ants, red ants, and beetles. Think small flies, size 16 and smaller. A San Juan worm has also been effective. We will be in the middle of the White Fly Hatch on this trip. It is something to be seen and we will be traveling to Mio on one or more evenings to take part. For the White Fly Hatch, we usually use dry flies, although an emerger and sometimes a

4 nymph can be handy. DO BRING a headlamp. Because we like to spread out a bit on the stream, I recommend that you bring a portable Family Service Radio (walkie-talkie) so we can communicate with each other. Guide Info There will be at least four of us who have made this trip several times and can show you around the streams. If you d like a professional guide, or would prefer a float trip, there are several good guide services in the area. I do not have any experience with any of these guides. If you ask me in person, I can tell you of one to avoid (he s not on the list below). Fuller s North Branch Outing Club This shop does support our annual fly fishing show. Gates Au Sable Lodge The late Rusty Gates and company have a very good reputation locally and beyond. Stop in the shop and meet Josh Greenberg, son of BUFF member Dolph Greenberg. Bob Linsenman s Au Sabel Angler Linsenman s is another shop with a good local reputation. Guilt Trip Charters Streamside Custom Rod and Guide Service Special Info The river provides easy access for wade fishing, and for those who prefer to float, haul your boats/canoes with you, rent a canoe or kayak at one of the rental shops, or use the available guide services. Many guides on the Au Sable use the unique Au Sable canoe for float trips. There are many options for fishing in this area. We can work out exactly where to fish when you get into country. DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY These are streams that require you to move to find fish. Standing in one spot all day will not get it. Wading is a must. A wade of two hours or more from point A to point B is common. On some occasion, we have walked up to a mile on dirt roads to get back to our start point and vehicles.

5 Most water is knee deep or less. Some water can be deeper, and we have crossed a few streams where our belly buttons were under water. The bottom is largely sand with some stones, and more small trees or branches on the bottom. Some upstream wades can be challenging for those who have balance or vertigo problems. A wading staff is a very good thing to have. We do fish at night, so come prepared with a headlamp. Mosquitoes are the State Bird of Michigan. Even though they are less bothersome at this time of year, do come prepared. Registration: How to register Deadline Costs Maximum Participants - Local Links If you would like to join us on this beautiful late summer Trout Trip - contact the Trip Coordinator, Steve Bailey at (513) or chifefrsb@fuse.net for any questions. There will be a sign-up sheet at the June general meetings. Deadline to register is Wednesday August 1, Costs No registration costs required Maximum participation is 10 persons Grayling Visitors Bureau Grayling Lodging Grayling Dining Do/Dining/Default.aspx?city=G3100 Gaylord Visitors Bureau Michigan Vacation Guide Stream Reports: Gates Au Sable Lodge Bob Linsenman s Au Sable Angler