"Look! There's one chasing behind it," I yelled to Kelly Neuman. Another brown torpedo had darted out of the dark green water to play tag with the fish I hooked just moments ago. It seemed as though the two fish were in some type of synchronized dance as they whirled about in the currents below. The rod was bent into a taught "C." I was impressed with the pull of the bass, a nice fish in the pound-and-a-half class, and then I found out the reason why.
"The second one is hooked on the back fly," Kelly said as he frantically rowed the boat out of a riffle.
As if on cue, both fish jumped in unison. Landing one feisty river smallmouth on a fly rod is a task. Two at once becomes a test of angler and equipment. We avoided the potential of tangled tippets, spit hooks, and break-offs. The reward was a brace of 15 inch smallies. A pair of bronze buddies that had shared the same aquatic lunch-counter, in wait of the next blue plate special. It was a pleasant summer day fishing a beautiful, unspoiled stretch of river, with steady, if not spectacular, action the whole time, yet Neuman was apologetic.
"We've been averaging 40 a trip," he explained as we motored across the moonlit waters of Loud Pond. "I thought we catch more than we did."
The day, a dozen smallmouth bass to 19 inches, could hardly be considered a failure, but those who fish this section of the Au Sable are well aware of its potential. Most fly fishers choose the other more famous spots on this river such as the "Holy Waters." Our float, from the tail-waters of Alcona dam to Loud Pond, remains a largely untapped fishery.
As "trout water," the stretch cannot compare to most other sections on the river. The habitat is fantastic: plenty of rocks and gravel, good current and consistent variations between pools and riffles, but the water is too warm for most of the year to maintain a healthy trout population. It is perfect, however, for smallmouth bass.
When And Why To Go: The bronzebacks come up from Loud Pond in early July to spend the warmest part of the season in the cooler currents of the mainstream. The same balmy temps that send the trout into several weeks of siesta serve to energize the bass. "Once you get above 75 degrees almost every trout you catch is going to die," Bob Linsenman, outdoor writer and fishing guide, explained. "On the other hand, smallmouth bass are very comfortable with water temperatures in the mid seventies. There is also a long period between 'super hatches' on the Au Sable. It's a sensible plan to switch to this part of the river during July and the first part of August to give the trout a break and take advantage of the great smallmouth fishing."
Equipment: The majority of fishing involves casting big streamers. Firm flex rods in the 6 or 7 weight class, nine feet in length, are a must. Use five weight rods for the evening hatches. A single action reel with a good drag system is fine. Lines should be either full sink or have some type of shooting head. Leaders commonly are four to five feet long in the 8 or 10 pound class with 1x or 2x tippet.
Flies: The streamers should be #4 or #6 in size and imitate crawfish, sculpins, and baitfish. Popular patterns include clousers, zuddlers, muddlers, zoo cougars, and trick-or-treats. Color patterns range from the most natural and muted hues of brown and olive to "louder" ones such as chartreuse, white, or orange. These are often presented in a two-fly set with a #8 woolly bugger or leech as the second fly. In bright conditions and clear water, more common on this stretch, one should use smaller flies and "quieter" colors.
"The key is to break the code. Keep changing colors and patterns until you get strikes," Linsenman noted.
The two popular dry patterns are hex, there is a summer long trickle of the big mayfly out of Loud Pond, and, in August, ephorons. The best terrestrials are hoppers and crickets in #6 to #8 sizes. Linsenman recommends giving a deerhair frog or mouse a try at night. For nymphing, use big stoneflies, yuk bugs, woolly worms, hare's ears, and dragon fly nymphs.
The key is using streamers.
"I'll pull out a dry fly at night when I see hex or whites and rising fish," said Neuman. "But if you don't fish streamers 90% of the time you are cheating yourself out of fish."
How To Do It: Bass fishing is about hitting structure. Likely spots include sweepers, log jams, rock shelves, and deep cuts. Isolated logs should receive top priority. Look for color changes in the water which signal drop-offs. Neuman likes to work the end of long riffles where the cool, oxygenized water dumps into deep pools.
The retrieve should be in the "jerk, strip, jerk" method that allows the flies to pause and "breathe." Be ready for strikes on the pauses.
Time of day does not seem to matter in most cases. The only mitigating factor seems to be a combination of very bright sun, little wind, and the lack of "stained" water. In this instance, low light times or places, should be more productive.
Bonus Fish: While not a Blue Ribbon section by any measure, the Alcona-Loud run has both browns and rainbows, many of which grow to trophy size. Linsenman tells of losing a monster rainbow in the seven pound class on a smallmouth trip. Neuman regularly catches mixed bags of rainbows and smallmouths. There are also walleye in the stream as well as largemouth bass, northern pike, and bluegill at the end of the float in Loud Pond.
Special Considerations: This is a long trip, 25 miles, about ten hours if one motors through several flat-water spots. This would include motoring across Loud Pond in the dark. Launching from Thompson's Landing would allow for a more leisurely drift, 13 miles, but it eliminates a lot of the best water and launching a bigger boat, such as a McKenzie, might be problematic. The best course is to take at least two days to fish the section.
There are walk-in spots at the Alcona tail-waters, Thompson's Landing, and South Branch Trail Camp, but be forewarned! This water is faster, deeper, and more treacherous than any section above it! The clarity of the stream makes judging depths difficult. It is easy to step into water that will float your hat or find yourself at the end of a riffle in a current that is too strong to manage. Wading here is only for the strongest and most experienced fisher.
Horseflies can also be a wraith. Bug repellant and even bug netting should be part of your trip pack. This section is remote. Fishers should come equipped for any exigency.
How To Get There And Where To Stay: Access begins just below Alcona Pond, which is about 25 miles east of Mio. One can take either F-32 or M 65 to get to the Bamfield Road access at the tail-waters of the Alcona dam. The second access is Thompson's Landing just off of Curtisville Road. The takeout is above Loud Dam, just off of M 65.
There are 13 primitive camping spots along the run that are maintained by the Forest Service. Camping permits are necessary from May 15 to September 30. They must be reserved in advance, do not wait till the last moment. For more information on camping contact the Huron Shores Ranger Station, 5761 N. Skeel Avenue, Oscoda, MI 48750; 989-362-8961; www.fs.fed.us/r9/hmnf/index.shtml.
Rollway Resort provides canoes, camping, and trip service for the section. They can be reached at 6160 Rollway Road, Hale, MI 48739; 989-728-3322; www.rollwayresort.com. One can also camp at Alcona Canoe Rental (989-735-2973).
Kelly Neuman (989-848-5983; www.michiganstreamside.com) does trips during throughout July and most of August. He is introducing an overnight trip this year.
Fishing on the Alcona to Loud Pond run provides the opportunity to catch dozens of smallmouths in a peaceful, bucolic setting. It also gives trout a break until the cooler temperatures of late summer.
Published in the August, 2003 edition of Midwest Fly Fishing.
