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Au Sable River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Michigan’s Holy Waters: the Au Sable birthed Trout Unlimited, and its cedar-lined flies-only miles still fish like a sacrament.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
905 cfs
Air / High
70 / 71 F
Wind
E 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04136000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Au Sable River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 905 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind E around 5 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 71. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 76 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Au Sable River near Red Oak.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04136000.

8149861,158905 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp70 F
High / Low71 / 66 F
WindE 5-8 mph
Pressure1013.4 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 49%
Sunrise / Sunset07:05 / 20:10
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 71/66 F, wind 8 mph, rain 49%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Au Sable River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Au Sable River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Au Sable River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 77 F, wind to 4 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 80 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Michigan requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Flies-only catch-and-release on the Holy Waters (Burton’s Landing to Wakeley Bridge); trophy regulations below Mio. Michigan license required: check current DNR rules by reach.

Access

Burton’s Landing, Louie’s Landing, Stephan Bridge, Wakeley Bridge; Mason Tract on the South Branch; North Branch accesses at Lovells.

About this water

A 138-mile Lake Huron river through Crawford and Oscoda counties, Michigan: the Holy Waters below Grayling are the birthplace of Trout Unlimited.

Fishing Au Sable River: the full guide

Where Trout Unlimited was born

The Au Sable runs from Grayling to Lake Huron, and the reach below town: the Holy Waters, from Burton’s Landing to Wakeley Bridge: is the most storied trout water in the Midwest. Trout Unlimited was founded on its bank in 1959 by anglers determined to protect wild fish, and the river still delivers: wild brown trout, brook trout in the feeders, and a summer hatch calendar culminating in the Hex, the giant mayfly that turns June nights into an institution.

The Hex and the calendar

Hendricksons open the season in late April, followed by sulphurs, Isonychia and caddis through May and June. Then comes the Hexagenia limbata: enormous burrowing mayflies emerging after dark in late June, drawing big browns to the surface and anglers into the river at midnight. It is fished by ear and by feel, and it is unlike anything else in American trout fishing. Terrestrials carry August; streamers move the biggest browns in the fall.

Flies-only water

The Holy Waters are flies-only, catch-and-release: no bait, no spinning gear, all fish returned. The water is smooth, sand-bottomed and wadeable, with cedar sweepers and log jams holding fish along both banks. Below Mio the river turns into a tailwater with trophy regulations and bigger browns; the South Branch (the Mason Tract) and North Branch offer classic small-water fishing with their own devoted followings.

Grayling logistics

Access at Burton’s Landing, Louie’s Landing, Stephan Bridge, Wakeley Bridge and Thendara serves waders and the traditional Au Sable riverboat: a long, flat-bottomed craft designed for this river. Grayling holds fly shops, guides and lodges built around the fishery. Canoe traffic dominates summer afternoons on the upper river: fish mornings, evenings and after dark, which is when the trout feed anyway.

Common questions

What is the Hex hatch?

Giant Hexagenia mayflies emerging after dark in late June and early July: the year’s best chance at a truly big brown, fished entirely by sound.

Can I use spinning gear?

Not on the Holy Waters, which are flies-only. Other reaches allow standard tackle: check the regulations for the specific stretch.

What is an Au Sable riverboat?

A long, narrow, flat-bottomed wooden boat built for this river: guides pole them through the shallow runs while anglers cast from the bow.

Is fishing good at Au Sable River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Higgins Lake12 miHoughton Lake23 miTorch Lake40 miGrand Traverse Bay46 miLake Charlevoix49 miPlatte River70 mi
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