Au Sable Big Water Preservation Association Official Home

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Mission

The mission of the Au Sable
Big Water Preservation Association is to conserve and watch over the reach of river from Mio Dam to Alcona Pond and support the best interests of the entire Au Sable River system.

Current Concerns 

River clean-ups including providing dumpsters and service at landings as well as coordinating clean up activities throughout the season with other organizations.

 Protecting the trout population through suitable stocking, law enforcement and fishing regulations.

Streamside restoration including erosion control and the placement of large woody debris.

 

Water quality including temperature, stream flow and purity.

 

Angler responsibility through proper catch and release, line recycling and restraint when conditions warrant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Green is your candidate?  Find out his or her voting record on environmental issues at this site - www.votetheenvironment.org

 

Learn how to stop junk mail and the waste of paper at these sites - www.junkmailstopper.com

 

www.stopthejunkmail.com

 

CHECK OUT OUR FRIENDS AT THESE LINKS!

Huron Pines - www.huronpines.org

Streamside Custom Rod & Guide Service - www.michiganstreamside.com

Au Sable Troutfitters - www.ausabletroutfitters.com

Anglers of the Au Sable - www.ausableanglers.org

Gates Au Sable Lodge - www.gateslodge.com

North Branch Boys - www.northbranchclub.org

Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited - www.HeadwatersTU.org

Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited - www.masongriffithtu.org

Michigan River Guides Association - www.mrga.net

William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited - www.mershon-tu.org

Sierra Mackinac Chapter - www.michigan.sierraclub.org

Kevin Westfall & Teknicolors - www.teknicolors.com  

Lance Weyeneth - www.TheRiverSpecialist.com

Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve - www.yellowdogwatershed.org

 

CROCABROWN!

Cormorants Now Being Seen On Big Water! 

Here's how you can help; document the number you see, where you saw them, time of day, and behavior (were they flying, feeding).  Take a picture if you can.  Then call Steve Sendek (DNR) at 989-348-6371 (Ext. 7477) or Bob Stuber (USDA - Forest Service) at 989-775-5023 (Ext. 8763).  Be honest in what you see, exaggerating numbers of birds will backfire in the long run.  Cormorants eat a pound of trout a day - about four planters.

PLEASE SEND A LETTER OR E-MAIL TO DNR SUPPORTING NO KILL FOR BROWN TROUT!  WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR VOICE IS HEARD!  DO IT TODAY OR AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

The DNR’s Fisheries Division is in the process of developing a
management plan for this section of the Au Sable River. In the past, the
DNR focused on providing a quality trout fishing opportunity on the
river. Recently, the Fisheries Division has received considerable input
from anglers who have an interest in fisheries management of this
section of the river. The management plan the DNR will develop will
address the potential need for regulation classifications for this
stretch of river and any additional opportunities to improve the
fishery.

“The overall goal of this process is to ensure adequate protection of
our coldwater fish communities, while simultaneously providing quality
fishing opportunities for anglers,” said Steve Sendek, DNR fisheries
biologist at the Grayling Field Office. “Public input in this process
is important and all comments received during this time will be
considered in final decision-making.”

The Fisheries Division recently completed a “status of the fishery”
report for this section of the Au Sable River, giving a historical and
comprehensive assessment of the river. The Au Sable River - Mio to
Alcona, Status of the Fishery” report is available online on the
DNR’s Web site at
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2007-22_225164_7.pdf. This
document is a thorough review of the fishery and contains in-depth
information on the environment surrounding the river, the fish
community, a chronology of historic fisheries management activities,
current fisheries management activities, a discussion on factors
limiting rainbow trout and brown trout populations, potential future
management directions, and a discussion on the predicted outcomes of
various regulation scenarios based on fisheries population modeling.

Written comments can be directed to the DNR via email at DNR-LakeHuron@michigan.gov or via U.S. Mail to Steve Sendek, DNR, 1955 Hartwick Pines Rd., Grayling, MI 49738.

Contacts: Steven Sendek 989-348-6371, ext. 7477 or Mary Dettloff
517-335-3014                                   

Our Position on New Regulations for the Big Water:

We support a Type 7 classification from the powerlines to McKinley Bridge.  We strongly believe that this stretch should be managed as a Trophy Brown Trout Fishery!  Anglers of the Au Sable has also taken that position.

   Since the Mio Meeting with DNR on March 5th both Anglers and the ASBWPA have been considering a compromise position offered by Dr. Brian Burroughs of MCTU.  This position would support No Kill for brown trout from Mio Dam to 4001 Bridge as well as an Extended Season.  In addition, anglers could keep two 10" rainbows per day during the Regular Season.  Both flies and artificial lures could be used.  Originally, DNR had seemed to say that the water below Mio must be categorized in one of the existing classifications.  That's why we chose Type 7.  If Special Regs or a new classification could be enacted that would fall under the MCTU compromise we would be comfortable with it.  Research clearly indicates that at least 95% of the rainbows are going to die in their first year in the stream.  It's a good idea to let fishers keep some as long as the browns are protected.

   We have no problem with people continuing to support a Type 7 classification.  Many of our members still do.  Realistically, the MCTU compromise is much more likely and would meet our primary goal:  No Kill on Brown Trout.  Click here to see the latest presentation by the Mershon Chapter on this position MERSHON 

   The North Branch Club has designed a petition to support this the Type 7 position - PETITION.  We see no problem with supporting it while keeping in mind that the MCTU compromise might be more realistic.

Volunteers Needed!!!

   We need people to monitor the flow rates of the dams on the Au Sable.  That includes: Mio, Alcona and Foote.  We have not finalized the list.  The work involves printing out the gauge graphs each week and documenting the weather for the week (along the Au Sable River corridor).  We'd like people to take a week at a time.  If you are interested in getting involved please e-mail tom@asbwpa.org.  This is important work and will benefit our stretch of water as well as the whole river.

We need volunteers for the following weeks:

4/28; 5/5; 5/12; 5/19; 5/26.

Getting Trashed

Volunteers gobble up donuts and coffee before going on a trash collection.  We found more than expected and will do it again next year.

Mayhem on the Mason Tract

Logging last winter was extensive.  Read more about it on our News Page.

 

May 19th is the deadline to comment on coaster brook trout being listed as an endangered species

 Here's a fact sheet about the issue PETITION_FACT_SHEET

USFW Denies Public hearing on Coaster Status, Groups Cry Foul

COASTER_HEARING

MARVIN_ROBERSON_RESPONDS

You can see the US Fish & Wildlife Finding on the coaster brook trout and the 90 day notice on our News Page.

THIS WISE OWL URGES YOU TO LEARN ABOUT THE WATER ISSUE AND KEEP SENDING COMMENTS TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! (photo: John O'Neil)

WATER WITHDRAWAL BILL COULD BE DISASTROUS TO LAKES & STREAMS!

   The House and Senate are in the process of crafting legislation to allow for greater use of water in this state.  This could have a HUGE negative effect on fishing.  To read more about it click Water.pdf.  Right now the House Bill (HB 5069) is better than the Senate Bill (SB 860).  Neither are ideal, especially considering "marginal" trout water such as Mio is vulnerable to higher withdrawal rates and greater fish kills.  You need to contact your Representative and Senator and advocate for public input, less than 1% fish kill rates and Ground Water being recognized as a public resource.

Here is a concise summary of the current bills being considered BILLS

If you have more questions go to www.michiganlcv.org.

Find your representative at http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp

Find your senator at http://senate.michigan.gov/SenatorInfo/find-your-senator.htm

This is as important as the new trout regs because no matter what the regs are...IF WE HAVE NO WATER THEN THERE WON'T BE AS MANY FISH!!!

Just a click away...

Check out the latest from Huron Pines, The Sierra Club, and learn more about logging on the Mason Tract, water withdrawal legislation and updates on Michigan's endangered Coaster Brook Trout population on our News page.

Set up your schedule by looking at our Calendar of events

You never know what will be the hot spot or hot fly on our Fishing Report

Learn more about the next cleanup at our Clean Update

See pictures of our latest work projects on the Git Er Dun Page

HERO OF THE WEEK!

Actually, we have several Heroes of the Week.  It's a week late, but that's OK.  We want to honor the following individuals for their work on the Claybanks Project planting trees:

Patrick Ertel, Project Coordinator, Huron Pines; Abby Ertel, volunteer; Nathan Skibbe, Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member; Emily Sewell, Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member; Ken Reed, Huron Pines Restoration Crew Leader; and Jennifer Muladore, Huron Pines Ecologist.

You can see the efforts of these fine people on our Git Er Dun Page


Take The 70 Degree Pledge

When the morning temperature at Mio Dam is 70 degrees or more then I will not fish for trout on that stretch of the Au Sable River, Mio to Alcona Pond.  If I choose to fish that day, it will be on other streams with cooler water, further downstream for warm water fish such as smallmouth bass, or on the many lakes in the area.  If I catch a trout I will let it go immediately.  When the temperatures fall below 70 degrees at Mio Dam I may consider fishing the stretch again, but will do it early in the morning, at twilight, and at night.  I will use a thermometer to fish runs with cooler water so the trout have a better chance at surviving catch and release.  I recognize that this is a necessary practice during the hottest part of the summer, late June through mid August, and I am helping the fishery when I do it.

We are a proud member of the Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee (ARWRC).  Visit them at www.ausablerestoration.org

Our Service Area

Our area of focus is from Mio Dam to Alcona Pond.  It is possible that at some point in the future we will extend our mission downstream.

Membership

ASBWPA does not have formal membership dues at present.  Anyone can be a member if they are willing to pledge 20 volunteer hours on the river each year.  (It's an honor system, but we believe conservation-minded people are essentially honorable.)  These activities can range from cleaning the river, working on streamside projects or writing letters to officials about certain policies concerning it.

To sign up click here MEMBERSHIP and put "Member" in the message box.  You can leave a snail mail address and phone at your option.  Members will receive some swag including ball point pins and boat stickers.  We will not abuse this listing, only contacting you with periodic updates and schedules of events.  Check out the website to stay current.  Thanks!

Thanks to seed money from several generous individuals, ASBWPA will be fiscally sound for the next few years.  We may, at some point, have fund raisers for specific projects such as establishing fishing line recycling stations at several popular access sites.

 

 

Contact 

Send correspondence to
ASBWPA
PO Box 300
Luzerne, MI 48636
989.745.4957

EMAILHERE