Old AuSable Fly Shop

Guides fish the three main branches of the Au Sable and the full length of the Manistee, going wherever the fishing is best on a given day, working out of Grayling, Michigan. Two kinds of craft are used: the historic Au Sable river boat, the long narrow hull native to this water, and drift boats on the larger rivers. A full-day float runs eight hours for one or two anglers at $600 and includes a meal; a half-day float is four to five hours at $400. The same full and half-day structure applies to wading trips. Instructional trips are built around skill level, with a four-hour beginners session at $275 spent largely on dry land and a four-hour intermediate session at $400 for up to four anglers that mixes ground work with time in the stream. A half-day after dark mousing trip runs $500. Every trip takes a $100 non-refundable deposit, and the guides are independent contractors, licensed where required and fully insured.