The AuSable River's five mile Catch & Release section celebrated its fourth year of success in the eyes of the many fishermen who fished the river this past season. The number of large fish carrying over from the previous season has just about guaranteed the continuing success of the program, barring any severe summer droughts. The river conditions over the past two summers have been exceptionally good with no overly warm periods. The only negative side to the Catch & Release section is that it somewhat overfished. This, however, is offset by the decrease in pressure on other sections of the stream.

It is the perfect area for beginners to try their luck at catching a trophy trout. Wading conditions are easy at most stretches with sand and gravel bottom. Because the water, for the most part, is slower and easier to read, beginners can brush up on the technique of fishing smaller flies with finer tippets. Although the catch and release section of the river is not preferred by the more experienced and advanced fishermen, it is indeed a blessing for those wishing to catch a larger fish under optimum conditions. The trout will not be as wild after numerous landings but care and technique is still required to produce best results.

Keep in mind that the catch and release area is not for fly fishermen only. Bait is not allowed but it's an easy place for the spin fishermen to test their skills. The new spinner flies (small spinners with fly behind) are extremely productive and because they only have the one hook, it is easier to release the fish without harm than it would be with the treble hook lures.

One word of advise that will aid you in becoming a better sportsman or lady as the case may be. Don't play your fish for an extended period. Doing so increases the chance of killing the fish. Put as much pressure on the fish as possible to get the fish in quickly and release it without undue stress. A fish builds up acid in their system after a long exhaustive battle and may die if you take too long to bring it in. And remember one very important bit of information. Just because the remainder of the stream is not catch and release, you can still return your fish. A good sportsman only takes what he or she can eat. As Mr. Wulff always said,"A trout is too valuable to be caught only once."