Fly Fishing in the Mitten

Experts working in Michigan’s Blue Ribbon trout streams discuss the health of the region’s waterways and 2025 plans

By Ren Brabenec | April 5, 2025

The Au Sable and Manistee rivers are known for their high water quality, beautiful scenery, and superb cold-water fisheries. The Au Sable is also home to an annual canoe marathon that has earned international acclaim, while the Manistee attracts anglers and landscape photographers alike to iconic bluffs overlooking picturesque horseshoe bends and river islands.

Both rivers have their headwaters between Grayling and Gaylord, making this seemingly quiet region a hotspot for local, national, and international fly fishing enthusiasts.

Grayling, in particular, is a gathering place for fly fishers the world over, individuals who inevitably find themselves at the Gates Au Sable Lodge. There, owner Josh Greenberg, who also serves as president of the Anglers of the Au Sable conservation nonprofit, greets fellow anglers.

“I’m from southern Ohio, but I’ve been fly fishing since I was a tiny little kid,” Greenberg says. “When my parents bought a summer camp up here, I quickly ended up in a local fly shop, and soon after—at the age of 15—began tying flies for that shop. That fly shop was Gates Au Sable Lodge, and the fellow who gave me the job was Calvin ‘Rusty’ Gates, then owner of Gates Lodge and the president of Anglers of the Au Sable. I’ve just been here ever since.”

Greenberg is quick to describe why so many flock to northern Michigan for fly fishing vacations. He contends that there are a lot of great rivers in the U.S., and while no one agrees which is the “best” for trout fishing, the Au Sable, in particular, is special.

He notes that the Au Sable has a unique combination of wild trout, as opposed to stocked trout; offers a true “wild-run” of river trout fishing, as opposed to a stream that is temperature-controlled by human-caused influences like a large dam upstream; and is a river that, as Greenberg puts it, “makes you play by its rules.”

Balancing Sport and River Protection

Some outdoor sports, like deer hunting, have seen a decline in participation in recent years, but per Greenberg, the same hasn’t occurred with fly fishing in the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.

“A lot of outdoor sports boomed during COVID, and fly fishing was one of them,” Greenberg explains. “It has since, thankfully, settled down. I can’t speak for the entire fly fishing industry, but I think the trout fishing culture on the Au Sable and Manistee are in a healthy place. Too many people can ruin it, while too few means there’s not enough people to protect the resource.”

Greenberg used this discussion of the “perfect balance” of human presence in a river to introduce us to the nonprofit he serves as president for, Anglers of the Au Sable.

“We have some ongoing fights regarding corporate water usage and some fights regarding pollution,” Greenberg says. “But the most important action we can take regarding our rivers is installing trout habitat. The healthier our trout population, the better the trout can survive traumatic events that are harder to control.”

One such harder-to-control event Greenberg is concerned about is the warming planet.

“Trout need cold water. The less cold water they have, the less trout there’ll eventually be. Fixing climate change can feel like a Herculean effort beyond our control, but the hands-on work of sheltering springs with trout cover and making sure companies can’t withdraw water from or pollute the springs, these are things Anglers of the Au Sable advocates for and is materially invested in.”

River Health Report

A river not only provides life to all the lands around it, but it is also the recipient of all that occurs in those lands, be it pollution run-off from industry, septic system failure, or overdraw of water for agricultural or corporate purposes. That’s why conservationists who care about the Au Sable and Manistee rivers are also intently focused on the lands around the rivers.

“The health of our Blue Ribbon trout streams is directly tied to the condition of the surrounding land and watersheds, making conservation efforts critical in northeast Michigan,” says Julie Rubsam, executive director of HeadWaters Land Conservancy.

“HeadWaters Land Conservancy is expanding stewardship efforts, particularly in invasive species management and habitat restoration, to ensure these waterways remain healthy for generations to come,” she adds.

According to Rubsam, while the health of the Au Sable and Manistee is considered “good,” one of the primary challenges facing the rivers is the increasing pressure on headwaters and riparian zones due to habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and climate-related changes. Protecting intact forests, wetlands, and natural buffers along these waterways is essential for maintaining water quality and the cold, clean flows that trout depend on.

“So much of what occurs in these ‘buffer zones’ bordering the rivers ultimately impacts the rivers,” Rubsam says.

HeadWaters Land Conservancy has a plan, which includes three land acquisition projects, all along waterways that provide critical habitat and public benefit.

“These projects will permanently protect ecologically significant lands that serve as natural buffers, safeguard water quality, and support native fish and wildlife populations,” Rubsam explains. “As development pressures increase and climate change brings new challenges, securing these lands is more important than ever.”

More Work Ahead

The challenges are many and varied, but those who’ve dedicated their lives to the health of Michigan rivers and the lands that surround them are optimistic.

“I see rivers that, as of 2025, are in excellent shape and improving because of the people who live along, visit, and who all, as one, love these rivers very much.” Those were Greenberg’s closing words as he highlighted the ongoing conservation work of anglers, donors, volunteers, conservancies, and landowners.

Rubsam echoed that sentiment when we asked what people can do to ensure the health of these northern Michigan rivers. She says one of HeadWaters’ key initiatives in 2025 will be hosting more landowner workshops to provide information on available resources to help them conserve their lands.

Both Rubsam and Greenberg say private landowners play a crucial role in water quality, so a big part of protecting Michigan’s beloved trout rivers comes down to ensuring locals have the tools and support needed to manage their land in ways that benefit both people and wildlife.

“We ask the community to support conservation efforts by being mindful stewards of the land—whether through responsible land management, supporting local land protection organizations and initiatives, or advocating for policies that safeguard water resources,” Rubsam says.

To learn more about angler-led volunteer efforts, visit ausableanglers.org. To learn more about land conservation around the rivers, visit headwatersconservancy.org.