Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, on the current state of the Au Train River this morning. The calendar says May, which means sulphurs in the evening and March browns building through the afternoon. The Au Train flows clear and cold through the Hiawatha National Forest before dropping into Au Train Lake and meeting Superior, and in a normal spring it would be prime water right now. But this is not a normal spring on an Upper Peninsula freestone river, and the honest answer about whether you should make the drive north today depends on understanding what the snowpack upstream has been doing for the past month.

What the Gauge Tells Us (or Doesn’t)

USGS gauge data for the Au Train is unavailable today, which means you cannot see the real-time story of what the spring melt is doing to the river. This matters. The Upper Peninsula holds deep snowpack through April and into early May, and when that snow begins to release, freestone rivers like the Au Train respond quickly and dramatically. Without current gauge readings, you are working blind. The river could be fishable this afternoon, or it could be running brown and over its banks. You cannot know until you drive there or call someone on the ground who has eyes on it.

Here is what you can do instead: before committing to the drive, check the live gauge data at https://michigantroutreport.com. Look for stable or declining water levels over the past three days. If the gauge shows the Au Train is still in the middle of its spring rise, or if recent rain has pushed it higher, the river will be unfishable. Freestone rivers do not lie.

If Conditions Clear

Assuming the gauge shows the river dropping and clearing, the Au Train in May is legitimate fishing. Brook trout will be active throughout the stream, and if you are here in early June when the steelhead window closes, you might pick up a migrant on the way back down. The hatches are real. Blue-winged olives will come off during overcast stretches, bringing short rises in the flats and riffles. Fish a Parachute BWO in size 16 or drop an RS2 in 18 just under the surface if the hatch gets heavy. You will need 5X or 6X fluorocarbon for the takes.

The March browns and gray foxes are moving now. Fish these in the afternoon window, size 10 dries in the flats and along the edges where the current slows. Nymph the deeper runs in the morning with a March Brown Nymph in size 12 before the adults begin to show. The caddis are building. Early browns will skitter on the surface, swung wet in the riffles, or fished dry as skating flies. The grannom caddis, which is crucial on Michigan streams this time of year, demands precision. Swing the LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa in size 14 through the fast water, then switch to an X-Caddis or Elk Hair Caddis in the film during the rise.

The sulphur hatch is the evening story. These insects emerge between 7 pm and 9 pm, and you have a legitimate golden hour window tonight from 7:34 pm until dark at 9:04 pm. If the river clears, this is where you want to be. Fish the rise lanes in flat water. A Sulphur Comparadun in size 14 will take fish during the emergence, and if the spinner fall happens after dark, you might pick up a few on a Rusty Spinner in size 16 or 18. Long, fine tippet is not optional. These are small insects and selective fish. Go to 5X or 6X.

Access and Next Steps

The Au Train is accessible from the town of Au Train on M-28, and Hiawatha National Forest roads offer entry points upstream. If the gauge clears, you have a fishable afternoon and evening ahead of you. If it is still running off color and high, wait. The forecast will turn cleaner within the next few days as the spring melt finishes its cycle, and the river will reward patience.

Check live gauge data before you load the truck: https://michigantroutreport.com