Seasons on the Au Sable | 
| Author: Rusty Gates
Creators: Bill Sodeman, Josh Greenberg
Publisher: Ann Arbor Media Group
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.97
You Save: $9.98 (40%)
New (17) Used (7) from $14.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 309970
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 199
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1
ISBN: 1587264528
Dewey Decimal Number: 799.175709774
EAN: 9781587264528
ASIN: 1587264528
Publication Date: April 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
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Book Description
Three miles downstream from Grayling, Michigan, is the Holy Water, a stretch of the Au Sable River that is some of the most storied trout fishing water in the country. One man, perhaps more than any other, has adopted this magical place as his own, nurturing, protecting, and sharing its secrets with generations of anglers over the years. His name is Rusty Gates. In Seasons on the Au Sable, Rusty imparts his substantial knowledge of how to fly fish this blue-ribbon trout fishery. And he should know. The Gates Au Sable Lodge is nestled along the banks of the Holy Water, and his legendary fly shop is a cast away from the Main Branch. His book begins with the most important month of the year--April, the season opener! It follows the progression of insect hatches that occur in northern Michigan, many unique to the Au Sable. Along with Rusty's stories and personal reflections on the river, the book includes practical advice such as which flies to use, the best time of day to fish, and what impact weather may have on hatches and fish activity.
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| Customer Reviews:
Wholly sincere about holy water January 28, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I think the best place to purchase this book is from Rusty himself at the Gates AuSable Lodge. I've been going there for many years and Rusty and his staff are the best as far as I'm concerned. This book is a compilation of a years worth of river reports which he posts on his website. Proceeds from the book go toward the non profit organization, Anglers of the Au Sable. Rusty's reports are different from most, and that's a good thing. Anyone can spurt out a list of bugs hatching on any given day. Rusty goes further with sincerity and concern for the AuSable River. What I enjoyed most about this book is how the compilation of reports created a pulse of the river. I also enjoyed the stories of the fishermen who live or have lived along the holy waters of the Au Sable. As a fisherman I try to accept all types of fishermen as friends. But, I consider Rusty's type to be the best of all because I find a commonality with folks who drive old trucks, work for their firewood, and find companionship with good bird dogs. Those are some of the subjects Rusty writes about in addition to fly fishing. But, the purpose of this book isn't just to describe the seasons of the AuSable. The purpose is to project the beauty of the River to help protect it from unscrupulous organizations who care more about greed and less about destruction of natural resources. Sometimes you have to fight for what you love and Rusty is doing just that. If you love the farmland near your home, or the park down the street, take some tips from Rusty and fight to keep them the way they are....or you just may be living next to an oil well yourself some day.
The Rust Man Drops a Bomb on the Fly Fishing World September 26, 2007
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
You may think you're an accomplished fly fisherman, but you don't know jack about the sport until you've read this new treatise by Rusty "F'in" Gates. From how to tie Dave's Hopper to how to skin the face of a scumbag who interferes with your cast, Rusty tells it like it is. He brings you all the raw secrets of fly fishing, something no author has had the balls to do before.
From the moment I set eyes on Bill "Duke" Sodeman's introduction, in which he relates a story about the time Rusty caught a trophy brookie and beat a drifter to death with it, I was transfixed. This book truly takes you into the seedy underbelly of the fly fishing world with a level of honesty and brutality that I simply was not prepared for. Every chapter took my breath away.
Sure, this book covers the basics, such as how to choose your equipment, how to make a variety of casts, and what to do in given environmental conditions, but plenty of books do that. Where this book shines is its presentation of fly fishing's all-night cocaine binges, orgies with teenage groupies, and shocking violence perpetrated against fish and man alike. If you are not a fly fisherman, this book will challenge your fortitude as it dares you to pick up a rod and venture into the wilderness alone. If you are a fisherman of any skill level, this book will give you the tools you need to survive on the bloodthirsty Holy Waters of the Au Sable river.
Pass this one by at your own peril.
A most relaxing read!!! September 12, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a book for all flyfishing lovers...Turn the TV and radio off, open the windows to hear the birds, bugs and wind and to smell the out-of-doors. Then settle into your favorite chair and savor every word of this refreshing book. You can hear the river and in a minute or two, you are there...on a mini-vacation. Rusty Gates succintly captures the mood and the mystery of the great North and in particular, the "Holy Water" of the famed AuSable River in Michigan. What a tribute to a grand river and what better author than Mr. Au Sable, himself. I am hoping for another book by Rusty in the future.
Wisdom from the guardian of the river! May 25, 2007
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book is a glimpse at the year in the life of a man and a river. Rusty Gates, along with Anglers of the Au Sable[...], is the guardian angel of a river system that is the jewel of Northern Michigan. The book contains the week by week fishing logs and thoughts that any angler visiting this area would benefit greatly from reading. The book is written in a way that makes you feel like you're talking to Rusty in his shop on the banks of the Holy Waters. A must read for Northern Michigan Troutbumm's!
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