Au Gres River Trout Fishing Conditions
The Au Gres River flows from the Ogemaw Hills through Arenac County to Saginaw Bay, carrying brown trout in its cold upper reaches and receiving steelhead runs from Lake Huron via Saginaw Bay. A practical northeast Michigan option for anglers based in the Tri-Cities area.
The Au Gres drains the northeastern slope of the Ogemaw Hills, where springs maintain water temperatures adequate for trout in the upper river through early summer. Brown trout fishing is best in May and June before the lower river warms. The upper sections near Arenac County's agricultural landscape hold smaller fish than northern streams but provide accessible fishing for anglers from Bay City, Saginaw, and Midland.
The lower Au Gres receives Saginaw Bay steelhead — a run that peaks in spring. Lake Huron tributaries do not carry the volume of steelhead that Lake Michigan rivers see, but the Au Gres run provides spring steelhead opportunity within reach of central Michigan population centers.