Instead of doing the Gates Clean up this year a few of us decided to go down to Mio and do a float and clean trip on a stretch of the Au Sable that really needs all the help it can get. The Trophy Waters get pounded by canoe traffic and those of you that have spent some time down there can attest to the amount of non organic crap that ends up in the river as a result of a summers worth of canoe trips.

We opted to do the Au Sable Big Waters Preservation Association sponsored clean up instead of the Au Sable Angler gig. (For those that don’t know, he ASBWPA is a new group dedicated to protecting the Trophy Waters below Mio all the way to Alcona dam. See them at  ASBWPA)

Our beat was to float from Mio boat launch to Comins Flats. Originally we figured we’d just be collecting bags left by the wading groups but the place was such a mess that we took our time and ended up scouring the banks in the areas where there was no wade support. Long story short, the amount of trash we picked up amounted to 14 bags between the two boats plus some larger items and we had to stop half way through because of time. 

I think the total turn out was about fifty people. I hear the Gates clean up had around 300. Maybe next year we can help add to the 50. Its a great opportunity to meet the people that fish that stretch and learn some secrets. Plus, the ASBWPA had some great door prizes for the participants (Sage Z-Axis sound good?) as well as a BBQ afterwards.

Here’s some of our pics from the clean up: