Grand River Fishing Report

Grand River Fishing Report from Grand Rapids to Lowell, Michigan:

This summer has been great for smallmouth bass and northern pike on the Grand River and the action only continues to be hot.  With the lack rain, the river remains low and clear, perfect for bronze-bomber action.  It seems the hotter the weather and the bluer the skies the better bite is on this river.

Man-Bear-Pig Fly

The name of the game has been “throw the kitchen sink” to keep the action moving.  Just when you think you have the right lure or fly you’ll need to change it out.  It seems the smallmouth pick up on your game right away.  Try using bigger flies and double-bladed spinner baits.  Remember, if that isn’t working or you have caught a few, switch up your streamer game or move to dredging a wacky worm off the bottom.

Cusey with Craig from England
Grand River 21 inch Smallmouth
Grand River Smallmouth

With the warmer temps the northern pike have gone deep but there are still some lingering around structure.  If you happen to hook into one of these river gators, remember to not play the fish, land and release it as quick as possible.  These warmer temps are not good for the fish as they prefer cooler water.

Grand River Northern Pike

On the salmon front, they are slowly trickling in but not in any great numbers.  Lake Michigan did turn over, couple that with the rain means a few kings have entered area systems.  As the nights get cooler and we get more rain look for more to slowly come in.  If you do go, go low, find the deeper holes and throw cranks up against the bank or drift skein through the hole to find success.

The summer action still remains strong and the smallmouth and pike action will continue to remain strong well into the fall as they start to go into their fall feeding mode for the winter.

The salmon action will also start to pick up and they will be big this year.  Many charter boat captains have been catching 30 lbs. kings out in Lake Michigan and it’s a good bet some of those will show up in the rivers we fish this year.

There is nothing like fishing the Grand River during the day, then heading out into downtown Grand Rapids to grab dinner and beer after the trip.  Fall is the best time year to get out and fish.  We have availability so call, email or text us about your trip and let’s get on the river.

Captain Tom

 

Grand River Fishing Report between Grand Haven and Lowell

Fishing report for July 2018:  With the lack of rain over the past month the Grand River is in great shape.  From Grand Haven to Lowell it has been some of the best fishing we’ve seen so far this year.

Grand River Smallie near Grand Rapids

The river is low and clear and as a result the smallmouth have been stacked in the deeper holes and right up next to structure.  Early morning is perfect for sight casting as they tend to hunt between the weed lines and subtle breaks in water depth. Temperatures have been running in the mid to upper seventies to near eighty degrees, perfect for those smallies.  No worries on the stressing these guys, they prefer warmer water compared to the trout.

Grand River Smallmouth

We’ve been fishing conventional tackle lately as that has been producing the best action.  Make sure you’re covering a lot of water as you’re casting to these bronze bombers to get the greatest success possible.  Try using spinners and swimbaits.

 

If your going to fly fish use streamer patterns.  Try the “Off the Shneid Fly” or anything with white in it.  With the river being this low, make sure to use floating line either with or without a intermediate polyleader.  Anything more and you’ll making sacrifices to the river gods.

Grand River Pike near Grand Rapids

As the water has warmed and become low the northern pike action has slowed.  We are still getting some but just not in the numbers we saw in the late spring and early summer.  If you want to target these guys, look to the deeper holes, rock gardens and slackwater.  Same thing, use spinners and larger swimbaits to provoke a strike.  Remember, that pike are ambush predators so you’ll need to cover a lot of water to find them.

We still have a lot of summer left so if you want to fish one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the state then give us a call or send us a message.

– Captain Tom

 

 

 

The Green Trout

I often get asked why do I run guide trips for bass.  I’m mean come on….bass, really?  Typically my response is, “You mean the Green Trout”  They look at me with a bit of confusion, like when a steelhead is lost at the boat.

Grand River, Ada Section

Let me start by saying that I enjoy fishing for all species of fish.  Each species has its own set of unique challenges and enjoyments.  It’s really hard to compare one species of fish to another.  The best analogy I can used to express that statement is, as a father I am, I love all my children equally, not one over the other.

Many of our clients want to fish for the migratory species such as salmon and steelhead. These are excellent fish to target, they can put one hell of a bend in your rod, you can hear and feel the drag scream and they can challenge and frustrate even the most seasoned angler. They are the Floyd Mayweather’s of the Great Lakes and her tributaries.  Lighting fast, they pack a punch, and they can be difficult to control.

With that said, here is why I run guide trips for bass:

While the salmon and the steelhead may be the Floyd Mayweather’s of the Great Lakes, bass are the Mike Tyson’s.  They are the heavyweight gangsters of the bayous, inland lakes and rivers.  Trust me when I say there is nothing like reeling in a 5 pound bucketmouth out of the Grand River or one of its bayous. To watch them go airborne and pull like a semi truck has its angling rewards.

Grand River, near Grand Haven, Michigan Largemouth

Unlike their cold water cousins, their range is pretty much most lakes and rivers of North America and they can tolerate water temperatures up into the 80’s before they move into deeper sections.  This make them ideal to target without having to worry too much about their stress levels when water temps are in the 70’s like a trout.

Whether on a fly rod or with light spin gear and tackle, they are just as challenging as trout and can test even the most seasoned angler through all the stages of bass season, the pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn.

Grand River Largemouth

Like trout, they have some cool ink.  Depending on their environment their colors can range from light green to dark green and even some black with yellow and orange mixed in their fins.

Lastly, there is that gangster look.  Their signature underbite where the lower jaw extends beyond their upper jaw, that says don’t mess with me.

Grand River Largemouth Bass

I’m sure there are many more opinions why people pursue bass.  In the end, however, it comes down to them being the most targeted species in the nation.  There are professional bass tournaments through FLW and Bassmaster, not to mention local tournaments all with cash money to win.

Bass are the working man’s brown trout.  They are both simple and complex.  Easy and difficult to target.  They are the green trout and are so popular in our culture that real trout should be green with envy.

Fishing Report

July 22, 2017:

The Grand River continues to run stained in the middle sections but it is coming down. Hopefully, if the rain can hold off for awhile, clarity should improve.  Water temps were in the low 80’s this past week but with the rain we had last night and couple of cloudy days the water is now back in the upper 70’s

River traffic is next to nothing.  As a matter of fact, many days we are the only boat on the water and only share it with a few bald eagles, osprey, king fishers, herons and some deer.

Grand River Smallmouth Bass on a Streamer

With that water being as stain as it is you’ll want to use streamers, articulated ones are working best.  Color combinations include, yellow brown, orange and green.  300 grain sink tip on an 9 ft 8 wt with a 4 foot 10 lb. leader has been working the best to get the fly down to where the fish are.  It’s a bit aggressive, and you may get lodge in some wood or rock, but it’s what’s producing right now.

Grand River Smallmouth Bass
Grand River Norther Pike

When stripping, use slow, irregular retrieves so the fish has time to see the streamer as it goes by.  It’ll be difficult with the stained water but look for contours, seams and pockets to find fish.  You may have to make a few casts before one hits.  Remember, be patient, you want to cover as much water as possible and move as much water as possible to get the fish’s attention in these conditions.

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As the day progresses toward early evening switch to poppers.   Us a 4 ft. leader with floating line on a 6 wt with a fighting butt as your combination.  Yellow and green poppers seem to be working the best.  You’ll want to cast right up to the bank with these, as many of the fishing are tight up against it.

 

The Grand River has many different fishing opportunities for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and northern pike.  At Werkman Outfitters, we take full advantage of that by chasing after multiple species using multiple techniques.  So come join us on the river and fish different.

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