Fishing has slowly been improving since the beginning of November. Rain has worked its way up and down West Michigan and this is what is bringing fresh groups of steelhead into our river systems.
Continue readingSteelhead Fishing Is Improving!
Tough Conditions Right Now
Right now, on the rivers we fish, they are either too high and dirty or too low and clear. All of this makes steelhead fishing challenging. With that said, here’s the latest from the frontlines.
Continue readingFall Is Here
Fall is here, the smallmouth and pike bite continues to be good and the salmon have arrived. Here’s the latest from the frontlines on the Grand River and it’s tributaries.
Continue readingSeason Changes
Welcome to September and the beginning of the Fall. The Grand River and its tributaries are in great shape and morning water temps have dropped to the upper 60’s with day time temps in the low 70’s. Here’s the latest from the frontlines
Continue readingGrand River Fishing Report
The Grand River is in fantastic condition, low and clear to slight stain with temps in the mid to upper 70’s. Here’s the latest from the frontlines and all things Werkman Outfitters.
Continue readingAnd The Beat Goes On….
After a deluge of rain a couple of weeks ago, the Grand River has come down nicely with almost perfect stain. As long as we don’t get any major rain events, things are setting up nicely for a banner next two to three weeks. Here’s the latest from the frontlines of the Grand and its tributaries.
A few weeks ago the Grand River hit flood stage as a result of the watershed getting 6+ inches of rain over two days. Just because the Grand was blown out, didn’t mean we stopped fishing. Once the rains subsided, we rerouted to the southern tributaries to chase smallmouth. As the rivers have continued to drop, the fish have continued to come to the dinner table.
With the high water we’ve been using streamers and spinners to cover water. Those clients that cast right too and almost on the structure have been rewarded with solid fish….but that’s the key, you need to get right up tight to the structure. If not, you’ll miss the opportunity. If you’re new to fishing, just listen to the guide and don’t be afraid the get hung up. If you do, we’ll get you unhooked. Eventually, you’ll make the cast that hits the zone and you will be on one.
As we’ve always said, you don’t need to travel hours north to have have a fantastic fishing experience. With that said, we spent some time with Rachael Ruiz from Eight West showcasing the Grand River. Take a look.
I cannot say it enough, the next two to three weeks are shaping up nicely for some really good fishing. If you’ve been putting off giving us a call, now’s the time.
Capt. Tom Werkman aka "The Old Man"
Summer Patterns
After an unusual start to the spring, as a result of wild temperature swings and little in precipitation, the smallmouth are becoming more predicable and we are finding them in their usual summer places. Here’s the latest from the frontlines on the Grand River and its tributaries.
Continue readingPutting On The Pounds….
The Grand River continues to be in fantastic shape for this time of year. Many of its sections are low and gin clear. The gage in Ada has been hovering at 7 feet and the water temps are in the mid to uppers 50’s. As the temps have dropped, so have our tactics as the fish are adding the pounds this time of year.
This time of year the smallmouth are transitioning from their summer water are on the move to their winter water. Along the way, they’re searching for the baitfish to gain weight. You’ll need to cover a lot of water to find them and once you do, you’ll usually find others. When you do, switch to jigs and tubes.
If you’re going to fly fish, use floating line as the river is really shallow and the fish are on the flats looking for bait. We’ve been finding success on articulated flies in natural colors and white. Again, fish the shallow flats, cover a lot of water and don’t over look bucket water, colored bottom and structure.
The pike bite continues to be strong strong on both conventional tackle and flies. As the water temps have dropped, their attitude has become even more nasty and it can go from silence to violence in a nano-second. Expect the unexpected. You can use the same search baits with the pike as you do the smallmouth. In my opinion, if you know how to fly fish, do that as I feel you get a better reaction strike from the pike with a streamer.
Some steelhead are starting to show up in the lower sections of the Grand but it is still early. We need more rain to get the stain and flow rates up to get these fish into the river from the big lake.
We still have some dates open for the end of October and the first part of November for steelhead, pike and smallmouth bass. Give us a shout and enjoy a great day of fishing on the Grand in all the color of fall.
Grand River Fishing report for May 2019
X Rap’s:
X Raps are the name of the game in the Spring Lake bayous right now. This time of yearmthese lures have the best chance to elicit a strike from a largemouth bass or northern pike. Here is our fishing report for May 2019.
Grand River:
With the high water in the Grand River right now, we have switched to fishing the shelter of the Spring Lake Bayous. The gauge in Ada peaked at 14.5 feet on May 5 and has been slowly coming done. As of today, May 8, it’s at 12.9 feet. The river should be in decent shape this coming weekend, assuming no more rain. Remember, the Grand River is the second largest drainage system in Michigan next to the Saginaw Valley and it takes time for all that water to move through the system.
Northern Pike:
Water temps in the Spring Lake bayous have been ranging from 53 degrees to 57 degrees depending in the time of day. Water clarity is nicely stained and the weeds have yet to hit the surface. The water temp is near ideal for the northern pike. They are coming off the spawn and some look pretty beat up, so if you land one handle them with care.
We have primarily been using X Raps in size 10 on a medium heave rod with fast action tips with 20 lbs mono to create the best movement for lures. When retrieving, remember to jerk the bait as much as you can in an irradict way. The key is to keep some slack in your line as you jerk and reel. The more irradict the retrieve, the better the lure will elicit a strike. Use colors that are more natural with added orange in them such a Perch or Tennessee Olive Shad. This time of year the northerns will be in the weeds, between 3 to 10 feet deep. If you find weeds in this range, work the line.
Largemouth Bass:
The bass are in their pre-spawn mode and are in the 6 to 10 feet range. Normally this time of year you can count on starting to see some bass on beds. However, with the colder than normal temps this has pushed the spawn back. Once we start to get water temps consistently in the mid 60’s, bass will start showing up in the shallower areas.
The majority of the action we have been being with largemouth bass has come, again, on X Raps in size 10. When fishing for the Green Trout, use the same techniques as you would for northern pike. Use colors that are more natural with added orange in them such a Perch, or Tennessee Olive Shad as well.
Targeting bass with finesse fishing should improve as water temps rise, but right now it’s not producing the results we are looking for.
The northern pike action has been good and the bass action will only get better as the water temps rise. If you want catch these bayou bruisers then give us a call. They easily cork over an 8 wt or medium heavy rod and give the angler a nice fight.