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.
The Grand River is low. The gage in Ada, for a brief period, dipped below 6.75 feet. Even with the recent rains the river didn’t pop all that much and is coming back down quickly. Clarity went from gin clear to slightly stained. With no rain in the near term forecast, it should remain that way for awhile. The river temps remain in the upper 70’s.
The near term forecast calls for below normal temps. Hopefully, that will drop the river temps below 70 degrees. Once that happens, the pike activity should begin to improve as we saw for a brief period a couple of weeks ago when a strong cold front moved through.
Fishing has been good. As the river has dropped the smallmouth start to hold more in the bucket water, near structure and just along the seams. If you find all three of these in one location fish it. Patience and persistence is being rewarded and will bring fish to net.
Salmon are not showing up yet in the middle section. It’s too early and the water is too warm. Steelhead season is just around the corner. The best time to fish for these on the Grand will be starting at the end of October right on through December. For those of you that fish with Max, he will be back from Alaska by November 1 so give us call and get a date booked with him.
I have to say, the last three months have been incredible for us as a business. Thank you! Thank you to all of our clients that have booked and rebooked with us. Yes, I enjoy getting people on fish and seeing the smiles and laughter that comes with a great day on the river. However, more importantly for me, I enjoy the relationships that are being built! Until next month…..
We’ve hit the summer fishing patterns. After a wet spring that postponed some of our fishing trips, as a result of high river flows, the Grand has dropped to around 8 feet in Ada. Clarity is great right now at around 3 feet. Remember, the Grand River is the second largest drainage system in Michigan so there will always be some stain to it.
Smallmouth are now in their summer mode, sitting tight to structure and in the deeper holes. We’ve been finding them in 5 to 8 feet. You’ll need to make a number of passes through the holes and against the structure to entice the larger ones to take your lure.
Dredging continues to produce. We’re using creature baits in black with blue and red flicking. 1/4 oz bullet weights and 4/0 hooks. Line is 20 lbs Power Pro High-Vis Yellow tied right to the hooks. This allows us to get right into the structure without fear of losing the fish after there take.
Pike action has been good, however, with water temps approaching near 80 please don’t play them very long, take a quick picture and return them back to the river quickly. At these temps, the pike are stressed and any prolonged play and extended picture taking will increase mortality.
Double willow bladed spinner baits and Mepps Muskey Killers are our goto’s. Fish the slack water and sloughs. Make several casts, keep your eye on the water and watch for the follow. Many times, pike will follow your lure to the boat. After the follow, if the take doesn’t happen, then cast right back out and be ready.
Summer time is one of the best times to be on the Grand and right now we have almost perfect conditions. If you want to catch smallmouth on Michigan’s largest river give us a call.
This has been a crazy winter with the mild temps. Ice has been non-existent to mostly unsafe and the Grand is finally in good shape. Here is our Grand River fishing report as of February 18, 2020.
Steelhead Fishing:
With temps around freezing we’ve been able to get out on the river and chase some steelhead. Along with the dark fall hold-overs, fresh chrome fish have been showing up in the systems. This means that our spring run of steelhead is just starting and fishing will continue to get better.
Eggs and spawn have been the most productive. Chartreuse and white colored bags are what works best. Usually running around 4-8 eggs in a spawn bag. Beads such as peachy king, glow roe, and egg yolk are also working. Try using sizes 8 millimeters all the way to 12 millimeters based on water level. Jigs tipped with wax worms have also been bringing some fish in.
Ice Fishing:
Safe ice has been hit or miss on area lakes. Last week the ice was safe and we could get out. With this weekends warm up, much of that ice will melt. Please pay attention to weather and call local bait shops to make sure there is safe ice. Many people have ventured out only to fall through.
When we could get on safe ice, the bluegill fishing was good. Small jigs tipped with spikes are the number one bait. Slowly jig a foot or two off the bottom in about 6 to 10 feet of water.
Perch fishing has been on fire. A live minnow will always work. Use double perch rigs just off the bottom as well as jigging something with a rattle in it. Your target water depth will be between 20 to 40.
Spring is just around the corner and so are the steelhead. Give us a call to book your trip. March and April are excellent times to get in on the run.
With above freezing temperatures for most of December the area rivers have opened up to fishing. Over the past few weeks steelhead fishing has been decent. Here is the Grand River Fishing Report as of January 1, 2020.
A few fish have been hooked and landed throughout the day. We’ve been catching a mixed bag of dark hold-over steelhead with fresh chrome.
We continue to use beads but have been mixing it up with spawn for the best action. Try running nickel to quarter size bags with pink and chartreuse netting. As far as beads go, try the more pale and milked out colors to entice the fish. Mottled peachy king and peach fuzz in 8 and 10 millimeters have been working best.
Water temps have been between 32-34 degrees. We’ve been targeting slightly deeper and slower runs where the fish will lay this time of year. Rain, wind, sleet and snow, it’s all in the future forecast,which will hopefully bring in new fish before it gets too cold to river fish.
On the flip side, colder temps in the future will help with our ice growth. As of now, very few if any of the area lakes have ice. Because of that, we have moved our ice trips into February.
While the rivers are open, get out and enjoy some steelhead fishing before the the ice takes over, or start thinking of spending the day on the hard water and give us call to book a trip in February.
Who ever said that steelhead fishing was easy, never went steelhead fishing. Right now the steelhead fishing has been slow. With that said, here’s our fishing report for December 7, 2019.
Steelhead Fishing Report:
The Grand River has been having its ups and downs, literally. Rain continues to make fishing difficult. We have been seeing flow rates at 6th Street drop to fishable levels only to spike back up to unfishable levels…. all within the same week. In addition to the rain, we have snow that comes and then melts, cooling the river down and subsequently the fishing. This same event has held true for the more intimate northern rivers we’ve been fishing as well.
With all the said, we are still managing to bring steelhead to net, albeit, not every trip.
The fish we have been finding are in the slower, deeper, dark holes. You’ll need to float these winter sports several times, adjusting you bobber depth and switching out your beads to find what the fish like.
If you want to catch steelhead, take advantage of these last few days of “warm” temperatures before the rivers freeze over.
Ice Fishing Report:
Although winter is literally knocking at the front door, as of this report, there is no safe ice. Most lakes are open and if there is ice it won’t support anyone walking it.
Right now the Climate Prediction Center is calling for below average temperatures for the Great Lakes and above average precipitation for the months of January, February and March. For the month of December the Climate Prediction Center is calling for near normal.
Winter can be a great time to enjoy fishing. We have all the gear, electronics and heated shanties so you can have a comfortable and successful day on the ice.
We are starting to take reservations for the ice fishing season. If you want to book now, look to do your tip starting in January, as lakes Cadillac and Mitchell tend to be the first to freeze, followed closely by Hamlin Lake in Ludington. These lakes are excellent for northern pike, walleye, crappie and bluegills.
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Here’s the latest from the frontlines as of November 11, 2019 for steelhead on the Grand River and the 2019 / 2020 ice fishing season. The Grand River is slowly becoming fishable again after the heavy rains form a couple of weeks ago. Right now, the Grand us running at 8,620 cfs., down from a high of 16,000 a week ago. Clarity is improving and the water temp is in the upper 30’s to low 40’s.
Even though the Grand was “blow out” we continued to run guide trips on other river systems and continued to find find steelhead. With the early winter and the cold temps we’ve been finding steelhead in their normal winter spots. Try fishing the slower dark water. When you find seams, fish both the inside and outside for the best results.
For us, beads continue to produce and we’ve picked up a few on the swing as well. If you’re going to use beads, try using non-straight colors such as MottledBeads and Blooddot Eggs. Most of the steelhead have come on 8 mm with some browns taking 10 mm. Try everything from chartreuse as the top bead to Glow Roe, Mango Egg, Peachy King Roe or Oregon Cheese on the dropper bead. If a pair isn’t working, remember to mix the combinations up.
On the spin gear we’re using 12 lbs. mono mainline to either 10 lbs. leader or 8 lbs leader with a Raven 8 gram or 11 gram bobber and #6 hooks with the 8 mm beads and #4 hooks with the 10mm beads.
Ice Fishing:
Right now the winter forecast is calling for a cold and snowy winter for Michigan. Ideal for ice fishing. As a reminder and as safe ice dictates, we offer guided ice trips. We provide all the ice gear, heated shanties, electronics and tips ups you’ll need for a successful day on the hardwater. If you book a full day, we even cook you a hot lunch in the shanty.
Just because it’s cold out, doesn’t mean you need to stop fishing. Ice fishing can be a ton of fun with your family and / or your friends. Whether it’s on a river or on the hardwater book your trip with us an get in on all the angling action that Michigan and Grand Rapids have to offer.
Here is our fishing report for September 7, 2019 for smallmouth bass, northern pike and salmon for the Grand River, near Grand Rapids, Michigan. We report around the first of each month on the what’s happening on the river. There is definitely a different feel in the air these days. The days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. With that said, mid month will see above average temps with above average precipitation. All good for the salmon as they start to make their way from Lake Michigan into of the Grand River and the Muskegon River.
The gage in Ada is now continues to hover around 7.25 feet, low, with the water temp in the mid 60’s. The Grand continues to be in great shape with fantastic clarity.
Smallmouth Bass Fishing Report
Despite the the cooler night temps lately, the smallmouth on the Grand River are still their summer patterns. The majority of the the bass we’ve been getting into have been found in the riffle sections of the river or holding tight to timber. The best lures continue to be spinners baits. We’ve been using Mepps size 4 with bucktails in back and red with a copper blade. If you fish the riffle sections remember the bass can be anywhere, so cast everywhere. Look to the seams and breaks behind the rocks for your best success. If you fish timber, use creature baits, rigged weedless and drop the creature smack into the wood and work the whole structure. It may take a some tries to elicit a strike, so be patient. The best color and size for creatures are the 4 inch “Bama Craw” rigged to a 3/O hook and a 1/4 bullet weight.
Northern Pike Fishing Report
As far as northern pike on the Grand River is going, it has been tough. We usually get one per trip. The water temps are up so if you hook one, don’t play it, get it to the boat quickly, keep it in the water, take your hero shot and release it. This will help reduce mortality.
Fall Salmon Update:
Coho are stating to make their way through the fish ladder at Sixth Street in Grand Rapids. We have seen a few in the Ada section but not in any numbers yet.
In about another month we see the kings in the upper section of Muskegon River near Newaygo. Although we aren’t targeting them right now, fishing reports indicate, they are slowly starting to stage in the lower Muskegon. They are big and feisty this fall, with many being caught in the 30 pound + range. If you want to hear your drag scream and feel your rod about to break then give us a call. October is primetime for these freight trains. Here are some pictures from last year in October….but you get the idea.
Fall is really the best time to fish in West Michigan. Warm days, cool nights and a variety of species are in the river at once for the angler to pursue. We still have open dates, so drop us a line and get in on all the action.
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.
Spring Lake Bayou Northern Pike
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.
Grand River Bayou Largemouth Bass
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.
The good news is spring is here on the Grand River and so are the smallmouth. The bad news is, so is a proposal to the dredge the Grand River. which has nothing to do with the Grand River Restoration project. I’ll get to the dredging in a minute. The Grand right now is high, dirty and moving fast. The crowds at the dam in Grand Rapids are gone and we have the river back to ourselves. It’s finally nice to enjoy the quiet solitude of this river. There are still some steelhead in the system but for the most part they are far and few in-between. We have been seeing steelhead roll back over the dam, moving as fast as they can out to the big lake.
We have been transitioning over to smallmouth and northern pike and it feels good to be back in the warmwater game. Water temps are running between 48 and 50 degrees depending on the day and the fish are hungry. The river is high and dirty. However, with that said there is about a foot and half of clarity, not to bad for the Grand.
Grand River Smallie
When targeting smallmouth your allies, in these conditions, are going to be lures that create vibration and noise. Success for us has been the 3/8 oz. double bladed willow leaf spinnerbait in both black and white. Use leaders with 15 lb fluorocarbon tied to 30 lbs hi-viz Power Pro braid. In these conditions, the best places to fish are going to be the feeder creeks and right up against the bank. Fortune favors the bold and you’ll need to cast as far up those feed creeks as you can. Don’t be afraid to lose a some hardware along the way.
Pre-Spawn Smallmouth
Grand River Dredging Update:
For those you that don’t know, there is a developer, Dan Hibma, that would like to dredge the Grand River from Fulton Street in Grand Rapids to the Bass River Outlet in Eastmanville. That’s 23 miles. He feels that there are powerboaters that would like to take their boats from Lake Michigan all the way up to Grand Rapids. In addition, he wants to put a marina right by Johnson Park in Grandville. I wonder how they would get to the marina after last years flooding event when the Grand peaked at 42,000 cfs.
In the 12th hour, during the republican lame duck session last year, then Senator Arlen Meekhof slipped into legislation over $3.0 million for dredging. He thought that no-one would see it. There has been no public meetings on it, no citizen involvement and no input. Seems all shady to me. Oh and did I mention that the developer owns 200 acres of land on the Grand River. Oh, he has also offered up his property as a site to put the dredge spoils, so he can develop it.
Thankfully, there is a group called Friends of the Lower Grand River that has organized to stop this. Through their efforts, and the turnout of Ottawa County citizens, it appears that the Ottawa County Commissioner’s will vote to oppose the dredge. In addition, a number of local municipalities have also passed resolutions opposing it. However, like all things that are environmentally destructive, projects like this are like zombies, they never die. The only way this gets stopped is through the legislature. Mr. Meekhof, when he added the appropriation rider did it in a way that if the money is not used in a given year it rolls over into the next and so. Again, shady.
I don’t have to say, if the dredging goes through one of Michigan’s best steelhead runs will be destroyed. If the Grand River is dredged, 50 feet wide by 7 feet deep for 23 miles, all the riffles, runs, holes and pocket water gets ripped out. When you channelize a river it destroys habitat, biodiversity and water quality. If you feel compelled please follow the Friends group on Facebook. There you can get all the latest news and updates on this proposal.
