Things Are Getting Better….

After a slow start to the spring smallmouth and pike season, fishing is improving on the Grand River and its tributaries.    

Water temps are now consistently in the low to mid-sixties and should only get warmer with the near term forecast.  The Grand is currently at it’s mid-summer level and is slightly stained.  This can provide for some excellent fishing opportunities as the spawn winds down and the fish start to move into the deeper holes and stretches.  

In order to get fish to net, we’ve been having to mix things up on a daily basis.  It seems one day they want bait, while next day they want an in-line spinner and we are definitely maximizing the bite windows.

For those of you that follow our adventures, “The Old Man” dropped “The Kid” off at the airport last week for his annual pilgrimage to Alaska.  Each year he guides on the Naknek River for Naknek River Camp and Katmai Trophy Lodge.  Max will back November 1, just in time for the start of the fall steelhead season.   If steelhead is your game, book early as we tend to fill up fast.

Hey, summer is a great time to get on all the smallie and northern pike action.  Warm weather, no crowds and we have the river pretty much to ourselves.  Give us a call, book a trip and get on our calendar.  Come and enjoy all that a Michigan summer has to offer.

- Tom "The Old Man" Werkman

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Grand River Fishing Report

Grand River northern pike

Spring has definitely arrived in West Michigan and it almost feels like summer.  With said, the steelhead fishing is quickly subsiding on the Grand and the other rivers we fish. 

We find ourselves quickly transitioning to smallmouth and northern pike.  For me, this is the best time of year to fish, no crowds, warmer temps and a lot of actively feeding fish.  

Water temps are in the upper 50’s to low 60’s on the Grand.  This means that whatever steelhead are left the system, they’ll quickly spawn and beeline it back out to Lake Michigan. Both Max and I would like to thank all those that booked with us for the spring run.  Here are just a few highlights.

With the current water temps, we are starting the see both the smallmouth and pike activity picking up.  Many of the fish we have brought to net have been found on the shallower flats, where they are actively feeding.  Try using inline spinners in #4 and #5 blades in the colors of resident baitfish.  It’s a little too early for creature baits, although you can’t rule out a bite or two.  

From here on out, the warm water bite will only continue to get better.  The pre-spawn smallmouth bite will soon be in full force so give us a call to get on our spring, summer and early fall calendar.  

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Captain Tom Werkman