HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

[TerryMSU]

Hello:

A few years ago, I got hooked on smallmouth bass fishing in the Grand River, just upstream of Grand Rapids. That summer the river ran quite clear and I hammered the smallmouths. The last two years the river has been quite turbid (muddy) and I cannot find the smallmouths. Does anyone have any advice on what to try? Does anyone have any advice as to where else in the area to try? Currently, I have tried spinner baits, bleeding tube jigs, and crawler harnesses with artificial crawlers. I have fished between the Veterans Home launch and the Rouge River launch with no success.

Thanks,
TerryMSU

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

I've noticed that the Grand near Lansing is extremely muddy/silty and visibility is pretty low.

Last year when Lansing had some flooding the river took on a bunch of sewer overflow and that certainly does not help the fishing one bit.

I've been eyeballing some stretches of the Grand between Grand Ledge and Portland but haven't been out on the boat there yet.

I've been looking for a good spot to launch if you know of any. The launch in Grand Ledge is east of the dam so I'm looking west of there.

I have heard that the Grand is great for smallies out that way, I hope things pick up for you.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

FWIW, I've never fished the Grand before...but when faced with murky,heavy stained, muddy conditions I like throwing rattle traps, crank-baits with rattles, buzz baits etc etc ....anything that makes noise, luv the fact that you can also cover a lot of ground using these types of lures.

 

[Al-53]

Re: HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

Try a Tube with a rattle head...and use a little mega strike in the tube..to leave a scent for curiosity...

I have used this cobo in coffee colored waters and get the hits ....SM are a very curious fish...

Al

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

HopeSheFloats took the words right out of my mouth. Rattle traps, cranks, noisy topwaters would be a great way to go!

Try a "yo-yo" retrieve with a rattle trap if the fishing is slow. It often induces reaction strikes.

Also, it could be as simple as a change in color with what you're already using. I don't fish the same colors in clear water as I do muddy. Rule of Thumb: dark water, dark color and vice-versa. Try junebug colored tubes and finesse tubes in that muddy water. I think firetiger is always productive though.

Just two weekends ago I was fishing the Mississippi in NE Iowa in very muddy water. I landed this Smallie on a firetiger crank with a crawdad pattern with kind of a modified "yo-yo" retrieve. It was definately a reaction strike! 4lbs. 8oz.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: HELP! Grand River, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Small Mouth

Wow! Thanks guys. I will definitely try some of those ideas. I know they are there, and I will let you know what I find.

TerryMSU