November is steelhead time on the Grand River. If I had one month of the year to fish it would be November. Fall steelhead are some of the most aggressive and hard-fighting fish around. Steelhead can be found in the Grand anywhere from Lansing down to the piers in Grand Haven this time of year. Lake run brown trout, lake trout, and the occasional late running coho or king salmon will be around as well in the Grand River. We have had a good amount of rain this year, so we had a lot of fish already shoot up past Grand Rapids, look for fish to be spread out in the tributaries as well as the upstream reaches of the Grand River this fall. November steelhead can be caught using just about whatever method you prefer to use.
Float fishing with eggs, beads, and jigs is a method used by a good amount of anglers and it works well. Plugs can be cast, trolled, or back trolled to aggressive fall steelhead; this is a fun way to fish and the fish usually hammer the plugs this time of year. Spinners or spoons can be quartered downstream, just try to tick bottom now and then to know that you are down in the strike zone. Fly fishing with egg patterns or streamers will get you tied into a chromer if you want to catch one on the bug rod. Bottom bouncing bait, egg patterns, or wobble glos is another good way to catch fish, and the hit is always a fun part of bottom bouncing. If you are looking for some shore access on the Grand, you can check out one of the Dam areas, the pier in Grand Haven, or one of the tributaries.
By: Greg Knapp
Getting Bit Guide Service
616-570-2946
www.gettingbitguideservice.com