T he temperatures are starting to rise and unlike last year there’s open water here in Grand Haven as I’m writing this report. Today I spent two hours on the lake in my kayak and was rewarded with two nice steelhead. This spring has a “normal” look to it so far so hopefully my advice will help you out as you start your season. Look for cohos, browns, steelhead and the occasional lake trout to make up most of your catch should you head out prior to Mothers Day here in Grand Haven. You’ll find these fish typically inside of 40’ of water this time of year, and they’ll follow the warmest, clean water they can find. Slightly stained lake water is usually the key as spring rains will put more silt in the darker river water than most fish like. Spread your gear from top to bottom and go with bright-colored baits. Small to medium sized spoons in orange and gold, Jawbreaker, Smashmouth, Magic Man, Mac and Cheese, RiverSide, and other bright combinations should tempt the fish and net you a nice meal of spring fish.
Look for 4-year-old kings to show up in good numbers after Mothers Day and when they start to show up don’t hesitate to use some magnum spoons, as they’ll be chasing spawning-sized alewives. These kings will be deeper so add some patterns like the Hello Darlin, Blue Dolphin, and the occasional glow spoon.
Later in May as water temperatures continue to rise, and the steelhead show up, make sure to look for slicks to form on nicer days and keep those bright- colored baits near the surface. 30’ copper lines, one color lead cores and flat lines fished with 1/4 to 1/2 oz of lead should do the trick. Keep in mind too that fish in very cold water normally prefer a slower offering. Zig zag patterns over slicks and occasionally taking your engine out of gear will help you determine what they want on any given day. As the sun goes up during your trip your speed should too.
This winter there has been a number of meetings with the health of the king fishery taking center stage. Throwing in the towel and watching the king fishery die here like it did in Huron is not the option that’s being pursued but there is certainly plenty of reason for concern. While I don’t want to push doom and gloom, hedge your bets. If you love tangling with these amazing fish, or are planning on introducing a youngster to the thrill, don’t put off your next fishing trip. The good news is that there will be a fishery, but the big question is what part of that fishery will the kings make up. As an optimist, I like the odds as there are some very motivated and brilliant people working on our side but Mother Nature still holds most of the cards. See you on the water.