GRAND RIVER
After record floods this spring, the Grand River is trying to rebound, but from what I’ve seen during my time on that river, it’s going to take time. Typically the species for summer anglers are bass, walleye, and northern pike, but fish counts on all of these species is down. Having cast streamers and top water flies, as well as soft plastics, body baits, buzz baits and live bait, I can’t say that any one has produced with regularity. My thoughts on the Grand are that it simply got an exceptionally strong scouring of the river bottom and related structure, and a lot of the aquatic base got washed down stream. Mother Nature “finds a way” though, so I anticipate the Grand will come back into shape in the seasons ahead.
September will find the Grand River getting runs of migratory Chinook and Coho salmon, followed by steelhead and lake trout later in the fall. Fishing access points for wade fishing or fishing from shore include the 6th street fish ladder area in downtown Grand Rapids, below the many “coffer dams” that run downstream from 6th street itself, as well as where the Flat river joins the Grand just south of Lowell and the Prairie Creek tributary in the Ionia area. Many anglers also fish from both north and south piers in Grand Haven, where the salmon enter the river system.
River fishing setups include 8-10’ med/heavy action spin rods, with 12-15 pound mono spooled on open face spinning reels, as well as 8-10 weight fly rods and reels spooled with “running”, floating and sinking/sink tip lines, depending on how you’re going to fish. Fly gear techniques include bottom bouncing (a.k.a. chuck-n-duck), floating line and indicator, as well as sinking/sink tip lines for streamers. Flies to have on hand would be large, darker nymphs, as well as orange, red, peach, chartreuse and clown egg patterns. Spin gear techniques include bottom bouncing the same fly patterns or rolling spawn bags along the bottom. Float fishing is a good choice as well, fishing spawn bags or chunk skein under a bobber and casting-retrieving plugs and spinners is always an option.
MUSKEGON RIVER
Trout fishing becomes an option once again for the end of summer, as water temps cool down and the green Caddis hatches pick up. The best bet for some dry fly fishing will be in the evenings, from late afternoon to dusk. Standard “trout rods” in 4-6 weights, with weight forward floating line and 9’, 5 or 6x leaders, will get the job done. Size #16 Emerging caddis, #18 tape wing caddis and elk hair caddis are flies to have on hand for caddis dry fly fishing. Boat launch sites at Croton dam, Pine Street and Thornapple road, as well as park and walk in areas off of 72nd street are good options for fishing the upper river system that holds more trout and better hatch activity in late summer.
Smallmouth bass fishing continues to provide some of the best action for fishing the Muskegon River into fall, as fish strap on the feedbags in preparation for the cooler months ahead. Some of the most explosive top water action can be had at this time of summer for smallies and we pursue them with both fly gear and light spin tackle. Fly gear options include 6 or 7 weight rod, with bass taper fly lines for turning over larger popper patterns, or matched up with a 10’ sink tip to cast streamers with. Light spin gear setups would be a 6-7’ medium action rod, with 15-20 pound braided line (Power Pro or Kanzen by Seaguar), tipped with 5-10’ of 10-12 pound fluorocarbon. Casting poppers with this setup works great, as well as casting and retrieving body baits, spinners and crayfish lures. Smallmouth are throughout most of the river system below Croton dam in late summer and can be fished from Croton dam, Pine street, Thornapple road, 72nd street walk in area, Henning County Park, Newbridge, Anderson Flats and Bridgeton launch sites.
Angling options for salmon and steelhead include fly fishing and bait and tackle on spin gear. Casting large, attractive streamers with 9-11 weight fly rods and sinking or sink tip lines with at least 20# tippet, can get some looks, as well as bright and flashy nymphs once fish are closer to spawning grounds. Spin gear setups include 7-9’, med-heavy action rods, 40 pound braided line (Power Pro or Kanzen from Seaguar) for casting Thunderstick and Rapala type lures, same 7-9’ rods with 18-20+ pound mono for casting spinners and 8-9’ med-heavy action rods with 40 pound braid, tipped with 18-20# mono, siwash hook and slip bobber setup for running cured, chunk skein. Early run salmon can provide some of the most explosive battles you can find anywhere in fresh water, one must take the “fight to the fish”, not vice versa!
Jeff Bacon
Michigan Fly Fishing Ventures
www.westmichiganflyfishing.com
(616) 560-3195
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