If the start of this season is any indication of what’s to come, you should be ready to grab a rod and reel and have a little fun! July is a fun month but can prove to be challenging for bass anglers in this region. The inland lakes and Grand Traverse Bay will be in full summertime-pattern fishing by July.
On the inland lakes, the bass are off the beds and are moving into their summer haunts. One of my favorite ways to catch summertime bass is topwater fishing. Both largemouth and smallmouth will hit topwater all summer long. Poppers, walking baits, and prop baits are a sure bet for some exciting action. Early morning or late evening is the best time to fish topwater. Largemouth will be in the grass and weeds looking to ambush bait as it swims by. As the sun gets high, try senko’s and flipping the grass in 4’- 12’ of water. This combination will be the best bet for success. Smallmouth will be moving out onto deeper flats adjacent to deep water or weed cover. Drop shoting and cranking 8’-20’ of water will be a good bet to find Mr. Bronzeback.
Anglers can find smallmouth in many locations of Grand Traverse Bay from shallow to deep in July. Rock piles and the deeper drops will be a good place to start looking for the post spawn smallies. Secondary flats near spawning areas will also hold fish. The smallmouth will start chasing schools of baitfish. This will make them extremely hard to pinpoint. Stay on the move looking for the bait and the smallmouth will not be far away. Dropshotting and tubes are your best bet for catching Mr. Bronzeback. I use several different dropshot baits, but a few of my favorites are the Strike King Dream Shot,
Case Plastics Salty Shad, Zipper Lil Thumper Worm, and the Poor Boys Goby. Strike King Coffee Tubes seem to be the most productive. Before you head out on the lake, make sure you have all of your safety equipment up to date and in working order. Be sure to check with your local bait shop for the most current and up to date report. For the Traverse City report contact MC Sports or Gander Mountain. As always stay safe and good luck out there!