Help on Elk and Torch

[spinninbug]

Ok guys we are fishing elk and torch on July 9th.  We have never been on the water befor.  Anyone that has fished these lakes this time of year any help would be greatly appreciated,  if you could pm me with any info please.  We are going to go pre fish this weekend and check it out but we don't have a clue as to where to go.  Thanks.

[Dan]

Hey Wendy,
Just have them put the reports on the board here. I won't read them .  I have only fished Torch one day of a Federation tournament in early June. It was a spawn bite, and I fished with Fowler and he prefished and had largemouth in the Clam River. I think that's the name of it off of Torch. It had some largemouth, but nothing that helped us in the tournament. From what I hear, and it hasn 't been much, Elk and Skegmog are the two lakes to focus on. We need to try and gang up on the Traverse City guys. They will be hard to beat there. I would bet Herdon and MacDonell will be the guys to beat. Maybe we all can follow them .  Ron and I are going to try and go up and camp for a few days there and check it out.  Good luck.

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[djmaclf]

If the bass are up shallow, the wood at the end of torch river going into Skegmog may be the ticket.

[Savage]

Tough time of year to hit those lakes, but they should be solid into the summer pattern by then.  My advice is this:  If you have freedom to roam, go to the lake with the conditions you are most used to fishing.  Torch is lots of steep drops with a few boulder fields, Elk is more of the same but with some shallow areas and lots of wood in places.  Skeg is really weedy, but not lots of dock opportunities, and Clam is weedy with docks.  Your launch site really plays into your options, as the river is about a 45 minute trip.

The smallies are hard to see on bottom, so search baits are a good choice until you locaate them.  Any cover along the breaks seems to hold a fish or two.  If you get a fly hatch, try something small like a grub swimming just under the surface when you see a fish boiling.

I think there is another string about Elk & Torch floating around on this board somewhere else too. . . . .   an old one.

[spinninbug]

Ganging up on the TC boys sounds good to me and I agree I think they are going to be the ones to beat too.

I'm a little nervous about these lakes,  we have never been up there but have heard great things about them. 

Thanks for everyones help here oh and Dan your such a funny guy . Following them sounds like a good idea. I have been so busy at work 0% for 72 mos just hit and I haven't even had time to check here even on my lunch this was the first chance I've had and I still am getting interupted but that is a good thing,  making money so I can keep fishing!!! A little plug for work in there can I do that? I was told I have to say we sell profession grade GMC  trucks only!  Orders from the boss. 

Anyway everyones help has been very apprieciated!  Thanks again.

[djkimmel]

I'd be happy to sell your boss some advertising!!!

If time was limited, I'd stay in Skeg - still some big fish if you can find them. The back end reed beds and wood (east end) early in the day. The Torch River mouth is a well known winning spot at times (bass move through there). The sand drops along the south shore west of the boat ramp might produce keepers later in the day too, but the cabbage east of the Torch River might be better if you can get on them.

Another move-through spot is the narrows into Elk. Many believe that bass from Torch and Elk come into Skeg to spawn, and then move back into those lakes when done. We had a state championship in mid-July years ago and a few of us got some nice bass along the edge just into Elk Lake from Skeg.

It might be slow fishing after the morning bite, but there are a lot of bass.

Clam would be a fall-back if you want to limit your fishing area, but Clam is real streaky. I have caught some big catches just fun-fishing on the docks in Clam on heavy boat traffic weekends, but I don't know if I want to share that with everyone???

[spinninbug]

Ok you don't have to share with everyone just me!