Heading to GTB

[mwagner0071]

We got back last night after a tumultuous few days in Elk Rapids.  We had 3 major storm cells roll through while we were camping/fishing.

Saturday afternoon we fished south of ER, around the Tobeco area.  We managed 15 for a few hours of fishing all under 2.5lbs.  Saw many beds, some active most were empty.  All on tubes.

Sunday AM we hit Mission Point.  No fish, saw a very large fish on a bed that spooked and took off as we drifted over.  My 11 year old somehow managed to hook a goby on a tube, right in the mouth.  We moved across the East bay to fish the ER side (north of ER) and managed 1 3lb'r.  Saw a few beds, just the 1 bedding fish.

Sunday afternoon we went back to the Tobeco area and had the same results with 11 smaller fish.

Monday we let the boys sleep in and headed up to Lake Charlevoix about 10am.  Fished for about 3.5 hours and caught 12 nice fish, biggest about 3.5 lbs.  Headed back to camp early as a storm was headed in and we wanted to be hunkered down in the tent before it came in.

Tuesday we hit Lake Charlevoix again, fished about an hour before another major cell kicked us on the road home.  Managed 1 4lb'r.

[Dan]

Fished East Bay last Thursday. Had a 60 fish day. Got a little report and pictures up on my http://www.teardropbass.com/ blog.

[gotfish]

Well thanks for the report sounds like the main spawn is on the verge of being over but thats not going to keep me off the water. I think we will hit the bay tommorow and see what we can come up with. I will give a report next Monday when we get back. Everyone have a great weekend and good luck on the water.

[Waterfoul]

Really?  I big ole goby bait on a drop shot hanging out in the bed didn't elicit a strike?  Strange in deed.

[bigmojet]

I was gonna fish east bay yesterday but weather forecast of some storms and sttong winds kept my shallow running 18' in the garage.

Hey Dan at teardrop, wish i read your site earlier. Fished Crystal Lake on Saturday and u had a tourney their Sunday. Also this bear lake guy is right behind your manistee guy in the fantasy fishing. I am ranked 2nd and 220 overall. Taking some risky picks this week to try to pass some people.

[6 lb Smallmouth]

Fished the southern flats of West Bay on Tuesday and that was a mistake.  I caught about 6-8 males and the water temp ranged from 51 on the west side to about 55 or so on the east side.  For all the time I spend in the shallows I saw very few fish.

Wednesday called for gusts of 20-25 mi/hr which kept me off the water and at the beach with my wife and daughter.

Thursday, I launched at the thingyula launch and headed south as the Fishin' Pollock suggested.  Overcast skies and light west winds made fishing very comfortable.  Started the day catching an 11.5 lb lake trout and I caught and hooked into several others of those throughout the day.  Caught a few smallies in the 16"-17" range in 4-5' of water before I put a 5.2 lb fish in the boat.  Later, I put a 5.11 lb fish in the boat as well.  Caught more 15"-17" throughout the day.  The 5.2 and 5.11 puts to shame those stream smallies I catch back in Illinois and both were my PBs.  Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the day.  Everything I caught was on tubes.     Gonna put in another full day on Friday.

[Firefighter Jeff]

My best advice . Fish south outa the center road launchon the pennisula. Wayyyyyyy shallow.  We found fish on some very fresh active beds for there south.  And skip the plastics. For some reason they are really agressive. Big femals too. I boated a 4.7 that had just spawned. Fins were still fresh bloodied. They just were not hitting  hard I guess would be the word. Spinnerbaits stopped completely , but they spit it back out as fast as they sucked it in, No time to even set the hook.  They just looked at soft plastics and  left um alone.  Like I said  strange, bedfishing with big flashy 'special color" spinnerbaits. Our group had its deal today out there. 19 LBS won it.  Of course I  lost big fish to a 5.9 pounder.

  Hmmmmmmm special color   That the one you showed me at the Fall DK open  ? 

[TheFishinPollock]

yep that prettyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy one. LOL

[bigmojet]

Jerkbait, after reading below posts it says you would be fishing alone in a white zLowe. I think i ran into you on east bay Friday morning. We passed each other shallow on the west side. I was fishing with a buddy in a 18 camo aluminum war eagle boat. We both said hello as we passed.

I fished from 7:30 till 1:30pm. Only got 12 with half coming from yuba area and other half on the southern west shore and all coming on a shallow squarebill craw reddish brown in 3-5 feet of water.

Best 5 only went about 10#. Saw a bunch of fish wandering and very skittish on south end where water was only 58. Yuba area water was 62.

[6 lb Smallmouth]

Yeah that was me bigmojet.  I did very well early in the morning in the first hour of daylight.  When you saw me things had already slowed down.  I got to get back up there this summer! 

[bigmojet]

I was trying to get out there by sunrise but didnt happen. Most of my fish came early too.

[gotfish]

Well we made it there and back and all in all it was a good time the fishing was ok not the greatest we mainly fished the East bay and saw a ton of fish even some big girls on the beds in a few spots but the bite was not on for us anyway the ones we did catch were in the 2 - 3 pound range with 1 at 4.5lbs mostly on tubes and crankbaits. Thanks to all for the info and I cant wait to go back next year maybe a week or two earlyier.

[bigmojet]

We had an early warm spring which i think made for an earlier better bite. Last year i went out on east bay 4th week of June and water temps were still in the low 50's.

Every year i dial it in a little better.