Grand Traverse Bay

[TOADS-R-US]

Hello everyone!!

Let me take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Brad Wrubel and I live in Arizona. I used to live in Michigan and fished St. Clair very regularly. I continue to fish as much as possible in Arizona but unfortunately there are very few smallmouth

I will be coming into town to take my Father and 13 year old Nephew fishing. I would like to get the two of them on Traverse but I have absolutely no idea if the beginning of June is too early to get into larger smallmouth or a good amount of 3-5lbers? Also, I was told to head towards Elk Ridge I believe, do you agree?

All of your help is greatly appreciated and I look forward to learning as mush as possible!!!!

TIGHT LINES!!!!!

[motocross269]

I can't tell you a whole lot about the fishing on GTB in June..I fished up there in July last year and struggled....I know there are some big ones in there, I just couldn't get it done...

Elk Rapids is an Awesome place to launch and you can slip back in there at noon or whatever and walk into town and get lunch...The water at GTB is like fishing in the Ocean, it is super clear and blue..It can get rough with a North or South wind, but that isn't a problem just hit one of the great inland lakes a short distance away..
I am going back up there the last weekend of June..There is a ton to do in the area..Boyne Mtn has a great waterpark that your son would love if you have the time...

GTB is definetly one of my favorite places to be, I just have to do a better job of figuring out the fish...

[TOADS-R-US]

I can't tell you a whole lot about the fishing on GTB in June..I fished up there in July last year and struggled....I know there are some big ones in there, I just couldn't get it done...

Elk Rapids is an Awesome place to launch and you can slip back in there at noon or whatever and walk into town and get lunch...The water at GTB is like fishing in the Ocean, it is super clear and blue..It can get rough with a North or South wind, but that isn't a problem just hit one of the great inland lakes a short distance away..
I am going back up there the last weekend of June..There is a ton to do in the area..Boyne Mtn has a great waterpark that your son would love if you have the time...

GTB is definetly one of my favorite places to be, I just have to do a better job of figuring out the fish...

Thank you very much for your help!

[Firefighter Jeff]

I have fished east grand traverse bay in the fall but not the spring.  There are a bunch of rocky areas from Elk Rapids and north.  I talked to a guy that site fishes a few miles north of Elk Rapids on the East shoreline. 
I have also heard that the spawn will start in the very south end of the bays and actually works it's way up as the water warms.  So I'm guessing the south ends might be the best.  Especially with the long winter.  For a local report, I believe the sporting goods store up there is Gander Mountain.  Guess there is a guide that works there that will give out up to date info.  I'd give them a call.

[Cheetam]

The earliest I have fished it is early July.  I fished the East Bay and ran south to the shallow flats around the downtown TC area.  We caught a bunch of fish in 3-5 foot of water throwing tubes into the dark spots.  Most were only 2 and 3 pounds, but it was fun nonetheless....

[thedude]

a good friend who used to fish the GTB regularly each spring for many years told me early june was the time to be there. He had a handful of  photos of 7lber's to prove it. I think you're timing will be OK. I have a friend in traverse city who is catching bedding fish already in some of the smaller lakes in the area, sounds like an early spring.