Heading to GTB

[gotfish]

Hey guys just joined the forum absolutely love it I look at it about everyday. I am heading to the Traverse area next week to try my luck on some smallies just wondering what the temps on the bay is and if they are on beds? Also may try the surrounding lakes Elk, Skeg, Torch etc. If anyones has some pointers on the productive lakes that would be great. Thanks

[motocross269]

Welcome to the Forum.....I wish I was headed up to GTB in the near future...Love it up there....

I don't have any current information up there but any of the lakes that you mentioned should be good, I would add Charlevoix and Walloon to the list...If it is windy head down to Green, Duck or Long south of Traverse city..They are smaller lakes but have decent fishing. 

Pay close attention to the weather if you are headed out to the Bay...It gets rough out there pretty quickly.  I am sure they are still on beds on GTB, it may be in 30 FOW but the fish bed up there late into the summer..

[mwagner0071]

We were up on GTB - East end of last week.  Water temps varied from 55 (north) to 66 at the south end.  Fish were on beds on the south end, with no beds spotted on the north end. Did not see many beds on the south end however.  It was a tough fish for us with crystal clear water and no wind.  We managed 6 decent size smallies on the south end.

We also fished Lake Charlevoix and had a blast.  Fish were aggresive, far more aggresive than GTB.  Ended up with 30 smallies, 2 over 5, the rest were really nice fish between 2 - 4.5 lbs.

We are headed up again this Saturday to give it another shot for a few days.

[TheFishinPollock]

the Bay should still be good. Alota lakes are reaching post spawn/tight lipped in Antrim county.

[fiker]

Dog gone it.  Another year I've missed it. 

[Waterfoul]

Was on East Bay Sunday.  Lots of beds on the south end, anywhere from 4' of water to 10'.  Deeper than that was impossible to fish because of the wind but I'm sure they are there too.  Caught about 30 fish in a couple hours. 

[mwagner0071]

How is the Mission Point area to fish this time of year?

[motocross269]

I have fished Mission Point a few times in the Summer and have never done well there...It sure looks good though...

[djkimmel]

I fished Mission Point once. It was calm. I could see bottom in ~35 foot. I think I saw 1 bass but that is the Bay for you. Tons of great looking water. There are plenty of nice bass but you have to hunt for them some days. Last year they were moving up and down in the water column real fast and often. Not sure yet about this year.

[gotfish]

Thanks for the info, I hope the wind cooperates I'd like to fish the bay. We're is the best place to put in by Elk Rapids, or on the peninsula? Mwagoner0071 make sure you give me a report after you fish this weekend.

[djkimmel]

I've only put in at the Elk Rapids Harbor ramp. Nice ramp. Lots of parking. You can go North. You can go South. I catch more bass more often South. I have run down from Lake Charlevoix a couple times. Nice run when it's calm. Only been out there 5 or 6 times. Too much good-looking water so if you don't see or catch bass just keep moving.

[TheFishinPollock]

Depending on what side of TC your comming from will help with launches.   ER if your east side  Center road launch on the penn. would be better if you are west of TC .    There is a small concrete ramp in YUBA halfway up 31 outa TC . Its at Sawyer? park .  No dock and you might have to wade a little to your knees , but it is usually empty cept for a few of us " locals"  There is parking  for a good number of boats cause the road is really wide and has broad shoulders.

[gotfish]

We are staying in Elk Rapids so depending on the wind and waves I don't mind trailering a little bit to a launch closer to where were going to fish (I get better mpg with my truck than with my boat  ) just in-case the wind picks up. We will have to play it ear and check the winds for that day. Tubes seem to be the #1 choice on the bay?

[mwagner0071]

We plan on fishing GTB Sat & Sun (launching out of Elk Rapids), heading up to Lake Charlevoix on Monday.  Won't be back online until Tuesday evening, will post a report then.

[gotfish]

Perfect, we are heading up on Thursday and staying through Sunday so I will be intrested in what you come up with. Good luck!

[6 lb Smallmouth]

gotfish, mwagner,

I am staying in ER for the week.  Gonna fish the south end of the bay Sunday but the forecast is calling for 20+ winds on Monday so I'm not sure about that.  Let me know how you guys do.  This is my first time here so I'm just hoping to get lucky! 

[TheFishinPollock]

Well today was not stellar for us.   Met a guy on here, prolly saw a bunch of ya at the bottom of EB or around Yuba.    Just 1 good fish and 2 dinks.   Heard mission point was even worse.  Giving it a shot tomorrow morning. Wind got a tad brutal around 2 ish.   Lota empty beds . found some stacked up off a drop , but I'm pretty sure they were lakers .   Did see a few big browns way up shallow.   

[6 lb Smallmouth]

Fishin' Pollock
I'll be solo in a white, 17' Lowe.  Stop by if you see me.   

[gotfish]

One more day of work the I can go fishing. It's been windy the past few days, looks like its going to lay down and hopefully turn the fish on. A bad day of fishing still beats a good day of working. I have a blue and silver Nitro maybe we see you out there.

[TheFishinPollock]

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.