This is how my practice went on the Grand River...

[bshaner]

What a poop hole.  How can anyone fish this river? 

This pretty much sums up my practice on the good ole Grand River this past weekend.  Will they let me weigh this in at the BFL?

I am not looking forward to Saturday.

B

[Eric]

Try throwing you favorite soft plastics against the bank under the trees behind you and to your left.  As you go farther to your left, when the little bay with the poles ends, try the same, or buzzbaits parallel to the weeds that grow along the bank.

[Genie]

It's only a poop hole when it rains really hard ...

[Revtro]

Man, that is crazy.  Same thing happened to me several years ago.  Big snapper bit my worm and hooked himself.  Time to come back over to St. Clair. 

[SethV]

I will be heading over Wends night to practice Thurs and Friday.  Sounds like it has not changed much since last year!

Where did you put in?  What part of the river did you fish?  1 fish in this one will get you a ton of points and 10 lbs usually gets a check.

Seth

[Cheetam]

If my grandfather was still alive, he'd have taken that snapper home and put him in a big pot and made soup...I haven't seen one that big in a long time.

[Slipkey]

Did you lip him or just boat flip him?   

I'd have probably cut the line, wimp that I am.  I've hated snappers ever since I had one crawl up on my boat on the Mississippi River years ago.  I turned around and there he was on the back deck.   Scared the bejeebers out of me.

[bshaner]

I'm amazed and pleased with the 10 lb seaguar carbon pro and the 7'5" GLoomis tube rod I boat flipped him with.

I saw him and I knew he was going in the boat one way or another.

Eric, that's what I was doing, how do you think I caught him?  He was holding tight to wood.

Seth, I put in at riverside park and just went up river looking for stuff.  I've never been to the Grand before and hope I never have to go back after this tournament.  I'll be practicing wed through friday too.  I have no areas picked out.  I'm just exploring and looking for anything remotely attractive.  I'm making no bets or claims for a limit on this one Seth.  Dont even ask.

Genie, when did it rain?  A week ago?  And it's still muddy?  So it's muddy most of the year then?

Rev, after this weekend I'll be back over there with ya.

Slip,  we cut the line far from his mouth after we took pictures.  The pictures with my bait still in his mouth didnt come out.  Holy cow those things have some power to them and man they got some reach around capabilities!!

B

[Genie]

Whenever there is a lot of rain, teh drains overflow from Grand Rapids and the river gets really "poopy" if you know what I mean.

It is pretty much muddy all year long - or at least dingy.

[Eric]

The river is always dirty.  Spring Lake is always cleaner.  There are alway dock fish in Spring Lake to be caught.  I like dark colored beavers for the shallower ones, and drop shots for the deep ones.  I would spend a considerable amount of my practice time there finding stretches of docks you like.  They are also in SL on breaks and points, too.  It is relatively easy to get a small limit in Spring off the docks and stuff.  You won't win, but you'll be very respectable.

When the river is poopy, I always throw brown zara spooks, sometimes adding little yellow dots helps if they are finicky.

We always have a critter pot in our Tuesday night club.  Our first tournament, a guy weighed a 26 pound snapper he caught on a worm off a seawall.

[bshaner]

Coast Guard festival is this weekend.  Between that and the "bikini" boats and jet ski's I dont know if Spring Lake will be very fun.

Spring Lake was just as muddy last weekend.  I dont know that it will clear up by this week. 

If I had to guess I'd say the winning fish will be in the livewells that make a run up the big lake.  I'm considering it but that is somewhat of a gamble with all the boat traffic and the festival.  You'd have to really come in early to lower the risk.

Something to ponder.

Something else to ponder... why are we launching 12 miles up a no wake river?

B

[Genie]

Quick - put the lid back on the can of "why" before it spreads ....

[Slipkey]

Something else to ponder... why are we launching 12 miles up a no wake river?

**spreading can of why**
My skeg, which found something hard enough to take a nickel sized chunk out of it in Indian Channel is wondering the same thing... 

[Cy]

Keeping in mind it is only Tuesday but the weather man is calling for sun on Saturday.  Make sure you guys bring the heavy braid and 1oz tungsten.  There are always lots of grass mats to fish in the bayous. 

Also keep in the mind all the dry weather has the river a little low.  The average for this time of year should be around 1600 and the river is currently around 1100.  With the falling water the fish may sit in deeper holes and pockets.

Good Luck.

Cy

[motocross269]

"Why" am I fishing this tourney???  Doesn't sound like a good place for Co-Anglers at all.
Hopefully my boater will let me catch a sympathy fish so I can get a few points...I already have a Carolina rig ready to go...

[Slipkey]

Motocross, don't get too discouraged.   The weather's looking like it's shaping up to be a day when those who want to run the big lake to parts north and south can.  Current forcast is light winds from the northeast which is about as perfect as it gets for long runs on the lake.

There's fish to be caught in the Grand and connecting waters as well.   Someone'll be on 'em and hopefully it will be your draw!

[motocross269]

I haven't been on the Grand River in about 15 years...Back in the Redman days it used to be a pretty hot spot for big sacks.  Guys used to actually run from Muskegon lake down to the Grand River and Spring Lake to fish.
What has changed? Maybe the water levels? 

[Genie]

Go to the bayous ... they are more like "lakes" and are a little easier to fish ...

[Cy]

Moto,

I answer your questions as best as I can and keep in mind that this is only one mans opinion.  The Grand is still a good fishery and holds a lot of bass.  IMO it is currently on the rebound from where is was 4 or 5 years ago.  Fishing pressure I think plays a big roll in the tough fishing on The Grand.  The Bayous a fished hard 3 times a week and all weekend long.  The river is ripped up by pleasure boaters and anglers all weekend too.  I have gotten to the point where I find the least fishy looking spot and start fishing it.  The guys that consistently do well out there are covering a ton of water.  I watch Greene jump from spot to spot all day and he always does well.

Cy

[BigSmallie]

I fished the "Grand" 4 or 5 years ago................and swore I would never go back! LOL!

We had to run to White Lake to get our fish.     Spent 2 1/2 days on the Grand and just couldn't get anything going.

My money would be on Muskeegon or White............and if the wind blows..........Spring Lake.

BS