Grand Traverse Bay Fishing Report for 6.9.20

June 9, 2020/in Fly Fishing, River Reports, Traverse City /by Chuck Hawkins

Grand Traverse Bay Fishing Report

June 9, 2020

After a slow and cold start to the spring many fishing opportunities on Grand Traverse Bay are starting to materialize. The water is beginning to warm and Lake Trout and Cisco have moved into many of the rocky shallow shorelines of the bay. These fish are congregated in 10-20 feet of water and offer the a great fishing opportunity to either the fly or conventional angler. Both species are ferocious feeders and when found, can be caught regularly. Flies or lures in tan, gold, and silver imitating small baitfish and crayfish are the ticket at this point. We are using 7-8 weight fly rods and 250-300 grain 25′ sink tips to get down to these fish.

Surface temps in much of the bay are climbing into the upper 50’s. We are on the very front edge of Smallmouth Bass and Carp fishing. As the water continues to warm we are out every day looking for bass and carp to slide up into the shallow flats where they can be targeted with a fly.

I fished yesterday with a father and son from Grand Rapids. We started the morning fishing for Cisco and Lake Trout. We had great action throughout the morning, landing several nice fish of each species. As the day progressed we turned our efforts to Smallmouth Bass. Grand Traverse Bay is well known as a world class smallmouth fishery, specifically for very large bass. Bass in the 5-6 pound range are not uncommon. The fishing was tough as the water is still a little cold. However, we did manage to land a very nice Northern Pike on the fly.

Check back for regular fishing reports on the bay. As the water warms we are looking forward to fantastic Smallmouth Bass and Carp opportunities in the coming weeks.

We are the only northern Michigan Fly Fishing outfitter to have custom boats dedicated to fishing waters of the Great Lakes. We are running a custom 24 foot and a 20 foot Young Boats. Grand Traverse Bay is big water, having boats of this caliber allows us the speed, comfort, and safety to be able to offer fishing opportunities others can not. Our boats are DNR inspected, USCG licensed and fully insured to operate on the waters of the Great Lakes. Captain David holds a U.S.C.G. 25 ton Master Captains license is very experienced running boats on the big water. Chuck Hawkins is also a Coast Guard Captain and is a very experienced fly angler that lives overlooking the bay. Either of these Captains can put you in position to enjoy the world class misery of Grand Traverse Bay.

Give Cherie a call at 231-228-7135 to check availability!

Dave Tropf

Fly Fishing in Grand Traverse Bay

June 21, 2018/in Fly Fishing, Traverse City /by Chuck Hawkins

Fly Fishing in Grand Traverse Bay

Fly Fishing in Grand Traverse Bay for Smallmouth Bass

Just recently myself and two of my new guides, Steve Pels and Tim Gibs all had the same day off from the dry fly hunt. We decided to take a break from drift and river boats and go Fly Fishing in Grand Traverse Bay. We were on the hunt for smallmouth bass and carp!

Equipment for Grand Traverse Bay

First I checked the status with a friend that lives at the base of East Grand Traverse Bay. Tom said “no carp yet but smallies in five feet of water and getting close to hitting the beds”. Second get the proper equipment, a 7wt rod loaded with a 250 grain sink tip. I like the Scientific Angler Cold 250 grain. Also, an 8 wt. loaded with a floating line with or without a clear tip. Third a box full of Carp Crayfish Flies, Clousers and buggers in different colors and maybe a Lapdancer or two. Finally, we are ready to go.

Where and When

Mid-June to early July is the easiest and best time to fly fish Grand Traverse Bay. The smallmouth and carp move into the shallows to spawn. They are in skinny enough water that we can get a fly in front of their noses. All up down both side of East and West Grand Traverse Bay and at the tip of the peninsula you can drive or walk looking for both species. Preferred places are parks or turnouts where you can park your car and get out and look.

How to Catch Smallmouth and Carp in Grand Traverse Bay

These fish can be pursued both wading or from a boat. Both have their advantages. Wading you can get closer and the fish will be less spooky. In boat, you can cover more ground to locate fish.

Smallmouth are aggressive eaters and usually take a fly very well. Fish to any structure you see and also hit the spawning beds. The males protecting them will smash your fly.

Carp can be moodier. They don’t have great eye sight so the fly needs to be close, think a paper plate from their nose. Laid up fish need the fly placed in the paper plate and moving fish need to be led enough that the fly will be on the bottom as the fish goes by. Either way when the carp get close enough to see it give the fly a little strip and then let it sit. If the fish looks at it give another strip. Watch the fishes body, they suck the fly in so they will react to it. When something looks different, set!

Fly fishing Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City Michigan is great fun and a good, inexpensive way to experience what flats fishing is all about.

Hawkins Outfitters has a few openings in the next few weeks if you’d like to try the Bay! Contact us via the web or give Cherie a call 231-228-7135.

Tight lines,

Captain Chuck Hawkins

Summer Fly Fishing in Northern Michigan

August 10, 2017/in Fly Fishing, Michigan Trout, Traverse City /by Chuck Hawkins

Summer Fly Fishing in Northern Michigan

In Northern Michigan, the larger mayfly hatches are done around July fourth. That begins one of our favorite pastimes, summer fly fishing in Northern Michigan. Many anglers put away their rods when the Hex hatch is over thinking that the best fly fishing of the year is behind us. Nothing could be further from the truth. Summer fly fishing in Northern Michigan can produce many surprises!

Summer fly fishing in Michigan can be broken down into three categories, terrestrials, mousing, and warm water species. These three pursuits are all very different, consequently they attract anglers with different desires and skill levels.

Terrestrials

First of all, let’s talk terrestrial fishing, hoppers, beetles and ants! Because we fish primarily foam imitations of these insects it is some of the most aggressive dry fly fishing we do. Forget the classic dead drift! We animate these flies, make them move. We twitch, bump, pop and strip these critters to attract attention to their presence. Due to the proximity to Traverse City we fish the Upper Manistee River mostly in and around the flies only water. In addition, we will fish the Pine River, the Lower Manistee and the Boardman Rivers with terrestrials also.