I upgraded boats in November, so come spring I'm going to hit some bigger water (to me) and I want to chase after smallmouth. Is there a site I can go to that tells you what species are in a particular lake? I'm located in Montcalm County. I know Crystal has them and Lincoln Lake I've been told does. Do any of you know of other lakes in that particular area have the brown bass? Thanks guys!
you might want to try Great Lakes Bass for Michigan fishing reports. Some of the same guys on this site but the more info the better, also try the everything smallmouth group on facebook
Hardy and Croton are not far..
I look at DNR netting surveys...Do a google search for the lake you are questioning and pull up the survey... It will also give you an average size.
Here is a link.. https://www.michigan.gov/documents/d..._363630_7.html
Here is some more good info https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,...198---,00.html
Last edited by brnzbaklvr; 01-03-2019 at 04:49 PM.
"Historically the most terrible things-war, genocide and slavery-have resulted not from disobedience but from obedience"
Zinn
Croton, Hardy, Mecosta, Fremont and anything connected to Lake Michigan, just off the top of my head.
Matt
\'96 202 Champ \"Old Blue\"
Thanks for the responses.
Tippy Dam Pond, Bear Lake and Crystal lake if your looking to drive north. I have cabins in Brethren MI if you need a place to stay, we rent a cabin out in the summer for $50 a night. About 5 minutes from Tippy Dam. Lots of good fishing nearby, not lots of pressure.
Last edited by Horowitz1282; 01-03-2019 at 09:29 PM.
don't waste your time on lincoln or crystal. Fremont, hardy, croton, chippewa or muskegon. Bills lake in newaygo has some also.
Other than that, head north or east.
I haven't heard anything optimistic about Lincoln, but I've read there's a healthy 3-4lb population in Crystal. You haven't had good luck or heard anything good eh?Originally Posted by thedude
Crystal is an awesome lake. Takes well over 20# to win a spring tourney there. Later summer it takes a little more work but they are still there. Rock bass take over the shallows.
Butch Derickson
2011 Z521 w/250 hp SHO
Traverse City, Michigan
Are you thinking of the Crystal lake up by you? I'm referring to the one by me, about 2 plus hours from you.
Yeah the up north Crystal is great. The one by greenville isn't terrible (better than lincoln anyway) but its more of a struggle than most lakes for LM or SM.
Another vote for Croton. It's not nearly as big as Hardy, so if you make it your new home lake, you should be able to figure it pretty well over the course of your first season. I used to fish it a lot targeting pike, but would pick up quality smallmouth doing that and an occasional walleye. I did spend one day specifically targeting smallmouth and did quite well.
But if you really want big numbers of smallmouth in that area, ditch the boat in the summer and wade the rivers, particularly the smaller ones. 100 fish days are quite possible and there's nothing like seeing a 20" smallmouth jump higher than your head, only a couple rod lengths away from you, when wading knee or waste deep.
The Flat river is about 2 miles from me which is the only place I've caught my smallmouth and it's been fun, So I always have that to fall back on.
I think I'm going to have to give Frog in a try this year.
The Flat was my favorite on that side of the state, especially the rocky sections.
actually the grand river around lowell, ada and upstream of 6th street dam is pretty good and not heavily fished. just watch depth and water levels if you're in a bass boat.
The Flat in Lowell doesn’t produce much? I’ve though about the Grand and the Flat it just worries me running a boat up and down them.
Tons of fish in the Flat between the dams near Lowell, but you can’t get a boat up to the good parts unless you time it perfectly after a big rain. I once got my boat to the point where I could see the Flat River Dr bridge, but the big gravel flat was too shallow to go any further, and that’s where it just starts to get good. Wait until it’s hot outside, put on your swim trunks, and do some wet wading.
The flat at one point had more smallmouth per acre than any body of water in Michigan per the dnr. They just dont get very big. You would need to wade/float/kayak most of it. Same for thornapple river.
I’ve caught them up to 21” there. But there are tons of small fish. I would primarily use swimbaits ~4” long and it was hard to hook anything smaller than 10-12”.
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