Fishing Michigan

That time again, where the FLW Bass tour comes to town with the Chevy Open.

Wednesday, July 9th:

6 to 8 pm is Chevy Pro Night @ Jefferson Chevrolet (2130 East Jefferson, Detroit)

Thursday, July 10th:

6:30 am start from Elizabeth Park Marina with a weigh-in at 3 pm at the Marina.

Friday, July 11th:

Same times as Thursday, no new scheduled events.

Saturday, July 12th:

6:30 start at the marina at Elizabeth Park

Noon, Family fun zone opens at the Macomb Hall at Cobo

4 pm weigh-in at Cobo

Sunday, July 13th:

6:30 start at EP Marina

Noon, fun zone at Cobo

2 pm Youth Fishing Clinic, FLW Main Stage at Cobo

4 pm Final Weigh-in and Ranger Boat give-a-way @ Cobo.

Its always fun to come down to these pro events for the amateur anglers and their families.  The activities and the chance to question the pro’s about techniques and styles, not to mention the goodies that are given away.

…..well caffeine really. 

I am really swamped this week, so this is my first chance at getting online and taking a look at the blog site.

If you are drifting for eyes or any type of fish that will inhale a crawler or even panfish worm, there is one way to entice a quick strike.  This method is good for fishing from the bank, or from a boat.  Here’s what  you do…….

Buy your bait the day before you go fishing, and bring it back home with you.  Once there, throw some coffee grounds into the worm bedding.  The bait will absorb the caffeine from the coffee grounds and really come alive.  So much so, that at times it can be hard to get a hook into the lil’ buggers.

Give it a try, it works!!!

We on the on this side of the state think of salmon when we look to the west and think of Lake Michigan.  That’s fair, those in the west think of walleye when they reference Lake Erie.  Both lakes have had a growing smallmouth population in the last decade,  Erie’s has developed to the point where big tournament series come to fish its waters.  Years before they were predominantly held on Lake St. Clair.

Take a look outside of Michigan’s boundaries on its’ great western lake and you will find anglers targeting perch, walleye and smallies along the Illinois line.  This piece was actually sent to me, and was to good not to pass along.  Ken Darga sent me the link, and I have known Ken for several years now dating back to some old discussions on the now defunct Ice Team website.  Ken is an avid angler from Illinois, so when he passes something along its usually pretty good.

This young man, Dennis Price III is a 28 yr old carpenter, who went fishing with is brother after work one day this week.  It was his first trip targeting smallies on Lake Michigan, and it turned out pretty well for him.  Using a pumpkin colored plastic goby, he worked it along the rocks on the lake bottom. Once he dragged it over a large rock, the smallie hit. It measured 20 inches and weighed in at 6.2 lbs.  A very nice fish indeed.  This information was taken from the blogs section of the Sun Times.

Seriously, is there one sport that advertises as poorly as fishing?  I mean it, any type of fishing at all?  One of the biggest bass tournaments of the year is going on in South Carolina, and I found out while flipping channels after the dinner last night.

I am sure the guys who follow this on a regular basis probably had more than an inkling of what was taken place, its probably plastered all over their B.A.S.S. magazines well in advance.  For the average joe who just wants to kick back after tending the beagles (me for example), and watch a little TV after filling up on buffalo, elk and venison, it came as a surprise the tourney was being held, much less televised so late last night.

So if you missed the action on days one and two, the final day will be on the tube tonight on ESPN2, starting at 10pm and running till midnight.

When is a good time to use crankbaits for bass?  Fall is a classic time of the year for this approach for bucketmouths and bronzebacks alike.  Like other times of the year, water temperatures play a big role in choosing the baits you use.

 As fall approaches, as in evidence by the current cold snap, water temps begin to fall.  Bass will slow down,  and you have to adapt your fishing strategies to match their feeding habits.  As winter will be coming around the corner the bass will not completely shut down in the lands up north.  They need to put on the feedbag much like pike and muskie will.

Suspending baits, from 3 to 6 inches length are good places to start.  If its an overcast day, try a bait with rattles in the body.  Start with a steady retrieve and vary it from time to time.  If you have one of those new fandangled baitcasting reels that actually stagger the retrieve thats good, if not, just try giving them a good crank, stop and crank again.  This allows the head of the lure to sharply dive and then rise slightly up again.  Slow is good, just dont try burning your baits as the fish’s metabolism will be slowing down because of the cooler water.

good luck

When is a good time to use crankbaits for bass?  Fall is a classic time of the year for this approach for bucketmouths and bronzebacks alike.  Like other times of the year, water temperatures play a big role in choosing the baits you use.

 As fall approaches, as in evidence by the current cold snap, water temps begin to fall.  Bass will slow down,  and you have to adapt your fishing strategies to match their feeding habits.  As winter will be coming around the corner the bass will not completely shut down in the lands up north.  They need to put on the feedbag much like pike and muskie will.

Suspending baits, from 3 to 6 inches length are good places to start.  If its an overcast day, try a bait with rattles in the body.  Start with a steady retrieve and vary it from time to time.  If you have one of those new fandangled baitcasting reels that actually stagger the retrieve thats good, if not, just try giving them a good crank, stop and crank again.  This allows the head of the lure to sharply dive and then rise slightly up again.  Slow is good, just dont try burning your baits as the fish’s metabolism will be slowing down because of the cooler water.

good luck