Does anyone know the time it takes to travel from launch at riverside park to muskegon lake and is it worth the trip?
A lot of guys do it, the worst part is in the grand with all of the no wake zones. It's been a while since I've done it but I would guess at least an hour with all the no wake zones.
-Matt
If it is calm out on that Great BIG lake and you follow the non-dawdlers out the no-wakes (I tend to be a little slower than others), it's a little over an hour to get into Muskegon.
I've been running to Muskegon or White for years - not every time, but more often by far than staying.
You would think with everyone hauling fish from Muskegon and White to the Grand there would be fish there...but there is not! ;D
Thats a good point. Where do they go?
PoorBoy himself :-\'
Probably to Macatawa... (Macatoilet :D)
fished 2 BFL's on the grand. both from riverside park were delayed for fog. then they let us go only to hit ZERO visibility at 60 mph.. about the most scared i have been in a boat.. never have caught a keeper there. although i caught a bunch of big Dog Fish... my log book says " never go back ". i do what it says..
think spring..
ss
I fished the fog bowl as well - nokeepers for me either - spent all day in the river without a bite, then caught a 13.75 dock fish with 15 min to go - ugh I so dislike that place.
The grand can be a great place to fish just got to put in your time I have see a lot of 4 to 5 pound fish come out of there. stick to Dan advice stay away from lake Mac no fish there I will say againThere ARE NO FISH in Lake Mac ;D ;D Smallies or large mouth.
I have never fished Mac, are you being facetious? I have had limited success on the Grand. I have caught one keeper in 2 out of the 3 tourneys I have fished there. In the Fox tournament Lake Michigan is closed so you have to stay in the river system. Last year I ran way up stream and could not get a keeper to save my life. Unfortunately I hit a log on the way back down and missed the next tournament on the river. The one thing that I find very interesting, for a river I rarely catch a smallie out there. ???
Cfruel
Mac has some good fish in it, but it seems like a real challenge to learn and get confident in it. I've only been on it about 3 times, so I'm no authority. There are a handful of guys who kick butt out there.
What amazed me is how muddy it gets, how little good weeds it has and how it gets like a mini Lake St. Clair on the weekends with tuna boat traffic. Just blew me away to see that many big boat wakes on an inland lake that isn't that big. The lake is overabundantly crowded with marinas and when even a quarter of those tuna boats come out at once - there's some big ones too - it gets ROUGH! I was spittin' lake water out there one day.
The smallies in the Grand River seem to be increasing slowly and steadily. I haven't caught a ton, but I've caught them from Lake Michigan down several miles past Eastmanville. In the past, I caught more from the gravel pit on down past Eastmanville, but lately, I'm getting more from Indian Channel out - not enough to count on them yet, but I don't fish there a lot either really. I don't really want to run down to Eastmanville right now - as you mentioned - it is treacherous.
They are getting some out of Spring Lake too - you have to know the place pretty well to figure that out (I haven't but I like knowing I have a lot more to learn).
Cfruel: Lake Macatawa can be a VERY good lake If you read Dans post there are a lot of docks and that is were the fish are and by the chanel ,you just need to find them. I fish Mac when ever I just go fun fishing and right before a tournament.Why not Im only 10 min away. The Lake can make you look like a Pro WHEN YA FIND THEM Last summer I put 14 ponds of largemouth in the boat of a spot no bigger that a pickup truck.
Those are the best spots to find. I have a spot like that on a popular inland lake down here that I keep quiet about. I love those deep water spots that you always have to yourself and it just seems the fish are always there.
Deepwater spots are still basically unexplored opportunities.
Dan, I agree with that. When ever you can find a spot off the bank to catch 'em, you are already ahead of a lot of other anglers. I like Spring Lake but it has a tuna boat problem as well. You need to get there early and be gone by 11 AM if you want a smooth ride.
Dan and Andy, Thanks for the info on Mac, I will make sure I get out there this spring.
I really like this forum!!! I just recently ran across it and it is very cool to be able to talk about local waters and topics with you guys, instead of trying to relate to anglers around the country.
Thank You!
That's what we are all here for - but I'll be happy to have any angler from anywhere since we do all do some traveling too. No matter what, we'll always have lots of Great Lakes/Michigan information here.
If anyone needs help on Macatawa I would be more than happy to go fishin.
Now that is an interesting offer??? And I just happen to have a BFL on the Grand later in the summer...
Well Dan you know were Im at ;D ;D
Andy,
You have to careful with offers like that! I may just take you up on that! I'm sure you hate to go fishing...just like the rest of us!
Cfruel
I dont give up all my spots ;D But ya know if I can help out a fellow angler i will.This is a great forum and Dan has done a great job with it. I have gotten a lot of very good information from the foks here so now if i can I will be more than helpfull :D
You guys are starting to make me nervous with all this deep water talk. I think you'll all be happier in there up on the bank. Generally the scenery is better and if things get bad you can always walk to shore.
There couldn't possibly be any fish out deep, we need to put an end to this heresy now, before someone pokes an eye out or something.
Deep is a relative term. How deep don't you want us to fish???
it's my belief that this drop shot deal will convert at least some of you guys to those depths outside the break. It's not for everybody because of the speed that you fish out there.
It's a killer smallmouth deal in those scary clear trout lakes up north.
On the inland lakes down here after the post spawn is over there's almost always plenty of fish up off the bottom a bit in 30 - 40 feet. Where I'm from, SW part , I'ld guess the majority of small tourneys - 8 to 15 boats- were won last year drop shotting way out from the break. Carolina Rig works too but not as well when they're picky.
Some of you are sure to join us on the dark side.....
30 to 40 FEET!!!??!!! Yikes! I may have to put more line on my reels...
Quote from: djkimmel on March 14, 2006, 11:26:16 PM
30 to 40 FEET!!!??!!! Yikes! I may have to put more line on my reels...
OK, I stand corrected. Maybe I should look out instead of in. When I do look I see trolling motors on Warp 6 and spinnerbaits in the air.
Either way I wish all of you the best of luck at Burt, it's a beautiful place, I hope you enjoy it up there as much as I do.