Portage Chain (Pinckney)

[32eml24]

I had the opporunity to fish the Portage Chain for an entire week this past week, and I said I would post a report.  What a fun place to fish with so many options!  Most all of my fish were caught offshore, mainly on Strawberry and Portage.  The bridge to Little Portage was closed, which was a huge bummer.  Caught a good mix of large and smallmouth.  These fish seem to eat really well, they were all chunky.  The craziest part- and this is unbelievable- I found a $100 bill on the bottom of Portage lake, right when you enter, on that sandy flat.  So that payed for my boat gas for the week!  I caught a lot of big ones, the highlight being a 5-8 largie, my biggest of this summer so far!  Still not sure if I'm doing this right but I'm posting pictures too if anyone wants to see.  Pictures were taken either far offshore or at my Uncles dock so I am taking care not to give away anyones secret spots.  Man I wish I could fish there more often. 

[FOB]

Don't let him fool you folk's.  Those fish were caught in Lake Macatawa.  We only have small fish on the Portage Chain.

Glad you had a good time.  You need to set a trip up in late fall when the smallies go on the feed.  It's not St. Clair, but it's still a lot of fun.

[djkimmel]

What did you catch the hundred dollar bill on!!!!??!?!!!

[32eml24]

I was just looking down in amazement at what an awesome flat that was... sandy with scattered rock.  I looked down and saw what I thought was a big square rock and for whatever reason it intrigued me, at which point I looked closer and noticed it was a bill.  Not until I scooped it up with my rod tip did I realize it was 100... Crazy!  And as far as the smallies I have never caught them in water that deep before and that was a lot of fun for me.  And the current is a variable I love to have; that really concentrated the fish on all the offshore spots.  I am going to try to make it back over there before fishing season's over.

[djkimmel]

Sounds like you did really well. Better than I did last time I was there a few seasons ago.

[Manxfishing]

We fished Portage lake today
Just ran around on Big Portage

The water temp was 68 in the morning and 70 in the afternoon
Best bite in the morning was along the shore in  sparce weeds and 4 fow
The canels had a few and in the afternoon we found a few nice SM on the gravel bar in 2 1/2 FOW as well

Caught nothing on the break lines or the sunkin islands
There shallow these days