grand traverse bay smallmouth

[chaser of smallmouth]

anyone fish the bay for smallmouth. i'm from Chicago and would like to try this body of water. so i'm looking for a guide or someone that knows the bay well.  thanks   Bob

[MBell]

When are you going?  Anytime in the next month or so should be some easy fishing.  Bass will be shallow spawning in most of the lakes up there.  Don't forget the inland lakes, they get going a little earlier than the bay and have almost equal bass fishing, especially charlevoix.  For a beginer on gt bay, elk rapids is a good place to start.  The elk rapids harbor and be good and the rocky flat 1-3 miles north always have fish.  This is the only guide I know up there, don't know anybody whose used him.
http://www.wildfishing.com/default.php
-Matt

[chaser of smallmouth]

hey matt, how is the bass fishing? as i usually fish door county up in wisconsin.  it has some nice smallies up there but i'm looking to venture out elsewhere. is it a place i could get into to some big bass. i'm hun g up on catching big smallies.
i fish alone i'm 50 and don't smke or drink. so if you know the bay well and wanna join in and we both can get a guide ( if you want)? i'm coming from chicago and i need to shorten my learning curve as it is a long way.   thanks     Bob

[MBell]

When your in the right area there are tons of fish and big fish as well.  There is a lot of dead water especially as you go closer to lake michigan.  In the spring especially the pre-spawn you have a really good shot at fish in the 7lb class.  I don't get up there as much anymore with tournaments and work, but if you have the time it is a great fishery. 
-Matt 

[Dan]

The guy you want to get for GT Bay is Tony DeFilippo. He's fishing professionally so I don't know how much he is in TC. I do think he does guide though. He and a partner had over 30 lbs. with 5 smallies in a weeknight tournament on the bay.

[chaser of smallmouth]

do you know the name of his guide service? or his number?   wrg668@comcast.net   thanks   Bob

[Dan]

I'll ask around to see if he is for sure guiding. Here's one of the links I have from FLW
http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=19778

[TheFishinPollock]

Yea. Tony is out on FLW alot. We see him every year at a local club open though. Glad he made the big leagues. He deserved it.   I'm not sure if hes guiding anymore either.