Opening Day Techniques

[Jmcfarland]

 I want to know what patterns, areas, lakes you would fish if you were gonna be in the tip of the mitt area for opener. I live up here and have never had a real good opener. I can catch bass like crazy from about May15 thru June15 but that's fairly easy. The first 2-3 weeks I struggle. Any advice or ideas will be appreciated. Thanks

[Durand Dan]

My most successful technique in early season is a lipless crank. My ersonal favorite is a Strike King Bleeding Gizzard Shad. I like to do a yoyo retrieve snapping the bait to get reaction strikes.

[McCarter]

jerkbaits!!!

deep flats and main lake points.

McCarter himself

[thedude]

can't speak for the mitt, but i'll be throwing a jerkbait, a jerkbait, maybe a jerkbait, a trap and then probably a jerkbait.

[Jmcfarland]

I have thrown jerkbaits this time of year but with limited success. I have a hard time working it slow...maybe that is the key? I also wondered about football jigs? I see they get a lot of use by the pros and wondered if they would work up here on the drop offs and points. As for deep flats, how deep is deep enough 10-15 feet or more like 20-25.A drop shot is another idea that I haven't really tried early in the year. I will keep in mind lipless cranks even though I just have little confidence in them so far. As always thanks.

[McCarter]

i would say 6-12 feet is good but they might hang on deeper edges up there.  the smallies will be looking to push shallow to do the deed of deeds once the temp is right, but before they do that they must stage and feed.  look for areas that are close to deeper water.  usually a sure bet. 

McCarter himself

[Waterfoul]

What lakes are we talking about up there??  Some lakes fish way different than others.

Personally... if I lived up there I'd be heading to Charlevoix with a box full of jerk baits and lipless cranks.  Oh, and a jig or two.  Oh Oh... and I never leave home without my drop shot rod.

[Skulley]

Going to crankbait and drag tubes.  Maybe even throw a spinnerbait.

BD             

[Manxfishing]

My most successful technique in early season is a lipless crank. My ersonal favorite is a Strike King Bleeding Gizzard Shad. I like to do a yoyo retrieve snapping the bait to get reaction strikes.

I do well with the Lipless as well
But I like the Yo-Zuri in Ghost bluegill myself

[LennyB]

Opening day that far north is basically ice-out. Water temps are probably in the high 30's to low 40's. That being said, here is a couple patterns that are usually consistant:
1) Smallmouth on the big clear water natural lakes will usually be on the shallower flats or along the base of the first drop offs. The ones on the flats are generally biters and the good old rattle trap will usually catch them. Just cover water on cast to any depression or cover (stump, weed patch, rock, etc....). The ones along the break are usually in little schools and positioned at little turns or divits along the break. The technique I use to locate them is to parallel the break casting a deep diving jerkbait parallel to the drop. Watch the lure as it comes in because a lot of times the smallies will only follow the bait up and then return back down to the school when the water is that cold. If you can get them to give their location away then you can try a tube , drop shot, or blade bait right on their noses. The blade bait like silver buddy or cicada is my lure of choice once I find them.
2) Largemouth I target a little differently. If you can get out after the first warm up, (two or three days of warm sunny weather), the protected back water areas will warm up a few degrees from the sun beating down on it and that warmer water will draw fish in like a magnet. Throwing a small jekbait like pointer 78 or a bomber 14a will usually catch them. Spinnerbaits, jigs and senkos also work good then. Give these patterns a try, they definitely work for me.
Len B.

[Jmcfarland]

Thanks a lot guys. This should help steer me in the right direction!!!! I will be sure to keep on throwin the jerkbaits and will give the rattle baits another shot.

[Got Fish??]

 I tend to agree with uaw. Maybe slowing down is the trick. If fishing big water, temp may be a factor!

[Skulley]

I will also have a suspending jerk bait tied on.  If I am on St. Clair that day it will probably be a clown color.  All jerk bait colors are good as long as they're clown.


BD