# Where is your best place in michigan to fish for smallies???



## jeremy L (Sep 19, 2002)

i don't think by telling stories it would be a good way to compare/contrast a spot since some people perfer size over numbers and vise visa and most people have there own bass spot were even if its not too great for the overall fish pop or size, its there fav. spot and they do best there and enjoy it there.


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## Steely-Head (Dec 2, 2001)

St. Clair without a doubt.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

my favorite would have to be foote dam pond. only since it was where i caught my first smallies on purpose. i got lucky and the late spawners were on their beds still. the water was so clear and all i had to do is spot them and cast a lure ( nope i aint going to tell what lure ) and they would just slam it. then after i caught the ones on the beds i found some that were even bigger and meaner i am not going to tell you where i exactly found them neither  but it was some of the best bass fishing i have ever done. and since then i have been hooked on catching smallies. i love to catch largemouth still but they are kinda boring now  

later, dave


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## jigworm (Jan 10, 2003)

Foot Pond in the fall. Big smallies move up into the river all the way up to Cook Dam. Seems like every bend and pool holds some good fish. Some decent pike too.


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## deepwoods (Nov 18, 2002)

I have always had great luck fishing the Au Sable below loud dam. I have caught smallies in the 18" - 20" range pretty steady at certain times and the surroundings are beautiful. I also like the coloring on these river fish. They get a real pronounced "tiger-striping" to them unlike the ones I catch on Lake St. Clair which tend to be a lot more green and without that definition to them. Makes for better pictures IMO. They all go back in.


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## ArrowHawk (Apr 1, 2003)

Although there are great spots for smallies all around the state I would have to say my favorite spot is Eagle Bay. I like wading and casting either small crank baits or just dropping a leach in between the rocks.


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## RJF (Feb 12, 2002)

Never fished any of the areas you mention for Smallmouth Bass. My best luck has been in Hamlin Lake. Was actually after Walleyes, and found a tremendous Smallmouth Bass bite.

Could almost get me to call myself a bass fisherman........not!!


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## n.pike (Aug 23, 2002)

I agree with Deepwoods, below Loud Dam. Great color on these fish, and not picky on lure colors, and its literally in my backyard, so I do get spoiled.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Yup, the Au Sble backwaters have some good smallie fishing, but if anybody's interested in catching some hogs, pm me, I found an untapped place that anybody who's fished the Au Sable before, has been.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

burt lake and mullett lake......nuf said.


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## patcheroo (Jan 3, 2003)

Little Bay De Noc hands down!...Patch


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Of the places I've fished, I'm not saying which is my favorite.

From what I've been told it seems that nothing can touch Lake St. Claire for numbers and especially size.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

> _Originally posted by Whit1 _
> *From what I've been told it seems that nothing can touch Lake St. Claire for numbers and especially size. *


And you are going to believe fishermen????


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

But from the tongue of fishermen must be filtered the remnant of truth from the plethora of loosened scales, which, falling like the rain of a false forecast, mask the hidden recesses of their secrets. Only from the lips of a select few can one find a modicum of truth and it is their words that I choose to believe.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

UH- OK, whatever you said, I agree.(I think)


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Paul,
About what I said, I wuz hopin' you could tell me. Just because I write the stuff doesn't mean that I understand it..........LOL!


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## DANN09 (May 3, 2000)

Whit, my lips have never touched any modicum.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Sure George, and Billy never inhaled.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

DannoMan,
I agree with what you say. Your lips have frequently touched a plethora of truth.


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## Can't Touch This (Dec 31, 2002)

Patch, i was --- this close to making that a choise. I never fished it, but heard it was great for smallies, and, of course eyes. Maybe i should've added burt and mullet???? They seem to be some great lakes for the size of smallies. No one for the sagnasty and tib.?????? I heard 200 fish a day isn't uncommon, and pretty good size, too.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

I neglected to vote until now. Chain of lakes. The serenity and scenery puts it over St. Clair in my book. St. Clair has much better fishing, but thats not the whole equation.


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## bignoccursg (Dec 31, 2002)

Big Bay DeNoc, may not have the numbers of fish per acre that LSC has, but the fish per fisherman is alot higher.


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

Lot a good smallie fishin' in Michigan, but day in and day out, Lake St. Clair will give up more fish and a bigger average size. IMHO.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

> _Originally posted by ESOX _
> *I Chain of lakes. The serenity and scenery puts it over St. Clair in my book. . *


Paul,
And those two words, serenity and scenery, especially the first one, have much to add to the quality of the experience.


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## Can't Touch This (Dec 31, 2002)

That is an important part of the equation. I voted for the western UP, well, it is IMO the best area in the world, but, even if the SE was better, i still would've picked it, because it's a much better area than SE, much, much better


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

A friend and I were fishing Erie for eyes in Brest Bay the first week of June a couple of years ago off of a small hump we know of.No eyes but we started to catch some smallies and befor it was over we boated close to 40 between 2 1/2 and 5 3/4 lbs on motor oil tube jigs.I lost one that would of had to go over 7 lbs.After that we regularly caught good numbers of nice small mouth in the same spot.All fish caught were relesed.


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## DZtaxidermy (Mar 26, 2002)

Lake St. Clair is my favorite spot.


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

The Inland Waterway (Burt, Mullett, Crooked and Pickerel Lakes) - full-grown smallies and lots of them. My best team tournament limit ever came off that water in a state federation event - 8 smallies that weighed 31.42 pounds. What a day that was. Started out with 8 that went almost 27 pounds and worked our way up with several bigger bass later in the day. We stopped fishing with 2 hours to go to save some for the next day. A lot of people believe we caught them out of Cheboygan in Lake Huron, but we didn't.

But who can pick one favorite in a state with 11,000 inland lakes, endless miles of rivers AND the Great Lakes during what may be the best smallmouth fishing ever! Thunder Bay has a bunch of big smallies. Grand Traverse has monsters in it in numbers. Saginaw Bay is still consistently putting lots of 4 and 5 pounders. I've found some of the dumbest smallies ever out there. I like to rotate around the state each year and hit a number of the good spots.

Higgins Lake is another whopper smallmouth lake, but it can be tough. Houghton has a lot of nice smallies too. I usually fish largemouths there, but I've caught some really nice smallies. So many good northern smallmouth lakes actually. Some I've never been on. Some I haven't been on in years (like Douglas). Some I've only been on once (Beaver).

One of my better days happened right in downtown Lansing on the Grand River a few years ago. Smallmouths piled into 3 holes, and the wife and I really caught them on crankbaits - the biggest was almost 5 pounds - a long, lean river fish. We had people walking the Riverwalk and watching us the whole time. I think a lot of them didn't even believe there were fish in the river based on some of the comments. The Lansing Grand River has been a little tough the past few years, but it's still a fun place to fish right in the back yard.


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## Todd Frank (Nov 20, 2003)

I would have to say our state has a ton of great smallmouth water, and the best place would be where ever they are....With that said My favorite hands down is Lake MIchigan....I have caught more smallies there over 6 pounds then anywhere...And plenty of water.....


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## baydog2 (Jun 14, 2003)

I can't believe I'm the only one to pick the Saginaw River. Man this is the first year for me to take small mouth serisouly. We had a fantastic fall on the smallmouth on this river with plenty of twenty plus fish days. Size was pretty impressive too. I think a M S outing is instore for next year just for a friendly competition. River was almost deserted except for a few boats. BAYDOG


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## PIKERPETE (Jul 2, 2003)

Strictly talking about fishing I think 2 guys catching 60-70 smallies on lake St Clair in a afternoon sounds like the Best smally fishing lake I can think of. Sure is fun too!


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## DetroitIron (Dec 4, 2003)

Not too many posts for Lake Erie, whats up? 

I was on the Canadien side around colchester with my brother in law a few years back. He was on shore casting rapalas around the rock piles, and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. He pulled in about 7-8 smallies in a short period of time, and several were 5 + pounds! It was an awesome site!


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## Sailor (Jan 2, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Can't Touch This _
> "[Deer island, absoulutly no exageration, cast to wood in the water, and every cast, it would sink, you would tighten the line, and have another 5+ pounder on!!!! Every fish took between 10 and 20 minutes to land, which made it more fun, if we used medium tackle, we could've caught alot more. Oh yeah, and we lost more than we caught. "
> 
> The math is fascinating ! If someone caught 120 fish and fought them an average of 10 minutes each, that would be 1200 minutes or 20 hours ! Now if he lost more than he caught that would be several more hours! Then as this was for several days I assume there was a little sleeping and eating going on!
> Now that's fishin!


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

C'mon. Fishermen don't exaggerate! Everyone knows that!


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## WALLEYEvision (Dec 5, 2003)

My favorite is Lake St. Clair


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## Steven Arend (Jun 27, 2003)

My favorite is the St. Joseph River.

Man can those smallies fight.


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## AFTERSHOCK (Nov 27, 2003)

i have never fished any of the water's listed in the poll. but i would have to say Hardy Dam.it took me some time to pattern them but once i did i can go out on any day and get 20-30.most of them running around 3-4lbs and a few 5-6lbs. but i can catch bass out of a mud puddle too.i hear i should be a pro all the time.does it count when i hear that i'am talk'in to myself?


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## Sailor (Jan 2, 2002)

White Lake or Muskegon Lake.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Grindstone City. 

Trolling just west of the harbor in 6 to 12 fow. Find the areas where there are big cracks in the sandstone bottom. The Smallies like to hide in them and ambush their prey. Used Rapala's and "long A" bombers. Lots of fun.


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## coverdog (Dec 7, 2003)

Lake St.Clair. Can't seem to keep the pests off the line when were not even fishing for them.


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## stelmon (Sep 21, 2000)

The pond hunting horseman has rights to fish


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

My favorite fish, the smallmouth. The best smallmouth fishing I've ever had was on Bond Falls Flowage. Next, in Michigan, I'd pick Big Bay De Noc, then Little Bay De Noc, then Lake Erie, then Lake St. Clair. Hog Island on Lake Michigan used to be awsome, but the low water levels and other factors have taken their toll on that fishery.


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## Jeffrey Sr (Jan 22, 2004)

Would have to say the Flat River. Easy to wade, and packed with them.


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## Lance73 (May 9, 2004)

shiawasse river has really good smallmouth fishing in the summer over in corunna. I just use shiner minnows and toss them in a hole i'll catch 20 fish in an hour.


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## DaveW731 (Jan 12, 2001)

Unless I missed it, no one mentioned Lake Charlevoix; various bays along the NE side, plus various spots in the south arm between Ironton and East Jordan.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

For true coolwater brutes, I can't really think of better fishing than Grand Traverse Bay. LSC might have better numbers, but the average size of the fish in GT make it a most worthy destination.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

ya interested in catch and release only? barbless artificials only?.....try Fumee in u.p...short season bout 90 days, but they do indeed have lots and size also


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## Can't Touch This (Dec 31, 2002)

Trophy Specialist said:


> My favorite fish, the smallmouth. The best smallmouth fishing I've ever had was on Bond Falls Flowage. Next, in Michigan, I'd pick Big Bay De Noc, then Little Bay De Noc, then Lake Erie, then Lake St. Clair. Hog Island on Lake Michigan used to be awsome, but the low water levels and other factors have taken their toll on that fishery.


I am pretty sure that is in michigan...almsot went fishing there...but, had no info on it. Its been a couple years since i've been up there, but, i am pretty sure that is in goebic county.....close to Winscosin, but, still well in michigan.


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## rkropp (Jan 8, 2003)

River Rasin west of Monroe


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## deadduck12 (Jan 15, 2004)

i'm with jeremy. tip of the thumb through the sag. bay all the way to augres.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

A couple of sleepers in the northern lower are Long and Grand Lakes just north of Alpena. I spent many summers on Long Lake, and can vouch for it's smallies, and most anyone who's in the Alpena area will as well. Grand is just as good. Both have good public access, and have been on MUCC's show in recent years. Check 'em out if you're up that way.


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