# 6th



## Mr. Tipper (Aug 29, 2002)

I'm takign off to go up north next weekend so I thought I would get out my fall gear and putz around at 6th St. Dam. While I witnessed some early season run action last Sunday I really was not expecting much. 

I had also witnessed some guys rearanging rocks last week so I really just wanted to check out the new runs and the area. 

I waded in on the West side just a few feet north of the no fishing blue line. I looked down and thought, " I don't remember the drop to the water being so big last year..." Not being to bright that thought should have triggered a note of caution. Normally it was about knee high. One step - fine - two step - and.... I christened the start of the fall season with a little swim. Filled the waders , the works,....the only thing that didn't go under was my rod and my head. .....brilliant. 
So a little FYI for those who have not been out yet - The depth right in front of the no fishing area is a little deeper now. Not drowning deep, it's just not what I was expecting after years of fishign there. ( A good lesson) 

Let my humiliation be a service for you. All in all it worked out pretty good - Made a few people laugh, caught a few small mouth and stayed nice and cool in my wet waders in the bright sun. 

Hey - at least it wasn't December


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## karl.d (Nov 20, 2003)

Sounds like 6th st had it out for the fisherman today..... 

This morning after not waking up to my alarm, I missed out on a big lake fishing trip. Still wanting to fish I headed down by myself to 6th st. Fumbling around in the dark in the parking lot I closed the car door on my nice new rod, snapping it in two. What a morning.

To make it worse I saw some kings jumping too! They were right above the coffer dam by Bridge St at about 5:00am.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

6th street will make a fool out of the most seasoned anglers. I almost ended up at Johnson park one year, since then I only go where I know what to expect.

Mr. Tipper, those guys have been doing alot with the rocks down there, alot of the runs have changed and until the first flood of the year rearanges things (brings stuff back to normal), people should wade with caution.


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## bigsid (Jan 13, 2003)

Mr. Tipper said:


> I had also witnessed some guys rearanging rocks last week


 :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: 

I still don't get it!!!!!!!

Sid


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## steeliefreak (Apr 22, 2004)

They are making pools and runs for the fish to stack in as well as clearing out snags. I cannot wait for the coho and steel to show.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Clearing out snags? More like creating places to snag...

Unbelievable...


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

They made all those "runs" last year and then the "runs" were not even fished, everyone still fished the boils. They f'd up the center run etc... :rant:


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

TSS Caddis said:


> They made all those "runs" last year and then the "runs" were not even fished, everyone still fished the boils. They f'd up the center run etc... :rant:


I couldn't believe how they changed things out there. You are correct, it's a nice snagger's run near the fish ladder and near the ice break. It cracked me up seeing guys out there chest deep in the pristine Grand moving concrete to create "fish structure" :lol:

It seems like the "city" equivlant to cutting a fallen cedar out of a run on the PM or Betsie to offer easier fishing.


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## Mr. Tipper (Aug 29, 2002)

The rocks are VERY wobbly too. Very loose and easy to lose your footing. As mentioned earlier - It's going to take one big rain to settle/lockthings in now. 

The added feature not done by man was is the large tree right in front of the ladder - It will make it difficult - (but not impossible) for people to throw into the mouth or the ladder area.


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## steeliefreak (Apr 22, 2004)

Alot of people down there are snaggers but some of the guys putting in the time to clear logs out and rearange the rocks are better fisherman than most. I could care less if they moved the rocks around or not, I float fish 95% of the time down there and never have any troubles getting into my share of fish or finding a spot to fish them.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

No offense, man, but c'mon...better fishermen than most? There is no skill required in standing there, facing the dam letting your rig sit on the bottom in the boils or what ever pool has been "created". 

Put some (notice I said "some" not all) of those guys on another river where you actually have to do something to catch them, and I'd bet they'd be lost. 

Call me a skeptic, but I highly doubt that the "Grand Rapids Corp. of Engineers" is creating habitat for the fishes benefit...good fishermen do not need to create areas that concentrate fish or essentially traps them.


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## Mr. Tipper (Aug 29, 2002)

Stellie - Didn't mean to offend or take anything away from peopel who are clearing out debris from he river.
Half the time I'm not even fishing the boils - As with the 1st post - It's just a word of warning for those going out expecting everythign to be the same as last year... 
Regardeless if it is a seasoned veteran of 6th or some guy walking out with a Zebco 202 - I don't want to see anyone twisting an ankle or goign for a swim.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

LOL! 



thousandcasts said:


> "Grand Rapids Corp. of Engineers"


I haven't seen what they are up to this year, but the "improvements" from last year did nothing. The runs that they created were useless. 

I think it's a bunch of newbies that have time on their hands and think they are doing some good.

Most of the regulars have smacked fish for years with out these so called improvements and are not to happy with these good intentions.

If they really want to do some good put a strand of electric wire around the ladder area to educate the illiterates that only learn by having someone smack them in the back of the head.

P.S. your not a "Regular" until you've seen at least one person loose their life down there.


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## steeliefreak (Apr 22, 2004)

No offense taken, I am comfortable on whatever river I end up on and most of my friends are as well. Alot of the people that fish down there couldn't catch a fish in another river if there life depended on it (and that goes for locals on all rivers) but some of the locals down there I know for a fact would give most confident fisherman a good ole a$$ whippin on other streams. Like I said I could care less what they do down there with the rocks, it's not making a very big impact either way. I do not fish the boils much so maybe I am biased. Hey TCs I would not knock the fisherman that you do not know down there because you would be really surprised by some of them.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

I'm not knocking the true "good fishermen" down there...I think you know the types I'm talking about. I see it all the time, guys line up right in front of the ladder, rip the you know what out of them and then get the reputation that they're a "good fisherman". The same guys that built up that wing dam in front of the ladder area are the ones that'll be standing on the wrong side of the blue line when the water is high taking advantage of that "trap" that's been created while people stand around and ooh and ahh at their "fishing skills". Believe me, I'm down there enough and I know which guys have a clue and which ones are "legends in their own mind" so to speak.

I know quite a few guys that go down there, use different methods and kick you know what...those aren't the guys I'm talking about, and those aren't the guys that are creating those little "gigging pockets".


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## phlyphisher (Aug 15, 2001)

I saw the guys out there trying to move one of the trees over on the eastern side of the dam. Someone was shimying up the tree with a rope while the other guys in the "Grand Rapids COE" were getting ready to give it a yank. 

You know, you gotta get the yankin' muscles worked up before the salmon show up. What better way of getting used to yanking a 2/0 treble/yarn combo into a king's ass than workin' to pull out a big ol' tree?  

Like tc said, not everyone down there does it, but just like the Tippy crowd, certain people create images for themselves.


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## steeliefreak (Apr 22, 2004)

I hear ya on some of the rippers down there that think they can fish just because they can line one. I'm not trying to give these guys credit, come on, I'm talking about the guys that are hooking up on 10-20 fish during the 20-30 degree weather in the winter months and consistantly hooking fish on other rivers, some fish the boils during peak but can still fish other methods. 
Phlyfisher correct me if I am wrong but I think that I have seen you down there with some buddies drifting the boils as well as some of the manmade structure (the breaker pool).


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Phlyphisher does not fish the boils, nor does he fish any of the man made pools. I fish with Phly as well as TSS Caddis 90% or more of the time and when we do fish 6th st. it's either in the center run or downstream around the coffers. 

Besides, phlyphisher is like 5' 2" with high heels on and can barely get out to the center run in low water, let alone up to the boils!


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

I think that the Bridge St. Coffer and the Center Run are the only two places I've been able to figure out in the 6+ years I've been fishing there. I have a terrible disdain for the boils, mostly because I never do s**t up there. It's definately a hard place to figure out, most of the good fisherman down there fish it most every night to get good.


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## twohand (Aug 5, 2003)

Isn't it illegal to rearrange and/or alter a rivers course? Those guys have done a great job screwing up the center run in order to benifit themselves by directing the fish where they want them to be.


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

steeliefreak,

the reason silversides said those things is because he has told me that you HAVE crowded him out of a hole on the rogue.

Ok, i tried to keep my mouth shut. 

I dont want to start anything here, but i too have had some bad experiances with some of the "locals". It seems like a lot of people think that because they have fished there for years, they have more of a right to fish in a certain spot. I have been known to fish the bubbler hole on occation (i know a lot of fish get lined there, but that is not the point) and have been pushed out of it more than once, when 2 or 3 dudes trot out and start casting and then they get pissed when they catch my line. I have never had a problem sharing a spot, especially if they ask, but when they just barge in and get mad at you, thats a different story. A lot of the same thing goes on out on the end of the south pier at grand haven. When the fish are in, there are a group of guys that stake out the end and then when they leave, there other buddies come in, not giving other people a chance to have a spot out there(i am not really trying to direct this at anyone in perticular, but you know who you are). Again, i am not trying to start anything here and most of the time i am at 6th street i have a great time and i have had a lot of good times fishing side by side with the local dudes, and thats why i keep going back almost every day.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Bottom line, it happens everywhere, some people are just dicks. I stood 15-20 yards down from a guy in the center run and he told me I was crowding him??? Everyone precieves things differently, I guess you just have to deal with it or quit fishing.


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## steeliefreak (Apr 22, 2004)

Hey Gomer, I would like to know where you are talking about because I am not one to move in on someones hole. If it is a long run I usually ask if there is ample room if there are no other spots to fish but I do not crowd people out of there holes and if I have room in my spot I usually let others fish as well if asked. As for the pier if I am leaving the end and have a friend out there in a bad spot, of course I will ask him if he wants it, most people would do the same for there friends. If you are looking for a good spot on the pier you better learn to get out there early, I have spent many of nights out there so I could have a good spot, thats just part of the game. Was that you guys out there trying to get your nets back?


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## MPsteelheader (May 2, 2000)

WHO CARES?

shut up and fish...

salmon season is definately around the corner...

sooo....

cya on the river,

mark


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

steeliefreak,

You will have to talk to silversides about that, he just mentioned it to me. 

And as far as the whole pier thing, I know if one of my buddies was comin out i am sure i would share with him, but it is just kind of discerning when you have been out there for 4 hours waiting to get the "premium" spot just to have it "traded off", but I don't blame you. I am familiar with your group of fishin buddies (the guy that drives the blue explorer is Chris, right?) and you are all excellent fisherman and you sure do put your time in on the water.

btw, 

that wasnt me out there trying to save the net, i had already left. But that was some of my buddies, silversides was the one who was in the water, along with pikedevil and shimanoreels. I was out there before light and wacked 2 nice kings right next to the guy with the 2 tite-lok rod holders(nice guy, gave me a few hooks to try out).


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

If you guys know each other and have issues with each other please take the arguement offline.


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## Scuba Steve (Jul 16, 2003)

Good Lord this is great...a bunch of teenagers fighting on the internet. These sites give me a good laugh sometimes. All in all, people that need to post numbers and pictures of allll the fish they caught have a sweet inferiority complex. It's fishing for Pete's sake. No one care's how many fish you catch. NO ONE. Fishing's a great hobby and I love it, but try exercising once in a while so you don't keel over in the river in 10 years.


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

Scuba steve,

I am going to assume you were directing your post at me. For the record, the only teenagers who posted on this thread were me and Silversides and I in no way was trying to pick a fight with anyone here. 

also, if anyone else has a problem with me posting pictures, I will gladly stop, but isnt that what this site is all about, sharing info and pictures?

anyways, I am DONE with this thread and I am sorry if i pissed anyone off.

good day


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## MPsteelheader (May 2, 2000)

didn't piss me off gomer...

btw what are you doin' on labor day weekend?

me, aj, and his brother are heading up north...

if you're interested let me know...

cya on the river,

mark


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## ShimanoReels (Apr 18, 2004)

Wow this tread has changed alot over the days.... I thought that it was just a post about how some of the rocks changed a little bit over the years...ok, what are we going to do about it? I think that it's great that someone was tryign to tell us that the rocks were moved in a differnt position and that the water is a little different right there.. Thank you for posting that! I personally dont fish 6th that often, why? I dont know and it doesnt matter. But some of you guys posting things on this tread got a little carried away with this topic, and i cant believe some of the things that were said.... Gomer is right, what happend to this site being about sharing information and pictures? Steeliefreak, haha yea that was my net that got cought in the water, and the person who got it cought on the rocks had an option, 1) to get it, or 2) give me 60 bucks.... and i guess choice one was more appealing!! haha let's quite the b*tch'n and start fish'n!


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

MPsteelheader- 

check your PMs


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## SA ULTRA MAG (Nov 7, 2001)

Gomer,

It looks like this Scuba Steve likes to stir the pot. He's got a total of 6 posts and they are always ones that you are on and he always has negative comments (life must be miserable for him). Are you sure that you don't know this character ? 

Just keep posting pic's and reports for the rest of us and maybe he will just fade away.....if not, WHO CARES !!!

Thanks,
Pat


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

I don't come into the SW Rivers Forum very often, especially during salmon and steelhead season, except to read over the various posts to see if anyone is getting "out of hand". I've read through much of this thread and sit here at this hour shaking my head in dismay.

Concerning the "moving of rocks" and its supposed disruption of the flow of the river I really had to chuckle (no offense guys). Anyone who really thinks that the moving/rearranging of a few rocks will alter the flow in a river the size of the Grand knows little about hydrolics (sic). Except for the short area immediately below, nothing will change and the rocks will be moved by the winter's ice.

As for the "circle of rocks", I would suppose their purpose is the same as it was in the '50s, 60s, etc. While carp fishing we would make a cirle of rocks as a holding/live well for the carp we would catch. Why? Just to see how many we would catch. It was the thing to do with several of us that fished at 6th St.

Am I a "local"? Not anymore! If I must prove my pedigree..  :lol: ...I was raised on Third St. between Front St. and Scribner St. until I was thirteen years old. Most of you have no clue as to what that area looked like when it was residential.... The only reason I mention the above is as a bit of humor. I was strictly forbidden by my father to ever venture down to the river without him. Of course, being a son, I went down there as much as I could when he wasn't around....:evil: 

Actually I'm glad the SW Rivers Forum exists. It keeps some of the hormonal driven members out of the NW Rivers Forum. Danno and I have enough trouble keeping things reasonably civil in there.....  :lol:

Please notice the smiling/laughing faces I've used in my commentary.....all in humor guys!!!!


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## karl.d (Nov 20, 2003)

There were a few kings jumping at the dam this morning, didn't see any in the ladder though.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

MAN! And I thought the sound off forums were rough.


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## bigsid (Jan 13, 2003)

Whit1 said:


> Concerning the "moving of rocks" and its supposed disruption of the flow of the river I really had to chuckle (no offense guys). Anyone who really thinks that the moving/rearranging of a few rocks will alter the flow in a river the size of the Grand knows little about hydrolics (sic). Except for the short area immediately below, nothing will change and the rocks will be moved by the winter's ice.


I know this is a dead horse, but I'm gonna kick it anyway! My main concern with the rock moving is safety and the big "wing" that juts off the bank and makes a real nice slow pool for the idiots next to the ladder to snag in. I know the ice and spring flooding will blow all that out. However, when it does the rocks are very loose and wobbly. That chunk of river is treacherous enough as it is. It doesn't need any help.

I'll fish there regardless so I guess I really need not stew over it, but since I've been a member here I've seen a ton of inquiries from guys who've never fished there and really want to learn the area. It used to be relatively safe to walk and learn during the fall low-water. Now that's not necessarily so. And the reason is........a bunch of yahoos who know little about hydraulics.

I'll also add that if you are new to the area here's 3 reccomendations:
1. try to go with an experienced angler
2. think about a set of korkers or cleats
3. DO bring a walking stick!

Take care...Sid


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

> the big "wing" that juts off the bank and makes a real nice slow pool for the idiots next to the ladder to snag in.


Exactly...


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Whit1 said:


> Actually I'm glad the SW Rivers Forum exists. It keeps some of the hormonal driven members out of the NW Rivers Forum.


Glad to here the NW moderators look down on SW posters. :sad:


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## slinger (Dec 13, 2002)

Thankyou Karl, for providing an informative message. That is the purpose of the forum, is it not? If someone can show me one instance of an argument on this board that has resulted in the resolution of a problem, that would be a different story. But as it stands, none of the name calling, whining, judging, fingerpointing or negative behavior on this site has ever solved any issue that any of you have. People are going to do what they do, if it's illegal then call the DNR. Other than that, lead by example, fish as you think it should be done, and teach fishing as it should be done. The point of this sport is enjoyment and relaxation, if you allow the actions of others to ruin that fun for you, that is the real crime.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Whit1 said:


> I
> Please notice the smiling/laughing faces I've used in my commentary.....all in humor guys!!!!


TSS,
Along with the above quote from my post, there were also 8 smiling/laughing faces of one sort or another. The comments were meant as humor, you know, fun, laughter, mirth, comedy!!!!...........  :lol:


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