# Grand River between Jackson and Lansing



## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Could the Grand ever become cold enough to hold trout in the upper reaches? By upper reaches I am referring to Jackson to Lansing. I mean look at a map, some of the upper tributaries are damn close to unmentionable trout creeks that flow into a different river drainage. I was following a small to medium sized creek that flows into the Grand a little northish of Jackson and it has all the make up of a marginal southwest michigan trout creek.. lol. I dunno guys Im a dreamer sometimes but it sure would be nice to have more trout fishing around the area.. Any thoughts or comments? Feel free to PM me if you rather. I have a lot of ideas/hopes/dreams about the Grand.


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## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

What are the water temps in the stretch during the dog days of summer? Any thing is possible? Go down there and check water temps when it is hot hot out.


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

I will, good idea! There are a couple tributaries I wanna take a better look at. I think Ill try to score one of those DIY stream sampling kits. If anything I may find some solid smallie and pike fishing. Cant be mad at that. I just like the thought of cleaning up some of the water around here. Its been done elsewhere in drainages. I remember when I was young some of the creeks that hold trout now didnt even have em. And we have a similar river system. Yeah anything is possible. Sure its probably unrealistic to think of trout in the grand mainstream out here but these tribs could clean up well.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Not where I've ever seen it in those stretches. That's carp, bass and bluegill water.


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## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

Few walleyes too, they have planted them in that stretch. It's all flat farmland and warm water draining into the Grand between Jackson and Lansing. The only trout water in Jackson county is the upper Kalamazoo and a couple planted lakes. There are a couple unmentionable creeks that used to have some trout back when they used to plant them years ago but they have not been planted in quite a while.


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Well I found some monster smallies but no trout.. Im not mad.


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## STEELHEAD JUNKIE (Feb 20, 2010)

No trout for you in that river. 

Sorry.


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Yeah I know there wont be trout in there. But Im talking about a couple unmentionable tribs out there.. There are a couple prospects for the future.


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## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

Nice job on the fish. It's always fun to explore new places on rivers.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

I've floated from jackson to home(comstock park) the frist week of gun deer season many times. I have many memory, of those one man trips. a 18 lb. northern, at baillys drain.(just outside of jacktown) a 128" buck by bunker road (by eaton rapids) to many smally to count. a few walleyes for supper.I passed alot of small creeks (that i would think had brookies but never got out of the boat to try) made lots of friends on those trips n would camp over night on their land year after year. n when I'd get below lansing it was salmon n steel all the way home. 
PS. right after one of my portage at portland I saw ELVIS, he shook rattled, n rolled I empy my gun n he's still runnin.:smile-mad


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

I found a few smallies like this one today in a creek Ive been trying to check out. Relatively small creek. Pretty clear. Pretty F'n awesome!


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## RCS (Jun 7, 2007)

As long as were on the subject what is it like on the grand between Gale Rd. and Eaton Rapids


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## Smallmouth Chaser (May 17, 2009)

Nice fish! What is that about 19?

I floated a stretch of my unmentionable last night, started at 5:30 and pulled out at 11:00. Sort of slow but did land a couple 16s and one 19. It was too dark for a picture and hard to do solo anyways.

Sounds like you found a gem, I would be real careful posting pictures that would allow people to identify the specific spot or you might show up someday and not be able to pull up fish like that. Most of the people that post on here have their own holes they like to fish but there are quite a few lurkers that are looking for someone's honey hole to catch supper out of.


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

RCS said:


> As long as were on the subject what is it like on the grand between Gale Rd. and Eaton Rapids


From the public launch on Gale downstream to the Smithville Dam is more like a narrow lake because it is above the dam. Good pike fishing. Lots of bass and panfish. Slow water. Lilly pads, weedmats. If you go below the Smithville dam its your classic tailwater style river with decent Smallies. Once you get into the City of Eaton Rapids there is another dam which creates another slow lake like section that has good bass and pike fishing and a whole lot of carp. Its considerably smaller than the impounded section above smithville but there is a boat launch. All in all a pretty productive couple of sections.


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## headbanger421 (Jul 1, 2005)

StonedFly said:


> From the public launch on Gale downstream to the Smithville Dam is more like a narrow lake because it is above the dam. Good pike fishing. Lots of bass and panfish. Slow water. Lilly pads, weedmats. If you go below the Smithville dam its your classic tailwater style river with decent Smallies. Once you get into the City of Eaton Rapids there is another dam which creates another slow lake like section that has good bass and pike fishing and a whole lot of carp. Its considerably smaller than the impounded section above smithville but there is a boat launch. All in all a pretty productive couple of sections.


 
I heard the dam in ER recently got removed, is that true?


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

headbanger421 said:


> I heard the dam in ER recently got removed, is that true?


Negative. There are 2 hydroelectic dams, 2 small coffer dams and 1 large coffer dam. 2 of the coffer dams dont even have water flowing over them right now. Sad. The water quality below the confluence of spring brook/ 2nd hydro dam, could really improve if that dam was removed.


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