# Steelhead Gear in Grand Rapids



## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

In a completely non-advertising way...In the absence of tackle shops in Grand Rapids, Van's Sport Center now carries Blackbird and Raven Tackle along with a couple other brands as a convenience to anglers in the area. It is a small selection of hooks, split shot, floats, line, etc.

Again, this is not advertising because the small amount of tackle will not make Van's any significant amount of money and it is not the focus of the business in any way shape or form. It will remain a very small selection of specific gear folks may need to grab quickly. 

I just wanted to let local anglers know that there is tackle available. And for out of towners who travel to 6th St or other rivers to the north there is a quick stop shop to grab last minute critical tackle items.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

Good deal. I can pick up some Bob's when I come to get a new motor.:thumbup:


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

Sweeet!


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

samsteel said:


> Sweeet!


I thought you might like that samsteel...Trout Beads should be here any day now too in case you need to stock up on those!


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

What about plugs?


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

steelton said:


> What about plugs?


We have a couple varieties of Brad's Rattlin Dad Jrs. in stock now and some standard Hot N Tots. I'll be contacting Brad's directly today to get their full line up and we're still working on Yakima and Luhr Jensen which is supposedly now Fishhawk I believe so not sure what'll be of the Kwikfish Xtremes :bloos:


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## StiffNeckRob (Apr 19, 2007)

Sully, if you work there thanks for letting us know. Tell the parts guys to get some personality as I think it hurts your business. I know I cringe when I have to call or stop it....and I would more if they'd be just a little friendly. Rant over....

It is nice to have a spot to get stuff, but in all fairness there are places on Plainfield (north end of it and has a decent selection) and Brenner's to get some stuff. Can never have enough local shop owner's in town so I applaud you for looking at your client base and catering to them.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

What happened to Al and Bob's?


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Al and Bob's is still around and well. They are just on the opposite side of town from us. We are only a few minutes from 6th St and on a lot of people's way up north or west who pass through GR. Like I said, our point is not to add competition to other sport shops in town. We simply have a good location for river guys to swing in and we have a customer base of boat owners and fishermen. 

Being a river guy myself, I thought it would be nice to have somewhere I could swing through and grab all the stuff I know I NEED for the season in one stop. The last few falls I've found myself ordering tackle online more often (and never knowing exactly what size floats, hooks, etc. I was getting based on pictures). I've also found myself driving miles and miles without being able to find specific needs when I don't have time to wait for online items to ship. There's not big money to be made on our small tackle selection, but I hope it conveniences everyone. 

If you stop in and have questions on anything or need something specific just find me (they'll know who you're talking about if you ask for Sully).


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Just thought I'd throw in an update for the tackle for the plug fishermen out there...We have an order of Brad's Wigglers and Wee Wigglers coming in the next couple of weeks and some Yakima Mag Lip 3.5s as well. 

Personally, I'm hoping that I can keep my wallet in my pocket, but it's going to be hard to walk by those beauties everyday on the rack and not buy one of every color!


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

Let me know when they arrive I'll be down is a sec


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Will do! I'll make sure to let people know what colors we wound up getting in the first stocking order. I think we went with about 12 different color schemes of each.


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

Make sure you tell them after I come shopping.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

steelton said:


> Make sure you tell them after I come shopping.


Gonna clean me out and make me reorder???!?


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

Who knows. I kinda have a problem with these things. 500 or so and counting.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Gabe....500 in the box doesn't mean more fish will bite! If they average $3 per plug, which is probably low, you're talking $1,500 in lures...thats a solid down payment on a second drifter!


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

Oh trust me I've got the bay already opened for the next drifter. This time just a touch smaller maybe a 14.5 in the same paint scheme. Oh Hyde.... please send me another pronto.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Not gonna go for the nice wide open layout of a StealthCraft? That would be my plug dream boat...

http://stealthcraftboats.com/index.php/our-boats/15-aftermath


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

How can you say that's your dream boat when you've never fished from mine.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

You gotta remember I run a 17 ft tiller with a 68" bottom. I'm a fan of an open layout...if that layout comes in a drifter then I will definitely be drawn to that. I just like the idea of being able to walk around rather than step over seats. We are outfitting my buddy's new 1854 StealthCraft ATB with rod holders. He claims it rows as easy as his old Hyde 14'6" drifter. I'll update you after our first trip with it, how's that sound?


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Finally got our intial shipment of Yakima MagLip 3.5s in. They are the hot new plug out west and a lot of the guys in West Michigan are having a lot of luck on them! Brad's Wigglers and Wee Wigglers should be here any day now too.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Last post here I promise! Van's just got the last of the steelhead gear in for the fall and winter. We have a selection of Brad's Wigglers and Wee Wigglers in stock. About 5 or 6 different colors of each. Hope everyone is making it through this cold snap alright!!!


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

set some Maglips aside for me, you know the colors I want. Is it cool if I still plug once and a while, even though I don't pleasure myself to the thought of plugging?


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## jerrob (Aug 6, 2011)

samsteel said:


> set some Maglips aside for me, you know the colors I want. Is it cool if I still plug once and a while, even though I don't pleasure myself to the thought of plugging?


NOTE TO SELF: WASH THAT WALLEYE SAM GAVE YOU REALLLLLY WELL!...............TWICE :yikes:


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

jerrob said:


> NOTE TO SELF: WASH THAT WALLEYE SAM GAVE YOU REALLLLLY WELL!...............TWICE :yikes:


:lol:


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## GrouseMD (Oct 17, 2010)

samsteel said:


> set some Maglips aside for me, you know the colors I want. Is it cool if I still plug once and a while, even though I don't pleasure myself to the thought of plugging?


Bahahahahahaha:lol::lol::lol:


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

samsteel said:


> set some Maglips aside for me, you know the colors I want. Is it cool if I still plug once and a while, even though I don't pleasure myself to the thought of plugging?


Only if you catch as many fish on plugs as the chummers fishing nearby with floats


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

SullysSteelies said:


> Only if you catch as many fish on plugs as the chummers fishing nearby with floats


Ouch.


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

Mitch, when are you going to start a "Yeah Chumming" thread?


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

Slow day? My gallon of eggs, ladle on a golf club shaft, and I caught 11!


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

SullysSteelies said:


> Slow day? My gallon of eggs, ladle on a golf club shaft, and I caught 11!


Haha...thats almost as bad as..went 1 for 2 running a wall of plugs through the center run today bro...epic


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Chuns are bad


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

I heard that people who chum also pick their nose and eat it.


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

SullysSteelies said:


> Slow day? My gallon of eggs, ladle on a golf club shaft, and I caught 11!


Maybe that's my problem, I don't have a ladle. I do it all by hand. I consider myself a purist.


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

samsteel said:


> Haha...thats almost as bad as..went 1 for 2 running a wall of plugs through the center run today bro...epic


I have run plugs through the center run on multiple occasions...quality plug run.


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## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

> Maybe that's my problem, I don't have a ladle. I do it all by hand. I consider myself a purist.


Get this thing...really chuck that stuff...


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

limpinglogan said:


> Get this thing...really chuck that stuff...


Perhaps they can make a specialized scoop at the end...maybe something about the size of a snow shovel? 

All joking aside, how fun can it be to catch fish that you got to bite by chumming? 

Chumming in the ocean makes sense because you're trying to attract fish to an area to feed, but in the river if you're confident that where you set up has fish in it why would you want/need to throw chum? I think I'd be more disappointed to catch fish after chumming.

I just don't really consider it the sport of fishing when "tricking the fish" is absent. Creating a feeding frenzy vs. drifting the right presentation through is way too different for me. If I was supplying my family with food and had to catch a limit every time out to survive I might chum while it's legal to do, but since I fish for the sport of it chumming doesn't appeal to me.

I know people are going to chum, and it's a mute point to argue, but I just want to know if it's really rewarding to catch fish after throwing chum?


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

Mr. Sullysteelies, for some people, they have just as much fun catching a chummed up fish as you do, when you back down a coffer fish with plugs and basically force it into biting. Is it as sporting as catching a fish down river, that is not pinned up by barriers...probably not, but do you still enjoy watching the rod get throttled....of course. My first grade teacher used to tell me, remember when you point the finger at someone...there are 3 more fingers pointing back at you.


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

backing fish into anything with plugs has never had its legality questioned


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## SullysSteelies (Oct 18, 2009)

samsteel said:


> Mr. Sullysteelies, for some people, they have just as much fun catching a chummed up fish as you do, when you back down a coffer fish with plugs and basically force it into biting. Is it as sporting as catching a fish down river, that is not pinned up by barriers...probably not, but do you still enjoy watching the rod get throttled....of course. My first grade teacher used to tell me, remember when you point the finger at someone...there are 3 more fingers pointing back at you.


Mr. samsteel, those fish that I back into the coffer can easily escape by swimming to the side. I use tactics to elicit a strike based on turning on a fish's aggressive instincts or feeding instincts. I'm not throwing out plugs for chum hoping to create a feeding frenzy of large plastic body baits with treble hooks sticking out.

I don't throw eggs into the river for fish to eat without penalty, then follow a bag or bead through the run with a hook in it to catch the fish while it's gobbling up eggs uncontrollably. Why not try to run a drift so effectively that it elicits a similar feeding response? One where the fish can't help but eat it because it looks natural and instinctively must eat to survive. Why can't we attempt to be "fishing" again instead of "catching"? 

And if you're taking someone out who hasn't caught fish before or travels far to go fishing they can and should learn that it's not always automatic and that you have to make a good drift or cast to possibly hook fish. Some days it's easier than others, but it's still fishing. So many guides in the state have trained their customers that chumming is the normal and best practice for fishing steelhead...this is a sad and misleading detail. For the guides who take their clients FISHING they have to explain why they don't chum and why others do. I said it before, this argument is never going to go anywhere productively because if you chum you will defend it...even if it means comparing plug fishing the center run and coffers to chumming with eggs.


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