# fishing ann arbor/ypsi



## JungleGeorge (Apr 18, 2013)

i have heard many good things about this area, i am new to this area and have only been out a few times feeling really lost. i had caught fish all small bluegill/ bass/ small pike around bandamere park/ argo pond... not much action at all. I am an avid fishedman i know its not my tackle or techniques im just looking for some good general knowledge about the area or maybe new techniques. 
thanks


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## ditchrat (Jan 8, 2008)

Go down to Schultz outfitters in depot town they will hook you up.


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

Agree with ditch 110% best shop around. 

J- 

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## DetroitFishin (Feb 21, 2012)

Not too familiar with the river in ypsi area but its more than worth it to make a quick drive elsewhere. I have done really well on the river closer to flatrock. Oakwoods willow metro and lower Huron park are all great spots. The bass fishing especially is hot all summer long on fly gear and spinning. also much less crowded than flatrock. Bring the waders and get em


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## jaytothekizzay (Apr 1, 2002)

Smallie fishing in the Dexter, and AnnArbor area is world class... you have some super good fishing around you

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## JungleGeorge (Apr 18, 2013)

you using flies or spining gear?


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## jaytothekizzay (Apr 1, 2002)

I use fly gear... but you would probably out fish me using spin gear...crank baits spinners, and top-water buzzbaits when the water warms up.

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## DetroitFishin (Feb 21, 2012)

Fly or spinning doesn't matter


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## STEELHEAD JUNKIE (Feb 20, 2010)

The Chrome will be fading soon but bring on the Bronze!


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## luckyshorts (Oct 11, 2011)

Is the dexter Huron metro park a good access point or are others better? I live in GR but am in AA for business on occasion. Lookin to get into some good smallie action


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## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

Barton Pond is a big fish spot. Not much in the way of numbers for anything, but I've caught walleyes to almost 10 lbs, 4# smallies, 5# largemouth, 15# pike, huge crappies. 

Other than that, the areas below Huron dams can be good - Argo, Ypsi, Barton, Portage Lake. The farther upriver, usually the better the smallie fishing and the rest of the species fade away.

The area around the M14 bridge used to be pretty good for big smallies and the occasional solid walleye, usually around sundown.


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## DetroitFishin (Feb 21, 2012)

If you got waders that spot will produce good smallies when it warms up


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## IT.Fisherman (Aug 10, 2012)

I just moved back down here and have a boat now so havnt fished the river in a long time, but when I went to eastern a few years back I did well at Geddes Dam on Dixboro road in ypsi. Park there and just walk the river I did well for bass and sometimes pike. I've gone out and caught nothing, and had a best of 17 bass in two hours. There are plenty of spots to fish from shore just walking the path, did best fishing past the bridge. Working cranks was best, occasionally top water in the summer when some of the spots get closed in my weeds.

There is also lily park I think its in AA, corner of platt and ellsworth. I only fished it once but I was with two buddies. We saw large schools of bluegill, caught a few small bass, then my one buddy nailed a 18" largemouth. I believe this pond is all catch and release but im not sure.


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## CreekHopper (Mar 20, 2013)

bombcast said:


> Barton Pond is a big fish spot. Not much in the way of numbers for anything, but I've caught walleyes to almost 10 lbs, 4# smallies, 5# largemouth, 15# pike, huge crappies.
> 
> Other than that, the areas below Huron dams can be good - Argo, Ypsi, Barton, Portage Lake. The farther upriver, usually the better the smallie fishing and the rest of the species fade away.



I fish Barton pond multiple times a week. Right now, largemouth are starting to poke their heads out of the deep water and move in pre-spawn. 3 days ago I caught a personal best 20inch 5'b largemouth. Ive also seen pike well over 30inches in that section of the river. IF you have access to watercraft, barton pond is an excellent option. Fishing off of shore can be a little fruitless although i've seen anything from alligator gar to an albino catfish while walking the shoreline with my dog. Large walleye out of there is very impressive, I've seen a total of about 2 small eyes out of there. IMO Barton pond can produce numbers but usually at the right time of season. That lake is great for spring/fall when fish are hungry or fattening up. Summer, not so much.

Now for the upper stretch between portage and barton; I've done a decent amount of float fishing between hudson mills and delhi park. With the unfortunate tornado last year, there is a plethora of fallen trees in Hudson mills along the river, plenty of structure to fish! I've made notice of guys using fly tackle along the river with some success. Although I enjoy a fly rod, I've had more luck with a baitcaster using shad raps, texas rig worms and wacky worms through that stretch of the river. I've even seen folks flipping spoons under trees and pulling out decent fish.


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## DetroitIron (Dec 4, 2003)

Seems there has been some good stuff posted about Barton, but I've fished the hell out of this place for years, and have very little to show for it. I've fished it from shore, and I've fished it from boat. Too many times I've smelled of skunk from hitting that place, I'm done with it. 

I'd rather fish down in lower huron metropark, done much better on teh lower portion of the river for bass/walleye occasional pike and musky.


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## OH-YEAH!!! (Jun 18, 2009)

bombcast said:


> Barton Pond is a big fish spot. Not much in the way of numbers for anything, but I've caught walleyes to almost 10 lbs, 4# smallies, 5# largemouth, 15# pike, huge crappies.
> 
> Other than that, the areas below Huron dams can be good - Argo, Ypsi, Barton, Portage Lake. The farther upriver, usually the better the smallie fishing and the rest of the species fade away.
> 
> The area around the M14 bridge used to be pretty good for big smallies and the occasional solid walleye, usually around sundown.


Barton Pond was my favorite shore fishing spot when I lived in Oakland County. I never minded the 45 minute drive to Ann Arbor because I would always catch at least a couple good fish.

This is the best time of year to fish the pond. I used to catch walleye after walleye including a monster 10 pounder. The walleye had black grubs but were the main fish I would catch there. In the last couple years I fished there I switched to flies and never caught a walleye again so I don't know if it still holds walleye. 


When I switched to fly fishing, there were always 2 to 4 pound smallmouth around the bridge. They always ate a black wooly bugger.

I also caught a zombie 10 pound trout on Memorial Day weekend. It must have been a holdover from stockerfest way upstream as I don't think steelhead can get in that section of the Huron. 

I have also hooked a muskrat, a bank swallow and something that stripped 100 yards of 4 lb test (had to have been a carp cuz I think a pike would have broke me off before that happened). Watch out wading in sandals. There are some crayfish the size of small lobsters in the rocks. Plus there were brown floaty things that made me never want to actually touch the water.

But it is a great fishing spot and I always wondered what giant fish must be in the deep water just behind the dam that isn't easily accessible from shore.


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## CreekHopper (Mar 20, 2013)

DetroitIron said:


> Seems there has been some good stuff posted about Barton, but I've fished the hell out of this place for years, and have very little to show for it. I've fished it from shore, and I've fished it from boat. Too many times I've smelled of skunk from hitting that place, I'm done with it.
> 
> I'd rather fish down in lower huron metropark, done much better on teh lower portion of the river for bass/walleye occasional pike and musky.


I've had my fair share of skunk sessions on Barton pond. It's so close to where I live that I frequent it often.

I've only seen a handful of Walleye pulled out. Just the other day a few guys fishing off shore pulled one out that looked to be 2-3lbs. Some of the biggest smallies I've seen have been upriver from barton.

A trout is very exciting to hear. I know there's some stocking of browns annually in a tributary that runs through Dexter that may be the result of that?


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