As you all know, my brother and I do not have a boat yet we still fish.  Coworker of mine came back from a trip to the upper part of Michigan (not the UP) and said he had an incredible time fishing for smallmouth in some crystal clear water. 

 

If my brother and I were looking to say... go up to Michigan for a weekend to do some fishing for smallies, where and when would you suggest next year?  I know season is ending and steelhead are now becoming the fish to get.  

Also - who would you recommend take us since we don't have a boat? 

 

Thanks!

Wait just a couple more weeks and you won’t need a boat. You will need an ice drill though....

For shore fishing I'd head to Traverse City and fish Grand Traverse Bay. There are plenty of guides in that area as well. I personally can't recommend anyone, but with a little searching on line you should be able to pick a good one. If you're going the guide route I'd start looking now.

Grand Traverse Bay, Torch and Elk Lakes, Lake Charlevoix, Burt and Mullett Lake, Long Lake and Hubbard Lake over by Alpena, and Waugoshance Point up by Mackinaw City are top notch Smallmouth fisheries. I slayed them this year wading up at Waugoshance... definitely a really cool experience that everyone who loves smallmouth fishing should try. If you happen to go there, I can give you a few spots on the map that seem to hold the biggest fish/best numbers. 

 

https://www.boyneoutfitters.com/our-waters/waugoshance-point

 

11 hours ago, anderb54 said:

Grand Traverse Bay, Torch and Elk Lakes, Lake Charlevoix, Burt and Mullett Lake, Long Lake and Hubbard Lake over by Alpena, and Waugoshance Point up by Mackinaw City are top notch Smallmouth fisheries. I slayed them this year wading up at Waugoshance... definitely a really cool experience that everyone who loves smallmouth fishing should try. If you happen to go there, I can give you a few spots on the map that seem to hold the biggest fish/best numbers. 

 

https://www.boyneoutfitters.com/our-waters/waugoshance-point

 

They look great!  Just wish that part of Michigan wasn't a... (checks Google Maps) 9 hour drive.  lol

 

Wonder if it'd make more sense to fly...

 

EDIT :  Just did a faux-trip in March (Spring Break) to see prices - we could get there on the 11th and leave the 14th for just under $700/ea.  And the closest I could get is Pellston, so that means we'd need a rental car too.

 

I think driving, while sucking, would be the better plan.

20 minutes ago, CybrSlydr said:

They look great!  Just wish that part of Michigan wasn't a... (checks Google Maps) 9 hour drive.  lol

 

Wonder if it'd make more sense to fly...

 

EDIT :  Just did a faux-trip in March (Spring Break) to see prices - we could get there on the 11th and leave the 14th for just under $700/ea.  And the closest I could get is Pellston, so that means we'd need a rental car too.

 

I think driving, while sucking, would be the better plan.

You’d be ice fishing in March!

1 hour ago, CybrSlydr said:

They look great!  Just wish that part of Michigan wasn't a... (checks Google Maps) 9 hour drive.  lol

 

Wonder if it'd make more sense to fly...

 

EDIT :  Just did a faux-trip in March (Spring Break) to see prices - we could get there on the 11th and leave the 14th for just under $700/ea.  And the closest I could get is Pellston, so that means we'd need a rental car too.

 

I think driving, while sucking, would be the better plan.

I agree you'll be ice fishing in March. The rivers could be open but the smallie most likely will still be in the lakes. If I remember correctly @A-Jay can't get on the water until late April early May. Down here in mid Michigan ice out isn't until early April. Mid May until the end of June is going to be your best times up north. A-Jay will be back in a week or so and he could give you a better idea on how things work for him up there. 

Oh wow, I hadn't even thought of ice.  Good points.

 

Crud.  

3 hours ago, CybrSlydr said:

They look great!  Just wish that part of Michigan wasn't a... (checks Google Maps) 9 hour drive.  lol

 

Wonder if it'd make more sense to fly...

 

EDIT :  Just did a faux-trip in March (Spring Break) to see prices - we could get there on the 11th and leave the 14th for just under $700/ea.  And the closest I could get is Pellston, so that means we'd need a rental car too.

 

I think driving, while sucking, would be the better plan.

Most of those Lakes I listed are going to still be frozen in March. The spawn on the majority of them isn't until mid to late June

9 hours ago, CybrSlydr said:

Just wish that part of Michigan wasn't a... (checks Google Maps) 9 hour drive.  lol

 

I think driving, while sucking, would be the better plan.

A 9-hour drive isn't horrible. Leave at 3am and you'll be there at noon. We drive 12 hours every summer to vacation at KY Lake and it's worth every minute of the drive!

8 minutes ago, Steveo-1969 said:

A 9-hour drive isn't horrible. Leave at 3am and you'll be there at noon. We drive 12 hours every summer to vacation at KY Lake and it's worth every minute of the drive!

Yeah, but to leave by 3 you have to be up at 1:30...

On 10/23/2018 at 4:31 PM, CybrSlydr said:

Yeah, but to leave by 3 you have to be up at 1:30...

Ha-ha. How bad do you want to go fishing bruh?

On 10/23/2018 at 3:31 PM, CybrSlydr said:

Yeah, but to leave by 3 you have to be up at 1:30...

??‍♂️

Why would you not just fish lake st Clair?

 

fYI I’ve got caught bedding fish on east grand traverse bay on the Fourth of July.  Lots of great smallmouth water around TRaverse City - elk, Skegamog, duck, long and a bit further north - Charlevoix, walloon, crooked, burt, mullet.