Grand Traverse Bay Smallmouth Fishing

 Guided Bass Fishing in Traverse City Michigan

Guided Fishing on Michigan's Grand Traverse Bays

Fly Fishing / Light Tackle

Grand Traverse bay is noted for some of the best smallmouth bass opportunities in the nation.  Jon's Guide Service offers guided fishing trips for smallmouth bass on Grand Traverse Bay!

Michigan Smallmouth Bass Fishing is often overlooked with the great bass fishing of the South. Grand Traverse Bay is listed as one of the top 10 best places in the United States to fish for Smallmouth Bass! “Grand Traverse Bay is a great place to fish for smallmouth bass on a fly or light tackle. Michigan’s Smallmouth fishery is diverse, from small streams to large rivers, to inland lakes, to the bays and harbors of the great lakes. Fly Fishing for Smallmouth bass on a fly can be nonstop enjoyment on a fly rod when the fish are shallow.

Michigan is one of the strongest destinations in the United States and North America when talking of great waters for anglers to wet a line. Michigan is a state surrounded by the great lakes (world’s largest bodies of fresh water, hence great numbers of fresh water species to fly fish). The state of Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles (58,000 km) of rivers and streams for anglers to wet a fly. When traveling Michigan an angler is at no point more than 6 miles (10 km) from an inland lake or river, and no more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes. Michigan is a great place to be a fisherman!  

Late spring in Michigan (May) starts the early season catch & release season for smallmouth bass. Grand Traverse Bay is listed as one of the better smallmouth destinations in the Midwest as well as the United states. Ranked in the top 10 best places to fish for Smallmouth Bass, Grand Traverse Bay produces great numbers of large smallmouth bass both on fly gear and light tackle, some into the 6 lb and up range. The fishing on Grand Traverse Bay offers good fishing from May – October for the gear fisherman. The fly fishing remains strong into July when the Smallmouth head into deeper water. The fly fishing opportunities range from wading the flats of the bays, to fishing the pre-spawn groups of fish in large numbers on the deep water edges and drop offs in the bays, this can be done with a fly, but is much easier with light tackle. Peak fishing with a fly is late May – Late June for Smallmouth Bass on Grand Traverse Bay located by Traverse City Michigan.

Food sources such as goby patterns crayfish patterns, and other baitfish patterns top the list for productive patterns for anglers looking for Smallmouth on a fly or light tackle. Surface action can be limited on the bays until June and July, when the large mayfly hatches occur (Hexagenia Limbata). Other inland lakes such as Elk Lake, Green Lake, and many others will also produce great Smallmouth fishing.

Mid to late summer produces good to great fishing on the Manistee river and Muskegon river systems, as well as the Grand River Located in the center of the state of Michigan Near grand Rapids Michigan. River temps warm with the longer days of summer and smallmouth action heats up! Good numbers of smallmouth on the fly and light Tackle can be found both on the surface and with crayfish and baitfish patterns near structure. Low light and warm days will produce great top water action for smallmouth with a fly or surface lure. Fly fishing for smallmouth or spending a day casting along structure with light tackle can be a fun filled afternoon when summer temps have put other fish such as trout off the bite.

The Great lakes smallmouth fishery is a limited one for the fly fisherman, but can produce some great smallmouth fishing on a fly. Harbors and pier heads can produce monster smallmouth during the summer months both on fly gear and light tackle. Water temp is the key to most of the smallmouth opportunities in Michigan on a fly. The spawning season brings fish into shallow water areas and thus provides the best opportunities for wade fisherman.

Grand Traverse Bay Access Map

With so many places to fish, and so much water, a good guide service can make the difference when smallmouth fishing. Experience in knowing where the fish are, and where they go with weather and temp changes can make or brake your day of fishing. A good guide with years of experience chasing Michigan smallmouth bass on a fly and light tackle, and a understanding of what it takes to produce great bass fishing day in and day out. A guide service can teach you how to pursue these great fish at the early portion of the season, when they are still “staging”, during the spawn where we’ll target aggressive males and shallow water areas of the Great Lakes Flats, Bays, and inland lakes. Providing smallmouth bass opportunities on a fly rod  and light tackle, including, spring, summer, and fall smallmouth fishing in Michigan.

State Records forSmallmouth Bass