OMGOSH STURGEON BAY

[Bill Babler]

Fozz, where was that and tell us about your rental and the fishing a bit more if you would.  Nice fish I'm guessing your daughter is holding

[fozzype]

We stayed at the wilderness lodge on turtle lake. https://www.thewildernesslodge.com/ Hate to give up secret spot, but she has some openings in a few weeks and needs business due to some covid related cancellations. She has a first class resort with a neat, northwoods cabin feel with all amenities about 40 miles north of Grand Rapids and usually  books out at least a year in advance.  I highly recommend to anyone especially if you can rent the cabin we do that is right on your own private beach 20 ft away from door for kids to swim in.   She has a ramp and dock for boats.  Turtle Lake has a 20 inch length limit on smallmouth and I had several over 4 lbs.  The lake has a good population of lm but a 3 lber is big.  The water was warm and grass not fully in so it was "harder" than usual.  We caught a lot early and late on buzzer and bladed jig.  With full sun, the smallmouth will actually swim to the boat and follow it around 2 or 3 ft deep.  You can sometimes get them to bite plastic but a nightcrawler works 75% of time.  It doesn't seem logical.

I also go down to Pokegama Lake and the Mississippi a day or two at Grand Rapids.  Caught fish on a frog on the river (pic of me running under Bridge in river) and then 1 to 3 lb LM up to 4lbs under docks.  I went through  50 senkos in one half day so you do the math.   It is a great area and not busy at all, with simply unlimited lakes to fish.  Also, bass fishing isn't popular  and most of the time power fishing and flipping for LM is the deal.  For pure fishing I like the lakes that are associated with the Mississippi river, but most are good.  

If interested, pm me and I will be glad to let you know where I have been. 

[DavidB]

A group of us fished Lake Michigan, just out of Sturgeon Bay, around Labor Day in 2016.  Our guide was Dale Stroschein, who owns Sand Bay Beach Resort and Suites, at Sturgeon Bay.  It's a beautiful place overlooking Green Bay.  We fished the same point on Lake Michigan, two days in a row--never left it.  The smallmouth were incredible, heavy bodied with "shoulders."  Attached are photos of just a few.  We fished heavy boulders and rocks in shallow water, with square bill crankbaits, small BPS swimbaits and wacky-rigged BPS stickbaits.  It's a great trip, if you can make it.  We're going back this September, virus permitting, then back to our favorite, Table Rock, in October.  Save some for us!

[96 CHAMP]

Reminds me of the smallmouth we used to catch down off of Route CC south of Alton Mo. Probably 35-40 years ago. I’m thinking it was Fourche creek, we used to fish Fourche lake a bit back then, don’t quote me on the creek arm, ran out of the eleven point river. We used to catch some huge small mouth out of there along with the numbers. What a time it was.

[Basscaster]

Take the Ferry to Washington Island at the End of Sturgeon Bay and stay on the Island.. or Fish > Little Bay De Noc to the North... >>>***Big Bay De Noc- You might see 5 boats all day during the week. Fall Salmon run the creeks and rivers too in the Fall. You probably will find some good vids on Youtube.

[196champ]

The place is just unreal, I've been going for the past 5 years or so.

Mostly toward the end of May, made 1 trip to Grand Traverse bay and hope to get back there next year.  Fished that in August, we had 3 boats and never saw another bass fishing in 9 days.

Sturgeon Bay has a bit more "competition" but still continues to produce.  We averaged 50 fish a day this year with BB being a 5.96

 

[Bill Babler]

Cannot thank you boys enough.  That ought to fire everyone up.

[skeeter]

On 7/10/2020 at 9:11 PM, Devan S. said:

Doesn't most of the northern states and even Canada have closed seasons. Not that you cannot fish but you cannot target and must release immediately?

Thus regulating pressure to some degree?

Nailed it.....no possession during Spawn season.  Massive fines and confiscation of all equipment used if caught disobeying.