Grand Rapids Area Fishing Report

Hello fellas!! I just got back from the Grand Rapids area. I completed a chemical dependency program and feel great!! It was a life changing experience for me. The fishing wasn’t bad either. After 19 straight days of lecture and meetings, I was cut loose to find some fish. I had 12 guys in my group and 3 of them wanted to join me on the ice. Rumor was the fish were not biting and it was slow in the area. Armed with a lake map from 1934 and our gear, we headed out to start searching some potential spots to fish.The lake we were on was a private lake around 296 acres and 17 miles north of Grand Rapids. Only two shacks on the lake and no signs of life. Day one was a bust. We worked our butts off for a few scrawny perch. We worked the deepest part of the lake and decided to work some edges in shallower water on day two.

I used my Vexilar FL-18 to shoot through the ice to find a break-line out from a main lake point. 20 feet of water on the deep side and 15 feet on top. I was able to pin-point the edge and marked fish right away. After cutting a few holes, it didn’t take long to connect with some dandy crappies and bluegills.

I was catching about 90 % of the fish. Two pound test, a sensitive rod, flasher, fatboy jigs and maggots were definitely in my favor. Two guys in my group were using bobbers with thick line on jiggle sticks. The third guy had a FL-8 but his 4 pound test and spring bobber were not producing. After lending out some rods, we all got into the action.

We caught over 100 crappies and bluegills in 3 days of fishing. We kept a few and the non-anglers in our group enjoyed a nice fish fry with us. It sure was nice to get back on the ice and can’t wait to bait a hook again.