Grand River Fishing Guide
Spanning over 250 miles, the Grand is the longest river in the state of Michigan. From trophy smallmouth bass to salmon and migratory trout, there are a variety of fish to pursue in the Grand River.
It has been said that the Grand River has one of the strongest runs of steelhead in the state. Having fished the Grand River since the 80’s, along with other area rivers as well, I would have to agree. Grand River steelhead typically start showing up in force around mid-October. October, November and December fall steelhead fishing can be spectacular with the possibility for some big number days. January and February steelhead fishing can not be taken for granted either. Depending on what kind of a winter we have, great steelhead fishing can last throughout the colder months. Usually from late February through the month of April, big numbers of steelhead migrate into the Grand River from Lake Michigan on their annual spawning run. The most well-known area to steelhead fish the Grand River is the 6th street dam in downtown Grand Rapids. We do utilize this area of the river when conditions require, but we much prefer to fish the water both up and downstream where there is less congestion, and the scenery is better. Lake trout along with King and Coho salmon also migrate into the Grand during fall, and encounters with migratory brown trout are a possibility during the fall, winter and spring.
During the warmer months of the year, the smallmouth bass become our main target species. The smallmouth fishery on the Grand River is fantastic. Good numbers of smallmouth with opportunities for large fish can be expected on our Grand River guide trips. The Grand also has good populations of largemouth bass, walleye and northern pike. We run our warm-water species guide trips on the Grand River in the Grand Rapids area as well as both up and downstream of town and are never beating on the same section of river day after day. Outside of the city limits, the Grand is a very scenic river and we have encounters with all different kinds of wildlife.
I have fished the Grand River and its tributaries since my teenage years. I know the areas of the river to find fish during all four seasons of the year and have the experience to adapt to the everchanging river conditions. If you are looking for a Grand River steelhead guide or a Grand River smallmouth guide (warm-water species), please consider River Trek Guide Service. Call (616) 813-5989 or send email inquiries to steel-header@live.com.