MIBowhunter
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By Kenny Darwin
Michigan fishermen are fast discovering in order to catch spring walleyes — lots of them, big ‘uns too — it pays to concentrate fishing efforts on the state’s top waterways. Targeting these rivers and using fishing tactics that will help you catch more fish is a winning combination.
One thing is certain: In April world-class fishing is available to those who concentrate on the following rivers.
Trenton Channel/Detroit River
The Detroit River allows fishermen to get a jump on the walleye season, because it’s a Great Lakes connecting waterway and open to fishing all year. Walleyes begin staging in the lower Detroit in late March. By the first week in April, catches soar as fish migrate from Lake Erie into the river system to spawn. By mid-April, most anglers take limit catches using 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with lively minnows.
Launch at Elizabeth Park or Lake Erie Metropark. Most fishermen concentrate on the 12- to 16-foot depths near the warm-water discharge located by the two smoke stacks one mile downstream from the Elizabeth Park launch.
Early season fish school downstream from the discharge, because the river water temperature is warmer than the channel. Don’t overlook the drop-off near Humbug Marina, Celeron Island, and Horse Island. In late April most walleyes have migrated upstream from Elizabeth Park, and excellent catches come from the upper Trenton Channel and Detroit River.
Detroit River walleyes tend to hold close to the sharp bank along shore. Old-time Motown anglers use handlines and chug pencil plugs near bottom.
Most jig fishermen use electric motors to keep lines vertical. Work these jigs, tipped with a minnows, in the 12- to 30-foot depths found near shore. If water temperatures hit 50 degrees, switch from minnows to crawlers. Some Detroit guides like to use 6-inch black or brown plastic crawlers.
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee is closed from March 15 through the last Saturday in April, but on opening day, the fishing is spectacular. Limit catches are the norm for anglers who work the 4- to 8-foot holes and runs found from the Dow Dam to the mouth of the river where it enters the Saginaw. Try vertical jigging 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with a minnows, crawlers or Twister tails.
Some anglers take fish by casting or trolling cranks. If the water is low, scale down the jig to 1/8 or 1/16 ounce tipped with a live or plastic crawlers. Drift, cast, or drag the tiny offering along bottom for fast-paced excitement.
Good fishing with cranks is found from the mouth of the Tittabawassee upstream along the golf course to Center Street. The most popular section of river is found from Gratiot Road to the boat launch downstream from the Dow Dam at Gordonville Road.
The river makes a series of sharp bends upstream from Gratiot that attracts and holds walleyes. Fantastic concentrations hold in Borkovich Bend, a large hole named after conservation officer Mike Borkovich who would hide in the bushes overlooking the walleye hot spot.
If you encounter low water, use small jigs tipped with crawlers. Tittabawassee fish respond best to crawlers dragged or worked along bottom. High water requires heavier jigs fished vertically in holes and runs. Try back eddies and side channels if the water conditions are extra high and discolored.
St. Clair River
For some reason, the walleye fishing in St. Clair gets hot in late April through early May. During this time St. Clair serves up more walleyes, big fish too, than the Detroit system.
Night fishing accounts for the majority of the catches, although vertical jigging with minnows will take fish during the day.
Traditional St. Clair anglers anchor along the drop paralleling the channel and target walleyes coming from the deep water to the bank to feed. St. Clair anglers use heavy weights and three-way rigs armed with pencil plugs or stickbaits. A drop-back fishing method is used. The weight takes the minnow-imitating lure close to bottom, and the angler chugs or pulls the rod upriver, making the crank appear like a baitfish swimming into the current. After working the lure for a few minutes, more line is let off the reel and the rig is allowed to drift farther downstream, then the chugging action is repeated until fish are located.
At times, St. Clair fish become active at sunset; more often they turn on between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Hot spots are found in downtown Port Huron downstream from the Bluewater Bridge, at Marysville, at Marine City, and at mouth of the Bell River.
Muskegon River
The mighty Muskegon fills up with walleyes during March and early April. It’s one of the best walleye rivers on Michigan’s west coast because it has plenty of natural reproduction and stocks from the DNR.
On opening day, most of the fish are found upstream from Maple Island to Bridgetown. This section is more like steelhead water than a walleye river. Fish are caught by anglers drifting bobbers or bouncing bottom with leeches, crawlers, or flies; anglers fish much like trout fishermen.
Croton Dam is usually loaded with fish. Try small jigs tipped with minnows, wax worms, or crawlers suspended below bobbers and worked in the back eddy near the dam.
By late April, lots of fish drop back to the lower Muskegon and offer fantastic fishing to those jigging or split-shotting. Leeches and crawlers take the majority of fish from hot spots found near Mill Iron Road, off the end of Duck Lake Road, and the holes downstream from US-31.
Grand River
Most walleye fishermen overlook the Grand River, but generous plants by the DNR have created a splendid fishery.
Popular locations include query hole below the 6th Street Dam, River Crab hole, Eastmanville Bridge, the old Eastmanville gravel pits region, and deep water from Lamont to Grand Haven.
Split-shotting with crawlers will produce limit catches. Vertical jigging with leeches and crawlers is a sure bet in the deep river channel. Walleyes hold in the lower Grand until late May.
St. Joseph River
The lower St. Joseph River has been popular with walleye fishermen for over a decade. Sure, there are fish throughout the river system, some outstanding summer fishing upriver too, but large numbers of big fish tend to congregate in the lower river.
Upstream trolling, along with jigging bait, fools lower river fish that tend to hold from the mouth at St. Joe upstream six miles. Launch in Benton Township at exit 28 off I-94.
Weather conditions are a big factor in walleye success on the St. Joe. Heavy rain can turn the water the color of chocolate milk. When the water clears, try jigs painted lime green, chartreuse, orange, pink, and red.
Hope you try Michigan’s spring walleye rivers this season. The fishing is outstanding.
Michigan fishermen are fast discovering in order to catch spring walleyes — lots of them, big ‘uns too — it pays to concentrate fishing efforts on the state’s top waterways. Targeting these rivers and using fishing tactics that will help you catch more fish is a winning combination.
One thing is certain: In April world-class fishing is available to those who concentrate on the following rivers.
Trenton Channel/Detroit River
The Detroit River allows fishermen to get a jump on the walleye season, because it’s a Great Lakes connecting waterway and open to fishing all year. Walleyes begin staging in the lower Detroit in late March. By the first week in April, catches soar as fish migrate from Lake Erie into the river system to spawn. By mid-April, most anglers take limit catches using 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with lively minnows.
Launch at Elizabeth Park or Lake Erie Metropark. Most fishermen concentrate on the 12- to 16-foot depths near the warm-water discharge located by the two smoke stacks one mile downstream from the Elizabeth Park launch.
Early season fish school downstream from the discharge, because the river water temperature is warmer than the channel. Don’t overlook the drop-off near Humbug Marina, Celeron Island, and Horse Island. In late April most walleyes have migrated upstream from Elizabeth Park, and excellent catches come from the upper Trenton Channel and Detroit River.
Detroit River walleyes tend to hold close to the sharp bank along shore. Old-time Motown anglers use handlines and chug pencil plugs near bottom.
Most jig fishermen use electric motors to keep lines vertical. Work these jigs, tipped with a minnows, in the 12- to 30-foot depths found near shore. If water temperatures hit 50 degrees, switch from minnows to crawlers. Some Detroit guides like to use 6-inch black or brown plastic crawlers.
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee is closed from March 15 through the last Saturday in April, but on opening day, the fishing is spectacular. Limit catches are the norm for anglers who work the 4- to 8-foot holes and runs found from the Dow Dam to the mouth of the river where it enters the Saginaw. Try vertical jigging 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with a minnows, crawlers or Twister tails.
Some anglers take fish by casting or trolling cranks. If the water is low, scale down the jig to 1/8 or 1/16 ounce tipped with a live or plastic crawlers. Drift, cast, or drag the tiny offering along bottom for fast-paced excitement.
Good fishing with cranks is found from the mouth of the Tittabawassee upstream along the golf course to Center Street. The most popular section of river is found from Gratiot Road to the boat launch downstream from the Dow Dam at Gordonville Road.
The river makes a series of sharp bends upstream from Gratiot that attracts and holds walleyes. Fantastic concentrations hold in Borkovich Bend, a large hole named after conservation officer Mike Borkovich who would hide in the bushes overlooking the walleye hot spot.
If you encounter low water, use small jigs tipped with crawlers. Tittabawassee fish respond best to crawlers dragged or worked along bottom. High water requires heavier jigs fished vertically in holes and runs. Try back eddies and side channels if the water conditions are extra high and discolored.
St. Clair River
For some reason, the walleye fishing in St. Clair gets hot in late April through early May. During this time St. Clair serves up more walleyes, big fish too, than the Detroit system.
Night fishing accounts for the majority of the catches, although vertical jigging with minnows will take fish during the day.
Traditional St. Clair anglers anchor along the drop paralleling the channel and target walleyes coming from the deep water to the bank to feed. St. Clair anglers use heavy weights and three-way rigs armed with pencil plugs or stickbaits. A drop-back fishing method is used. The weight takes the minnow-imitating lure close to bottom, and the angler chugs or pulls the rod upriver, making the crank appear like a baitfish swimming into the current. After working the lure for a few minutes, more line is let off the reel and the rig is allowed to drift farther downstream, then the chugging action is repeated until fish are located.
At times, St. Clair fish become active at sunset; more often they turn on between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Hot spots are found in downtown Port Huron downstream from the Bluewater Bridge, at Marysville, at Marine City, and at mouth of the Bell River.
Muskegon River
The mighty Muskegon fills up with walleyes during March and early April. It’s one of the best walleye rivers on Michigan’s west coast because it has plenty of natural reproduction and stocks from the DNR.
On opening day, most of the fish are found upstream from Maple Island to Bridgetown. This section is more like steelhead water than a walleye river. Fish are caught by anglers drifting bobbers or bouncing bottom with leeches, crawlers, or flies; anglers fish much like trout fishermen.
Croton Dam is usually loaded with fish. Try small jigs tipped with minnows, wax worms, or crawlers suspended below bobbers and worked in the back eddy near the dam.
By late April, lots of fish drop back to the lower Muskegon and offer fantastic fishing to those jigging or split-shotting. Leeches and crawlers take the majority of fish from hot spots found near Mill Iron Road, off the end of Duck Lake Road, and the holes downstream from US-31.
Grand River
Most walleye fishermen overlook the Grand River, but generous plants by the DNR have created a splendid fishery.
Popular locations include query hole below the 6th Street Dam, River Crab hole, Eastmanville Bridge, the old Eastmanville gravel pits region, and deep water from Lamont to Grand Haven.
Split-shotting with crawlers will produce limit catches. Vertical jigging with leeches and crawlers is a sure bet in the deep river channel. Walleyes hold in the lower Grand until late May.
St. Joseph River
The lower St. Joseph River has been popular with walleye fishermen for over a decade. Sure, there are fish throughout the river system, some outstanding summer fishing upriver too, but large numbers of big fish tend to congregate in the lower river.
Upstream trolling, along with jigging bait, fools lower river fish that tend to hold from the mouth at St. Joe upstream six miles. Launch in Benton Township at exit 28 off I-94.
Weather conditions are a big factor in walleye success on the St. Joe. Heavy rain can turn the water the color of chocolate milk. When the water clears, try jigs painted lime green, chartreuse, orange, pink, and red.
Hope you try Michigan’s spring walleye rivers this season. The fishing is outstanding.
