by Kevin VanDam

Time to Think Smallmouth with Kevin VanDamLate September means one thing to me: Michigan Smallmouth!

As any Michiana bass fisherman will tell you, there is no better time for smallmouth fishing – and no better place to consistently catch numbers of big ones – than in northern Michigan from now until the middle of October.

The smallies have already begun their shallow movements up there, but I really believe the best bite will occur a little later this year due to the hot, dry summer.

Normally, if you want to plan a trip and be safe with the weather, late September is a good choice. The fish will bite real well into October, but the weather can get dicey after about the first week of October. On the other hand, the fish tend to run bigger that time of year and you can catch them right up until the lakes freeze.

The bass start putting on the feed when daytime temperatures hover with a high no more than 65 and it gets better as water temps get down into the 50s.

If you arrive on the front end of the shallow migration, the fish are more scattered, so reactionary baits become the best way to locate them. I’ll use a Strike King Burner Spinnerbait, my new Slash Jerkbait, or a Sexy Dawg topwater to find them.

When the water cools into the 50s or lower, baits like the Coffee Tube, drop shot and jigs work better. The fish are bunched up and the schools are larger.

I like the Traverse City area because there is so much diversity there. The smaller lakes scattered on the nearby countryside tend to cool down quicker and the movement begins sooner, yet big waters like Grand Traverse Bay and Charlevoix are excellent, too, especially a little later.

One of the drawbacks to northern fishing is the wind blows often and hard up there. That can make the big water tough to fish if you have a small boat, but there are plenty of smaller lakes nearby that are fishable in a heavy wind. Nearly all of them have smallmouth. I’d suggest you pick up a lake map book that shows ramps and lake locations in Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie counties.

One of my favorite things to do is get to explore some of the smaller lakes that don’t get a lot of attention. I’ve been fishing up there for 30 years and still haven’t fished all the lakes, yet nearly all of them have quality smallmouth.

Of course, don’t overlook Lake St. Clair near Detroit, which has been as good as ever for smallmouth. The sheer numbers of big fish in that lake right now are amazing, and in the fall, your chances of catching 5 and 6 pounders are very good.

However, it’s a big, shallow and open body of water which makes it dangerous in a lot of wind. Be sure to check the forecast before you head over there.

So get out your maps, pack up your coldwater gear and head into northern Michigan or over to Lake St. Clair. You’re gonna be amazed at the fishing you will discover.