By Mark
Romanack
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Channel cats like this monster are a riot to catch and they are most often found living in rivers. |
The point is simple, Michigan rivers
are an amazingly rich fishing resource and just about everyone can tap into the
fishing fun with a modest investment in equipment. The vast majority of my
river fishing is conducted from a modest 16 foot fishing boat equipped with a
small outboard motor, electric motor, sonar unit and some rod holders. From
this fishing platform there is little a river based angler can’t accomplish.
RODS/REELS
Just two basic rod and reel
combinations will handle the majority of the river fishing situations an angler
is likely to face. A medium/light action graphite spinning rod is a work horse
for a multitude of jig and rig fishing chores. To this rod I match up a 25
series spinning reel loaded to capacity with 10# test superbraid line.
A second outfit is handy for fishing
heavy rigs and a wealth of river trolling chores. A 7’ medium action
baitcasting rod and matching reel is the near perfect choice for river action.
I personally favor round style baitcasters because they have larger line
capacity than the low profile models designed for bass fishing. In the interest
of keeping things simple, I recommend loading this baitcasting reel with 20#
superbraid fishing line.
Equipped with just these two rod/reel
options I can jig, rig, troll, drift and cast nearly any lure or live bait rig
imaginable.
UNDERSTANDING
FLOWING WATER
The real key to catching fish in any
river is understanding how fish relate to flowing water. All rivers have
similar characteristics. Water moving downstream is moving faster at the
surface than near the bottom. The reason is friction created as the water
passes over bottom substrate slows down the flow slightly near the bottom. This
is precisely why most river fish spend the majority of their time on or very
near the bottom. The reduced current flow allows fish to lay in wait for the
current to wash food within easy reach.
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Trolling in rivers is a productive way to catch a wealth of species. |
Other less obvious current breaks
include depressions in the bottom, big flats and long deep holes. These places
experience a natural slowing of the current as the water is spread out over a
wider area. River bends are also fish magnets but for a different reason. In a
river bend current is forced to speed up and deep holes are often scoured into
the river bottom. These holes make for ideal holding water for a wealth of
river species.
Some current breaks like bridge pilings
can be easily spotted and sight fished. Others like depressions in the bottom
require sonar to locate and stay on.
FORGET
ABOUT FINESSE FISHING
One of the biggest mistakes I see river
anglers making is they try to finesse the bite. Using light rods, light lines
and light lures has a place in the trout or salmon stream, but river fishing
for warm water species like bass, walleye, pike or cats isn’t about finesse.
Catching these fish is most often about making contact with bottom and staying
there.
My simple rule of thumb is to use
whatever lure or weight is needed to easily make contact with bottom. If I’m
struggling to make contact with bottom, chances are I’m struggling to catch
fish.
Let’s use lead head jigs as an example.
If after fishing for 30 or 40 minutes your nicely painted jigs don’t have the
paint chipped off the bottom, chances are you’re not making firm enough contact
with the bottom!
It really doesn’t matter if a jig or
rig weight is used to make contact with bottom. The important point is to use
enough weight to make that contact obvious and easy to maintain.
TWO
FAVORITE SET UPS
There are literally hundreds of ways to
attack rivers and target the fish that live in them. Most of the time I find
myself falling back on two tried and true set ups that routinely produce lots
of rod pounding action.
A simple tight line jig set
up will catch just about anything that swims. My personal choice is to use
spinning gear for jig fishing. I tie the 10# spectra braid main line to a 24
inch leader of 10# test fluorocarbon line using a Double Uni Knot. At the
terminal end I tie the jig directly to the fluorocarbon line.
My all time favorite jighead
design is the Odd Ball produced by Bait Rigs Tackle. This long shank jig
features a rounded stand-up style head that allows me to vertical jig, cast or
drag the jig on bottom without having to switch jighead types. A extra large
eye tie makes it possible to retie jigs without first having to break paint
from the hook eye or search for a pair of reading glasses!
The Odd Ball can be readily fished with
live bait, soft plastics or a combination of both. This unique jig design can
also be Texas rigged with grub bodies making it snagless and easier to fish
among bottom debris.
This simple set up keeps the bait in
contact with bottom and the angler in direct contact with anything that touches
the bait.
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White bass are just one of the species routinely found in rivers. |
The three way rig can be used to fish
all kinds of live bait or artificial lures, but I favor a shallow diving
crankbait about three to four inches long. I view this rig as a tool ideal for
hunting up active fish. A crankbait can be fished faster than live bait
presentations, allowing me to cover more water while searching out fish. Once
fish are located, I most often switch gears to a different presentation like
jigging that’s more precise and better suited to catching fish on specific
spots.
CELEBRATE
THE VARIETY
River fishing is kind of like the
famous “box of chocolates” made famous in the Forest Gump movie. You really
never know what’s going to bite when you target Michigan’s many warm water
river systems. Some species are highly prized like walleye or smallmouth and
others like sheepshead or catfish not so much. To me it doesn’t matter what
bites so long as I’m catching fish and sharing the experience with others. In
short, I like all the chocolates in the box.
MARK'S FAVORITE WARM WATER RIVERS
Saginaw
River, from downtown Saginaw to Downtown Bay City. Great for walleye,
smallmouth, channel catfish and largemouth bass.
Grand
River, downstream from the 6th Street Bridge to the wastewater treatment plant.
Good fishing for walleye, channel catfish, smallmouth and steelhead in the
spring.
Kalamazoo
River, downstream from US 196 bridge. Excellent smallmouth, good walleye and
outstanding action on cats and drum.
Detroit
River, Fighting Island area is outstanding for walleye, smallmouth, whitebass
and the occasional musky.