TRENTON, Mich. — What happens when you take one of the best fisheries in the country, give it a week off from tournaments, and have perfect weather to transition fish to summer haunts?
We’re about to find out when the Michigan Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine kicks off its season on the Detroit River July 11.
What to expect
There really is no bad time to launch a boat on the Detroit River. Whether an angler heads north to Lake St. Clair, south to Lake Erie or stays right in the river, the potential for a 20-plus-pound bag of smallmouth is always there.
But with how things are setting up for the BFL, local Nolan Mandel says the weights could be the best of the entire season.
“The fishing should be absolutely phenomenal for the event,” the two-time reigning Michigan Division Angler of the Year said. “Everything is lining up perfectly.”
Those conditions started with a cold spring and a late spawn, which made the fishing tough up until a week or so ago, when the weather suddenly turned up the heat. That heat wave should push the fish quickly to summer haunts – and do so over the Fourth of July holiday, when there will be no tournaments.
Thus, by the time the BFL launches, Mandel said the anglers should be dealing with some “dumb” fish ready to bite.
The only issue could be having too many places to find them.
Finding a fresh, deep school in St. Clair and maximizing the 3-hour window with forward-facing sonar is how Mandel thinks the tournament will be won. That said, Lake Erie is a wild card that always has the potential for a monster bag. Plus, there should be some mayflies still around, allowing anglers to catch fish on some “fun stuff.”
Basically, catching fish will not be an issue.
“Honestly, this tournament could be the best tournament we have all summer,” Mandel said.
Baits to bring
Deep will probably be the predominant pattern in this event. That will mean a lot of drop-shots, jighead minnows, finesse jigs and tubes. If the water slicks off, a spybait could come in handy.
But those are the normal standbys. For those looking to delve into the “fun stuff” Mandel alluded, that’d be topwaters, jerkbaits, swimbaits, hair jigs and light tubes up shallow, and possibly even sight fishing giant loners in the rivers or on shallow flats.
What will it take?
As mentioned before, the fishing had been stingy for most the spring. Then, the water got warm, and back-to-back team tournaments took 26 pounds to win. Erie produced a 23-pound bag, and 20 pounds seems to be a baseline.
So, even though this is an individual event, Mandel sees no reason to not expect someone – and possibly multiple anglers – cracking the 25-pound mark.