Lake Selections (part 2)

I've got so many ideas I don't know where to start but with the December club meeting only two days away I need to get focused. I started thinking the other day how the club used to do things and for years it seemed like we went twice for out of towners ( two seperate tournaments) which would take up four of the clubs' events. I didn't like that format but have recently heard a few members may want to revisit it which is the beauty of this meeting, you never know what will happen. I've gone several years and thought I know how it would shake out but I was usually way off.

As I stated before, I like lakes that suit my fishing style and that I have confidence on. I like running and gunning and catching alot of fish and don't consider finesse fishing a strength of mine and plan on voting accordingly. Here are a few of my ideas on "local lakes" I'd like to see?

Michigan Center (twice): It's close, everyone knows it well and it fished really well last year. I can't tell you how many times we've gone to a lake during the "dog days" of summer and thought that it made more sense fishing closer to home and struggling as opposed to traveling and having the same tough bite. We always seem to draw a good crowd there as well so I will nominate it two times, hopefully once early in the season and then again late in the year.

St. Clair/Detroit River: LSC is a mainstay but since it's considered the best lake in the state, why only once? Double Digit limits are common even during the heat of the summer and everyone loves smallmouth so I will nominate this two times as well. But I think instead of launching from Harly both times, why not launch closer to the south shore or in the mouth of the Detroit River for one event. This would make the south shore accessable to everyone as well as the river. A lot of club guys ran down there anyway during last years event so it makes good sense. The lake has a lot more gravel and current closer to the river making it a great late summer destination and the St. Jean launch is located just inside the river, making this an ideal location.

Lake Ovid: I know weights were down last year but Matt showed us what swims in this body of water. The fishing was pretty crappy that time of year everywhere so I think this would be an ideal mid-summer locale, maybe even an "out of towner". I'ts close but has a great launch and an adjoining state park for camping. I believe this could be a great summer event and not having to deal with recreational boat traffic was awesome. I think the flipping bite and the frog bite could be on earlier in the year and it just fishes differently than most other lakes around here making it intriguing.

I also love fishing new bodies of water and I have one targeted in 2011 that's not too far and will offer a different challenge than we're used to. The Grand River will be my new lake I vote for this year and I've got several reasons to do so. Tourney Director Scott Hartman and Matt Zelienka have fished it several times and it sounds very interesting. It covers about 8 miles of shoreline and runs from Diamondale to Lansing. It has current, rip-rap, points, coves, wood and rock, just about everything possible to fish. You can also get out of the current in small backwater areas so you can fish anyway you probably want to. This venue is also fairly close, it's located just west of 127 off of 496 so we should draw a pretty decent crowd. I love fishing crankbaits and feel I could do this on the river but Scott says senko, frogs, grubs and jigs also do well up there. I hope this one gets voted in.

I may change a few things up between now and Thursday and the way things go I may not get any of these voted in but it's worth discussing hopefully a few get on the schedule. This cold weather has not deterred my enthusiasm for this meeting and hopefully we'll get a good turnout. Hope to see everyone Thursday at 7.