X-Raps and the Grand River aren't producing much for me...

[SgtSabre]

I hit the Grand River south of Lansing today. I used a gold Mepp's Aglia (size three) and hit a few smallmouth bass. Biggest one was only about ten inches.

I threw my new Rainbow Trout-colored X-rap on and I couldn't get much of anything. I yanked it, cranked it, supended it, pulled it, and jigged it. Nothin'. No smallmouth, no walleye (I've caught one in this stretch of river before). Got one small largemouth that nipped at it and got hooked.

I dunno what was goin' on. People rave about these things, so they can't be all bad. Anybody else getting skunked with X-Raps?

And what's up with all of the little fish in the Grand? I have fished it quite a bit this summer and have only come up with sub-10" smallmouth, one 18" (about) pike, one very nice largemouth, and one 13.5" walleye. Just about all fish I've caught from the Grand have been way under-size. Is this everybody's experience?

[wally-eye]

GOLD X RAPS RULE..............

Rip it down with a nice jerk and then wait 10 seconds and then rip again.....and then hang on.....AND I MEAN WAIT A FULL 10 SECONDS....

[chamookman]

Could be the color, Smallies can be VERY color selective at times. Have had some good days using X Raps. Bob

[SgtSabre]

GOLD X RAPS RULE..............

Rip it down with a nice jerk and then wait 10 seconds and then rip again.....and then hang on.....AND I MEAN WAIT A FULL 10 SECONDS....

You mean give it a yank and then let it suspend for ten seconds?

[chamookman]

The stop-go-pause retrieve works best in cooler (Spring/Fall) temps. When the Bass are in high gear (Summer temps), a fast snapping retrieve will work much better. Make a cast, and snap the rodtip down - quickly reel the slack up - snap it down again -quickly reel the slack up, continue this for the entire cast. This is the same as "Walking the Dog" with a surface jump bait. Fast retrieve - You can cover much more area, and with the Smallies metabalisim on high, it will trigger a reaction strike - Hope this all makes sense :fish: ! Good Luck fishing - Bob

[SgtSabre]

Well, that's pretty much what I was doing. Perhaps I just wasn't doing it in the right places, or my colors were off.

I'm really targeting Walleye, though. Should I fish the lure the same?

[chamookman]

Yeah - I'd fish it the same, Walleyes are notorious "followers" and the darting action of the snap retrieve should work. I'm thinkin' You need to try some differant colors - Hot Steel or Purple Ghost might be good choises. Good Luck - Bob

[smoke73]

Try the clown color. It has work well for me on the walleyes. Small Mouth?... I have had better success with the crayfish colors.

[StormBud]

SgtSabre,
I too fish the Grand south of Lansing, alot. I have also noticed alot of small fish. I don't have trouble catching larger Walleye, in fact my buddy caught a 29 incher, but I have always wondered why the Pike are always so small. I have caught hundreds of "hammer handles" but I think the biggest I have seen out of there is about 2 feet.

[Splitshot]

I also fished the Grand yesterday, only west of Lansing. I have caught plenty of nice walleye, smallmouts, catfish and other fish, but I didn't catch one bruiser yesterday either. This was the biggest smallmouth.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/medium/08-12-06_smallmouth.jpg

I did catch quite a few of them this size and a few panfish, but no walleye or catfish.

Lots of weeds in the river.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/551/08-12-06_weeds.jpg

Lots of birds and other wildlife along the river including this sandpiper.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/08-12-06_sandpiper.jpg

I did hear some people were catching some good catfish at dusk and after dark in deep water. Some of them were putting in as I finished. The wind died and the weather was perfect. I should have stayed. lol
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/08-12-06_G_River_reflection.jpg

Later in the week I'm going to try it downstream a little further to see if anything has changed.

[waterfoul]

You want bigger fish in the Grand? Come on downtown!! The carp are biting in G.R.! LOL!!!

Seriously though... a gentleman fishing 20' from me yesterday morning at 6th street caught several decent smallies which were released, and a nice keeper (I'm guessing at 16") eye which he took home. Crawlers were his bait of choice.

[Splitshot]

I spent the day looking for access points between Lansing and Ionia. Found some, but some long stretches below Grand Ledge without a takeout.

I did well at the carp outing so what you say about downtown Grand Rapids is correct, but I'm looking at stuff within 30 miles. I'll find some sooner or later. lol

[steelhead05]

got a limit of eyes on the grand yesterday all between 17-22inches

[SgtSabre]

I don't have trouble catching larger Walleye, in fact my buddy caught a 29 incher...

:SHOCKED:

I think I'd be happy with that!!

The stretch of river I have been concentrating on is the section adjascent to Burchfield County Park in Ingham County (Includes the Riverbend Park and McNamera Landing). It's supposed to be good fishing there.

Anybody else fish this stretch specifically? There is a very deep hole just upstream from Riverbend (Looks like at least six feet, even with the extremely low river conditions right now) that looks like a great Walleye hiding spot.

[DaveW731]

:SHOCKED:

I think I'd be happy with that!!

The stretch of river I have been concentrating on is the section adjascent to Burchfield County Park in Ingham County (Includes the Riverbend Park and McNamera Landing). It's supposed to be good fishing there.

Anybody else fish this stretch specifically? There is a very deep hole just upstream from Riverbend (Looks like at least six feet, even with the extremely low river conditions right now) that looks like a great Walleye hiding spot.

I fished that specific spot once a few years ago, did not do well. Since then,
I put the canoe w/ 28lb thrust MinnKota in at McNamera, go upstream from there and do quite well for smallies. Not a lot of size, but good numbers with the occasional 15" fish. That area seems consistantly "deep", i.e., more than 3' in most areas with good amounts of blowdowns and other cover. I don't know exactly how far upstream I have gone, but it was far enough to get into some open pasture land on the south side of the river. Plastic baits, (Senko-style, 4" Superflukes) Rapalas, 1/4 oz crankbaits all seemed to work.

[Oldgrandman]

got a limit of eyes on the grand yesterday all between 17-22inches

Do you know an electrician named Dave?

[steelhead05]

Do you know an electrician named Dave?
cant say I do

[SgtSabre]

Time for an update:

I caught a legal walleye, finally. I switched from an X-Rap to a Mepp's spinner and had him within three minutes. Maybe the intense vibration and flash of the spinner made it more effective in the murky water?

I did get some luck with smallmouth with a "purple-gold" X-Rap in another spot between Riverbend and McNamera Landing. I lost my "clown" X-Rap and the above-mentioned spinner there, though :(

I have another question, too. I've been using the smaller X-Raps (XR-8. 3.5" length, is it?). Do most of you use the smaller ones, or the XR-10s?