FISHERY SPOTLIGHT
SAGINAw BAY AND SAGINAW RIVER
By Sean Ostruszka
G reat Lakes tournaments often mean two things : big waves and big smallmouths .
Whether it ’ s Lake Erie , Lake Ontario , the St . Lawrence River , Lake St . Clair , the Detroit River , Sturgeon Bay or Green Bay – all recent sites of top-level Major League Fishing events – the story has seemingly been the same time and again .
So , seeing Saginaw Bay and the adjoining Saginaw River as the seventh and final stop of the 2023 Bass Pro Tour regular season , it ’ d be safe to assume we ’ re about to watch another drool-fest of giant brown fish .
… and you ’ d probably be wrong ( kind of ).
“ I think guys are going to be surprised when they get up here ,” Jonathon VanDam said . “ And , I think the secret of this place is going to finally get out .”
a different kind of bay
Any time we ’ re talking about the Great Lakes , we ’ re talking about massive bodies of water . Seeing as Saginaw Bay is part of Lake Huron , the Michigan fishery is no different in that respect . We ’ re talking 1,143 square miles of water , and that doesn ’ t include the Saginaw River , which is 22 miles long .
For the longest time , walleye and perch have dominated the fishing talk in the region , as both are world class . In fact , according to VanDam , it hasn ’ t been until recent years that even local bass tournaments have started popping up here , let alone regional or top-tier events .
Why it took so long for the bass-tournament crowd to catch on , VanDam doesn ’ t really know , but he certainly knows why there are increasing numbers on the schedule , and why the Bass Pro Tour is coming .
“ No joke , Saginaw Bay is the best fishery in Michigan right now ,” VanDam said . “ And it ’ s probably not going to fish as well as it could because the water levels are down a little since we didn ’ t get a lot of ice this winter . The place fishes the best when the water is higher , but it will still be incredible fishing .”
Considering that the state of Michigan can lay claim to Lake Erie , the Detroit River and Lake St . Clair , along with countless incredible smaller bodies of water , calling it “ the best ” is an eyebrow-raising statement . Then again , with what VanDam shared about the fishery , he backs it up .
florida of the north
“ It looks like Lake Okeechobee .”
Yes , you read that right . That ’ s how VanDam describes the rim of the bay and a good portion of the river , and for good reason : Saginaw Bay resembles the Big O quite a bit .
You see , Saginaw Bay actually contains the largest contiguous freshwater coastal wetland system in the United States . It ’ s a waterfowl hunter ’ s dream of marshes , reeds , matted vegetation and the like , just like what you ’ d find down on Lake Okeechobee . The river is much like the bay , only with more current and more laydowns , but still chock full of vegetation .
Where you find all that vegetation , you ’ re going to find plenty of bass – and we do mean plenty .
“ It ’ s nothing to go out and get 75 to 100 bites a day largemouth fishing up there ,” VanDam said . “ And you ’ re doing it in the most fun way possible : flipping , punching with a 65- pound braid and big weights , and frogging . If the BPT was still the catch-all-you-can format , largemouth would dominate , and you ’ d see some really big numbers . Possibly record-breaking numbers .”
There ’ s plenty of quality to go with those numbers , as 15 to 18 pounds is about average , with 20-pound limits still very possible . Hence , VanDam expects a good portion of the field to stay in the bay and river and never worry about going to the big water .
brown risks
Yes , the largemouth fishing can be ridiculous ; but VanDam admits if a guy wants to win , it ’ s usually smallmouth that take it home .
“ A guy can definitely make the Top 10 fishing for largemouth , but smallmouth usually win up there ,” he said . “ You ’ re talking average bags between 20 and 24 pounds , with bags over 25 pounds very possible . So , ( smallmouth ) are a huge X- factor but also a huge risk .”
Again , Saginaw Bay is massive , and guys looking to chase brown fish may have to run 50 miles out to the best spots – which can be nothing compared to the runs guys make on the St . Lawrence River and is kind of the norm for other
76 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | JUNE-JULY 2023