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Michigan's longest river. Lansing to the 6th Street Dam smallmouth and catfish water. The river tops out around 14 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Grand River maps at 9,415 acres behind 214.9 miles of shoreline, with 23 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 15.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 59.8 mi end to end and 13 mi across at its widest. It sits in Ionia County. Tupper Lake sits 8 mi south — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 4 to 14 ft game here, winter a 4 to 14 ft one. Start at Riffle & run (mile 8.7). It's a rock pile holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 36.0) (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 14 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 14 ft, and they winter in 4 to 14 ft. Spring walleye concentrate at Lowhead weir tailrace, a prime-rated dam tailrace around 12 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & night | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 4 to 14 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1): a creek channel around 11 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.6) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (11 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 4 to 14 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 14 ft, winter 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Tailout eddy (mile 0.6): an eddy pocket around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.6) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.6) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.6) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 0.6) (8 ft) |
Early season freshwater drum use the shallows, holding in 4 to 14 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 14 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 14 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 11 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (11 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (11 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Spring puts steelhead in skinny water — 2 to 14 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 14 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 14 ft. Current seam (mile 36.0) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for summer steelhead. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. An orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 36.0) (8 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 2 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 36.0) (8 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 2 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (12 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 36.0) (8 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Grand River also holds chinook salmon (4 to 14 ft in summer), rock bass (4 to 14 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 58 features, led in depth by Lowhead weir tailrace at roughly 12 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29 | Walleye | 245,000 | ~0.3" |
| Apr 29 | Walleye | 247,500 | ~0.3" |
| Apr 29 | Walleye | 450,000 | ~0.3" |
| Apr 28 | Rainbow trout | 8,121 | ~18.4" |
| Apr 27 | Walleye | 850,000 | ~0.3" |
| Apr 27 | Rainbow trout | 23,978 | ~18.7" |
| Apr 27 | Walleye | 249,500 | ~0.3" |
| Apr 22 | Coho salmon | 2,099 | ~13.8" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Grand River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Grand River is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, steelhead, chinook salmon, rock bass on Grand River.
Riffle & run (mile 8.7) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Grand River was most recently stocked Apr 29 with 245,000 walleye. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Grand River is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Tupper Lake 8 mi · Jordan Lake 9 mi · Woodard Lake 13 mi · Saddlebag Lake 13 mi · Carr Lake 13 mi · Long Lake 14 mi · Sugarbush Lake 16 mi · Leach Lake 17 mi · Campau Lake 18 mi · Big Pine Island Lake 19 mi · Hart Lake (northwest) 20 mi · Algonquin Lake 20 mi
See how Grand River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best channel catfish lakes in Michigan · best freshwater drum lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.