| Michigan Rivers: Grand River Access |
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| Written by Brian Frawley |
| Tuesday, 08 November 2011 20:47 |
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Floating some of the best water on the Grand River GPS Coordinates: N 42 48.002 W 84 50.328  Click picture to open gallery.
The first access that is worth launching from is the Clintonia Road access. The launch is actually closer to Eagle, Michigan than Portland. The access is really two parts, one to launch, and one to park. Do not park along side the road as the launch is not designed for it. This launch is not listed by the DNR or any other website that I could find. As you can see from the pictures a trailered boat can be launched on the river. I am not sure who is responsible for maintaining the launch and parking area. This is a long stretch of the Grand to float as the next access is around 10 miles down stream. This stretch is not my favorite to float but it does have some deep water and some rocky bottom that the smallmouth prefer. It does have some really shallow spots that when water levels are low you will be getting out and dragging the boat. It is a nice straight shot to the take out point at charlotte highway. Plan to float for the day to the Charlotte highway access to take out.
GPS Coordinates: N 42 48.912 W 84 53.695  Click picture to open gallery.
Charlotte highway is a great launch to put in or take out. The launch seems to be owned by the DNR but it is not listed on their site as an access to the river. Most any Stillwater boat can be launched or recovered from this site. The river downstream from here is deeper and has lots of structure that seems to appeal more to the smallmouth and carp. The river also bends more and because the river travels though the Portland State Game Area it is really quiet and peaceful. Charlotte highway as a starting point will allow you to do a half day or full day float, as the access is fairly good from here downstream. There is plenty of parking here and the current gets you going downstream. A full day float would be to the city of Portland (13 miles) and the half day float would be to the Erdman road access (4 miles).
GPS Coordinates: N 42 48.855 W 84 56.169  Click picture to open gallery.
Erdman road launch is like a great secret. The sign marking the road is down so you need GPS to find the road. We are unsure who is in change of maintaining this launch but it is very well maintained. Take out here from Charlotte Highway 4 miles up river and you will have had a nice half day float. Launch here to Portland and you will have a nice 9 mile float. The launch can handle any Stillwater boat, that is trailered. The fishing from this launch down is really good and is in the heart of the portland game area. Make sure you park far enough off the circle so that no one is blocked.
Towner Road Access GPS Coordinates: N 42 49.406 W 84 55.869  Click picture to open gallery.
Towner Road access is the official DNR access in the Portland State Game area this is also the worst access and launch you will find for this stretch of river. I normally support the DNR but in this case they have really dropped the ball! The first issue is that parts of the road have suffered large amounts of erosion from rain and the road in really requires a four wheel drive ride the DNR needs to sign that before cars go down the one lane dirt and gravel road. The DNR should also make one way roads as passing an on coming car or truck is very difficult. If you make it to the parking area, congratulations, plenty of parking for a fairly useless launch. The launch is very narrow trail and then a steep bank down to the water...this means only kayaks and canoes can be launched and it will not be easy. It really is a shame that the DNR launch is the worst one on this stretch of the river. I understand that the budget is tight but this could be a great launch with fixed road and a graded launch down to the water.
GPS Coordinates: N 42 52.044 W 84 54.608  Click picture to open gallery.
Thompson Field access is right in Portland and is a launch that will handle all types of stillwater craft I generally take out at this launch however you can launch here and float down to Portland Dam for a short half day or after work float. The brick walkway is also for vehicles with trailers, so don't be shy about backing your trailer onto the pathway. The only hang up is the small wooden wall that makes it slightly harder to recover a 16 foot drift boat. This was installed so really only canoes and kayaks can use this launch, however small drift boats can use it as well.
Two Rivers Park GPS Coordinates: N 42 52.236 W 84 54.041  Click picture to open gallery.
Two Rivers Park Access puts you on the grand river but it is on the last 100 yards or so of the Looking Glass River before it dumps into the Grand River. You can launch a small drift boats, canoes or kayaks. The park is really designed to launch car top boats and trailers are hard to turn around and maneuver in the parking lot this is especially true in the summer time when the lot is really busy you would be better off to launch at Thompson field. This launch is also better to put in on the Grand and not as a take out, unless you don't mind the upstream row to access the launch.
GPS Coordinates: N 42 53.314 W 84 55.828  Click picture to open gallery.
The Portland dam is the downstream limit of this article though the fishing below the dam is quite good for smallmouth bass. The launch will handle any boat and some fisherman will launch a motor boat and move up river, as the water in this section is deep and the current slows down. This part of the river is the back water or impoundment of the dam and the current slows considerably. The launch allows you a really good take out that is easy. There really is not a put in for anything larger then a kayak, below the dam to cover down river water and thats a shame as the river fishes well below the dam and would be great for a drift boat.
Happy floating!!!!! |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 January 2012 21:02 |
