Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Today

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your Lake St. Clair fishing guru, comin' at ya from the chilly shores on this crisp December 19th mornin' at 8:40 AM. Winter's grip is tight, but the bite's heatin' up under that thin ice formin' across the big lake and its bays.

Weather's playin' nice today—mild highs pushin' the thaw a bit per 419 Fishing Outdoors reports, with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s, light winds from the southwest, and partly cloudy skies. Sunrise hit at 8:00 AM, sunset around 5:05 PM, givin' ya about 9 hours of light. No real tides on St. Clair, but water levels steady from recent Detroit River flow, keepin' things predictable.

Ice is inchin' closer to fishable per Michigan Outdoors Report drone footage—Saginaw Bay and northern spots like Burt Lake are buildin', but St. Clair's shallower bays like Anchor and Metro are seein' 4-10 inches in spots. Stay safe, check local eyes. Fish activity's solid early season: perch, crappie, gills, and channel cats hammerin' drop-offs in 5-10 feet over sand-mud mixes, as shared by 419 Fishing Outdoors from Dec 18 trips. Walleyes are keyin' on first ice too, with recent catches includin' limits of 15-20 perch strings, handfuls of 10-12 inch crappie, and bonus cats up to 5 pounds. Smallmouth and largemouth still prowlin' open channels if you're boat-bound.

Best lures? Dark jigs tipped with wax worms crushin' 'em—go 1/16 to 1/8 oz for perch and pannies. Dead sticks with nightcrawlers or worms work magic on cats. For walleyes through ice, blade baits and spoons like those MUST-haves from Joe Bauer vids. Live minnows or soft plastics if open water.

Hot spots: Hit the drop-offs off Selfridge DNR launch in Anchor Bay for perch action, or Metro Beach shallows where mud meets sand for crappie slabs. Bundle up, drill test holes!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more St. Clair secrets. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake St. Clair fishing report.

We’re in that in‑between stretch: skim ice showing up in some marinas and canals, but the main lake is still mostly open. Local chatter from the Michigan DNR and the Michigan Outdoors Report on recent ice conditions says we’re *inch­ing closer* to fishable ice, but it’s not safe yet on the big water, so today is still a boat and shore game, with a few brave souls walking very protected backwaters only where locals know it’s locked up.

Weather-wise, National Weather Service data for the St. Clair Shores area calls for seasonably cold air, light west to northwest breeze, and a mix of clouds and filtered sun. Daytime highs are hovering just below freezing, with wind chill making it feel a touch colder. Sunrise is right around 7:55 a.m., with sunset near 4:59 p.m., giving a tight window where those low‑light bites really matter.

Tides don’t play much of a role here, but wind-driven seiche on the St. Clair River end can push water levels up or down a foot. Today’s lighter winds mean level and clarity should stay fairly stable, which is good news for finesse tactics.

Solunar and moon tables from SolunarForecast and similar services flag the stronger activity around midmorning and again late afternoon, lining up nicely with that shallow perch and walleye feed. Expect a modest but steady bite rather than a lights‑out run.

Recent reports from local bait shops around Harrison Township and the Shores of Lake St. Clair have perch fishing described as “spotty but worth it”: buckets of 10–12 inchers with a few 13s mixed in when you land on them. The best action has been in 10–15 feet along weed edges and inside turns. Walleye catches have been light but consistent at the mouth of the Detroit River and out off the South Channel, mostly eater‑size 15–19 inch fish, with a few 22s showing up for guys staying after dark. A handful of bonus pike and smallmouth have been coming on the same presentations, especially around rocky points and breaks.

For bait, minnows are still king. Shops along Jefferson in Harrison Twp are moving a lot of emerald shiners and fatheads. Perch are chewing on:

- Small jigheads tipped with a single emerald

- Standard perch rigs with lake shiners or rosy reds

- Tiny tungsten jigs in chartreuse, glow white, and orange when you’re fishing under a float or through early shoreline ice

Walleyes are preferring:

- 1/4–3/8 oz jig and minnow combos in chartreuse, firetiger, and gold

- Subtle blade baits like silver or gold Vib‑E style hopped just off bottom

- Slow‑rolled medium‑size hair jigs for the old‑school crowd

If you’re running artificials only, bring:

- **Perch/eyes**: Rapala Jigging Raps, Slab Raps, and small ripping baits in perch and clown patterns

- **Pike/smallmouth**: white or shad‑pattern swimbaits on 1/4–1/2 oz heads, plus silver spoons

A couple of hot spots to circle today:

- **Mile Roads – 9 to 11 Mile**: Drifts along the breaks in 10–15 feet are

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to guy for all things angling on Lake St. Clair and the surrounding waters. It's a crisp December 17th morning, 2025, and we're talkin' winter fishin' right now—ice is formin' in spots, but open water's still holdin' if you're brave with the boat. Sunrise hit around 8 AM, sunset 'bout 5 PM, givin' ya a solid 9-hour window. Weather's chilly, highs in the low 30s, light winds from the northwest—perfect for bundlin' up. No real tides here on the big lake, but the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers got that subtle current pushin' baitfish around.

Fish activity's pickin' up as water temps drop to the 30s-40s. Recent reports from local pros like Scott Dobson with Phoenix Bass Fishing League say bass are migratin' in schools followin' bait—smallmouth and largemouth stackin' up deep, some cruisers shallow. Walleye's hot in the rivers, panfish and pike bitin' steady per Michigan DNR ice clinics. YouTube anglers from R U Ready Outdoors been pullin' walleye from the St. Clair River, and bass hauls from St. Clair proper—limits of 20+ pounds possible on good days. Amounts? Steady catches: 10-20 fish days for smallies 3-5 lbs, walleye to 8 lbs, pike pushin' 10.

Best lures? Drop-shot rigs with soft plastics like minnow imitations top the list—can't go wrong. Hair jigs, spybaits for sight-fishin' shallows, small swimbaits or topwaters if mayflies hatch. Jigs for walleye and pike. Bait-wise, live minnows or cut bait shine, but artificials rule this time of year.

Hot spots: Anchor up in the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair—less pressured bass bombs there. Or hit the Detroit River near Elizabeth Park Marina for current walleye; Algonac area's solunar peaks align perfect today per FishingReminder.

Bundle up, check ice if ya go hard water, and get after 'em!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for fishin' Lake St. Clair and the surroundin' waters. Comin' at ya from the crisp December 17th mornin', 8:20 AM sharp. Weather's holdin' steady with partly cloudy skies, temps hoverin' around 28°F feelin' like 20° with a light 5-10 mph NW wind—perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the ice edges if you're jiggin'. Sunrise was at 8:00 AM, sunset 'round 5:00 PM, givin' ya a solid 9 hours of daylight. No real tides here on the big lake, but the St. Clair River's got a mild current pushin' from upstream flows—check Michigan DNR reports for the latest water levels, sittin' steady at 175 feet.

Fish activity's pickin' up in this cold snap. Walleye's the hot ticket right now, schoolin' in the river channels and nearshore St. Clair—anglers report limits of 4-6 pounders usin' R U Ready Outdoors tips from recent YouTube shorts on the Saint Clair River. Muskies are prowlin' the weedlines, with some trophy follows, and perch are stackin' up for ice anglers. Bass are deep and sluggish, but smallmouths hit 3-5 lbs in Detroit River transitions per Major League Fishing's Michigan Division intel. Limits comin' steady: 20-30 walleyes per boat last few days, handfuls of perch and sheepshead, plus pike up to 10 lbs.

Best lures? Jigs with minnows or soft plastics like small swimbaits and hair jigs for walleye and bass—drop-shot rigs shine deep. For muskies, big artificials like glide baits or bucktails. Live bait rules: fathead minnows, shiners, or nightcrawlers on tip-ups. Bassmaster Elite pros swear by winter tackle like Ned rigs for open water ice-breakers.

Hot spots: Anchor Bay shallows for perch and walleye jiggin', and the mouth of the St. Clair River cuts for current-huggin' eyes. Elizabeth Park Marina launch is prime.

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair report.

We’re locked into early‑winter now. According to the National Weather Service office in Detroit, air temps around the lake are starting in the upper 20s to low 30s, climbing just above freezing this afternoon with a stiff west–northwest breeze 10–15 knots and scattered clouds. Dress for spray and wind; it’s cold but very fishable if you stay on the lee shores and pick your runs.

Being a Great Lakes connecting lake, St. Clair doesn’t have true tides, but the Lake St. Clair gauge and shipping reports show only mild seiche swings this morning – just enough extra current around the river mouths and channels to help the bite without making boat control a nightmare.

Sunrise is right around 7:55 a.m. with sunset just after 5 p.m., so you’ve got a short day and long low‑light windows. First couple hours after sunup and that last hour before dark are your money shots for bigger fish.

Local charters, Facebook groups out of St. Clair Shores and Belle River, and yesterday’s Spreaker fishing update all line up: **smallmouth**, **walleye**, and **perch** are still very much in play, just grouped tighter.

Recent catches:

- Smallmouth: boats working deeper breaks are still putting 10–20 fish over the rail, with a few bruisers in the 4–5‑pound class when they grind spots instead of running all over.

- Walleye: Detroit River and the South Channel are giving up steady eaters; good crews are flirting with half‑limits on vertical jigs, plus the odd big December hen after dark.

- Perch: not a lights‑out slugfest, but mixed bags of 20–40 keepers per boat when folks stay pinned on a pod near the dumping grounds or clean water off the river mouths.

Best plays right now:

For **smallmouth**:

- Blade baits like Silver Buddy or Heddon Sonar in gold or chrome/blue, snapped off bottom in 18–28 feet.

- 3.5" goby‑style tubes and Ned rigs in green pumpkin, Canadian mist, or other dark melon tones on subtle rock.

- Slow‑rolled paddletail swimbaits on 1/4–3/8 oz heads when they’re riding a touch higher.

For **walleye**:

- Vertical jigging 3/4–1 oz jigs tipped with emerald shiners or soft plastics in the Detroit River and South Channel.

- Classic river hair jigs in purple, black, or black/chartreuse; add a minnow if they’re nipping.

- Slow‑trolled deep cranks along channel edges if you’d rather search than hover.

For **perch**:

- Simple perch rigs with emerald shiners or lake shiners, just off bottom.

- Small tungsten or lead ice jigs tipped with spikes or waxies when the bite gets finicky.

On bait, local shops around St. Clair Shores and Anchor Bay report emerald shiners are still the go‑to. Fatheads and plastics will work, but if you can source real emeralds, they’re worth the extra stop.

A couple of hot spots to lean on:

- The **9‑ and 10‑Mile areas** on the U.S. side: focus on 18–24 feet, rock and little contour changes. Watch your graph for tight pods pinned to bottom – when you stick one brown fish, hit Spot‑

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for this crisp December 15th morning. Winter's grip is on, but the bite's still hot despite the chill—sunrise was at 8:00 AM, sunset around 5:00 PM, givin' us a short window, so bundle up.

Weather's typical early winter: highs in the low 30s, light northwest winds at 5-10 mph, partly cloudy skies. No major tides today on this big lake, but water levels steady at 175.5 feet per NOAA charts, with minor fluctuations from Detroit River flow.

Fish activity's solid—Spreaker's Lake St. Clair Fishing Report from Dec 14 calls it prime early winter action. Smallmouth bass are aggressive in 10-20 feet off drop-offs, walleye stackin' up near the river mouth at dusk, and perch schools thick in 15-25 feet. Recent catches: limits of 3-4 lb smallies on vertical jigs, 5-8 lb walleyes trolling, and perch hauls up to 20 per angler. Thumbcoast.tv notes fresh perch and walleye hittin' plates at Junction Buoy, straight from local boats.

Best lures? Jiggin' with 1/4-oz hair jigs or tube jigs in green pumpkin or black—smallmouth love 'em. For walleye, blade baits or minnow-tipped jigheads; perch go nuts for small gold spoons or worms. Live bait shines too: fathead minnows for eyes, nightcrawlers for perch.

Hot spots: Anchor up near the Canadian shore buoy line for smallies, or drift the St. Clair River delta for walleye and perch—both producin' limits lately.

Get out there safe, check ice if you're thinkin' it, and respect limits.

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair fishing report.

We’re in that early-winter grind now: water temps sliding through the upper 30s, thin skim ice flirting with the marinas at daybreak, but the main lake and the channels are still open and very fishable if you pick your windows. The National Weather Service has us under a cold, mostly cloudy pattern with a light northwest breeze this morning building to 10–15 later, highs just below freezing. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m., sunset about 4:55 p.m., so your prime light is short—make it count.

No real tide here, just seiche and wind-driven pushes, so watch that northwest wind: it’s stacking a little water and stain into the Mile Roads and the mouth of the Clinton. That off-colored edge has been the difference between just casting and actually catching.

According to local charter reports out of St. Clair Shores and Harrison Township this past week, the **smallmouth** bite has mostly slid off the shallow rock and onto the first break in 18–28 feet, especially where you’ve got rock and scattered weed. The numbers are down from fall, but the ones you hook now are solid 4–5 pounders, with a few sixes showing up. Best producers:

- **Blade baits** in gold or silver, hopped just off bottom.

- **3.5–4" tubes** in green pumpkin, dark melon with flake.

- Small **hair jigs** in natural brown or black on calmer days.

Walleye guys running the Detroit River edges and the South Channel are still putting fish in the box. Outdoor News has been reminding folks that some of the biggest eyes of the year come right now in December, often in the dark, and Lake St. Clair is no exception. Slow vertical presentations are key:

- 1/2–3/4 oz **jig and minnow** or emerald shiner.

- Subtle **paddle-tail plastics** in chartreuse and natural shad.

Evenings and first light have kicked out mixed bags of eaters and the odd 9–10 pounder.

Perch reports have tapered, but if you can find green weeds in 12–16 feet off the 9–Mile and 10–Mile areas, there are still pods of nice 9–12 inchers. Bring a bucket of minnows and stay mobile. A simple **crappie rig with lake shiners** has outfished everything fancy.

Hot spots to circle on your map today:

- **Mile Roads (9 to 12 Mile)**: inside turns and small rock spines in 18–22 feet for late smallies and bonus walleye.

- **Mouth of the South Channel / off Harsens Island**: deeper current seams for walleye and the occasional jumbo perch when the traffic is light.

If you’re determined to swing on one last big bronzeback before true ice-up, fish slow and tight to bottom. Long pauses, subtle lifts. A lot of bites right now are just “weight.”

Bait and lure cheat sheet:

- Best artificials: blade baits, 3.5" tubes, goby-style plastics, hair jigs.

- Best live bait: emerald shiners, lake shiners, and fatheads on light fluorocarbon.

Ice is starting to tease the canals and marinas, but it is absolutely **not** safe yet. Treat everything as open water, wear a fl

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair report.

We’re in full early‑winter mode now. According to the National Weather Service out of Detroit, air temps are riding the upper 20s to low 30s this morning, climbing just above freezing with a stiff west–northwest breeze and scattered clouds. Wind is pushing 10–15 knots, so it’s cold but fishable if you pick your windows. Being a Great Lakes–connected system, St. Clair doesn’t have real tides, but you will see seiche-driven water level bumps and current swings – today they’re mild, just enough to help the bite along the river mouths.

Sunrise is right around 7:55 a.m. with sunset a little after 5 p.m., so you’ve got a tight daylight window and a long low‑light stretch on either end. Those first two hours after sunup and the last hour before dark are prime.

Local chatter from Lake St. Clair Facebook groups and recent guide posts has the **smallmouth**, **walleye**, and **perch** bite still rolling, just more concentrated:

- Smallmouth: Most guys are fishing deeper breaks in 18–28 feet off the Mile Roads and down toward the Belle River Hump. Fish are grouped tight; when you find one, work that patch hard.

- Walleye: Detroit River and the South Channel are producing steady eaters with a few big girls mixed in, especially at night. Outdoor News writer Mike Gnatkowski has noted that some of the biggest December ‘eyes of the year come just before freeze‑up, often after dark, and that lines up perfectly with what we’re seeing.

- Perch: Not wide‑open, but good pods are hanging off the dumping grounds and around the mouth of the Thames when the water cleans up.

Recent catches reported by local charters and weekend warriors: mixed bags of 20–40 perch per boat when they stay on the school, half‑limits of walleye on the river for guys jigging efficiently, and several boats still putting 10–20 smallies over the rail in a day, with a handful in the 4–5 pound class.

Best offerings right now:

- For smallmouth:

• Blade baits like Silver Buddy or Heddon Sonar in gold or chrome/blue.

• 3.5" goby‑style tubes and Ned rigs in green pumpkin, Canadian mist, or dark melon.

• A slow‑rolled swimbait on a 1/4–3/8 oz head when they’re a little higher off bottom.

- For walleye:

• Vertically jigged 3/4–1 oz jig heads with emerald shiners or soft plastics in the Detroit River and channels.

• Classic Detroit River hair jigs in purple, black, or black/chartreuse, tipped with a minnow if they’re finicky.

• Deep‑diving crankbaits trolled slow if you’re covering edges on the lake itself.

- For perch:

• Perch rigs with emerald shiners or lake shiners, just off bottom.

• Small tungsten ice jigs with spikes or waxies when they’re picky.

If you’re a bait‑first angler, emerald shiners are still king on St. Clair right now. Fatheads will work in a pinch, but if you can get true emeralds from local shops around the lake, do it.

A couple of hot spots to key on:

- **9‑ and 10‑Mile areas on t

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report.

We’re in that cold, gray stretch where the lake looks sleepy, but the fish still have to eat. No real tide to speak of on Clair, just a light seiche now and then, so you’re mostly playing wind, barometer, and water temps. According to the National Weather Service Detroit office, we’re sitting in typical early‑winter conditions: daytime highs around the freezing mark, nighttime lows in the 20s, light west to northwest winds and on‑and‑off clouds. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m. with sunset just after 4:55 p.m., so the prime window is that late‑morning to mid‑afternoon warmup.

Michigan DNR’s recent weekly fishing notes say smallmouth, walleye, and perch are still getting picked off by the die‑hards working soft‑water edges and the river systems; ice is sketchy to non‑existent, so plan on the boat or casting from shore, not walking on anything. Local bait shops around Harrison Township and St. Clair Shores are reporting decent mixed bags: a few chunky smallies in the 3‑ to 4‑pound class, eater‑size walleye, and nice jumbo perch in 9‑ to 12‑inch range when anglers find the right schools.

Fish activity has been classic December: short, sharp feeding windows. The smallmouth are sliding off the summer flats and holding on deeper breaks, rock, and scattered weeds in 14–22 feet. Walleye are moving with current and clean water in the channels, and the perch are stacking on softer bottom edges next to rock and any remaining green weeds.

Best producers right now:

- For **smallmouth**: finesse and natural. Think tubes in goby and green pumpkin, small swimbaits on 1/4–3/8 oz heads, and blade baits hopped off bottom. Major League Fishing interviews with Michigan pro Jonathon VanDam back this up: jerkbaits and tubes are still his go‑to on our clear northern waters, even in the cold. Work them slow, long pauses on the jerkbait, and really milk those deeper breaks.

- For **walleye**: bright jigging raps, blade baits, and 1/2 oz jigs tipped with minnows or plastics in the shipping channel edges and the mouths of the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. A slow, lift‑and‑drop just off bottom has been taking most of the fish.

- For **perch**: you can’t beat live bait. Emerald shiners and fatheads on a simple perch rig, small spoons or teardrops with a minnow head, just above bottom. Keep moving until you mark a solid pack; once you find them, sit tight.

A couple of local hot spots to circle:

- **Mile Roads off St. Clair Shores (9 to 12 Mile)**: Work the deeper outside edges of the weedbeds and the first hard break. This stretch has been quietly kicking out a mix of smallies and perch for guys dragging tubes and vertical‑jigging blades.

- **Mouth of the Thames River and the Belle River Hump area on the Canadian side**: When the wind lays down and you can get across legally and safely, those current seams and subtle rises in 16–20 feet have been solid for walleye and roaming smallmouth.

Color wise, stic

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair fishing report.

We’re locked into winter mode now, but the lake’s still open and very much alive. No safe ice yet on the main lake, and the canals are sketchy at best, so plan on the boat or walking the banks instead of dragging an ice shanty.

According to the National Weather Service for the Detroit–St. Clair shoreline, we’re looking at mid‑30s to low‑40s air temps today, light west to northwest winds around 5–10, and a mix of clouds and filtered sun. That’s classic December “just warm enough to chew” weather. USNO tables have sunrise around 7:50 a.m. and sunset near 5 p.m., so your prime windows are late morning through mid‑afternoon as the shallows pick up a degree or two.

No real tide on St. Clair, just a slow seiche and a bit of push from the St. Clair River. Water’s cold and clear, so think slow and subtle. Recent reports from local bait shops in Harrison Township and St. Clair Shores have smallmouth, walleye, and perch still coming in, but you’ve got to grind for them. One shop in The Shores said guys dragging minnows off the docks this week picked a “nice mess of perch and a couple bonus walleyes” in 12–15 feet just outside the marinas.

Smallmouth are bunched up on deeper breaks and rock. Best bets have been:

- Blade baits in gold or perch pattern, hopped off bottom.

- 3.5" tubes in green pumpkin or goby, dragged painfully slow.

- Finesse swimbaits on 1/4‑oz heads along the breaks.

Walleye guys running the river mouths and deeper channels are doing well pulling:

- Jig and minnow or jig and plastic, vertical in 18–25 feet.

- Smaller crankbaits or deep Husky Jerks trolled 1–1.5 mph right off bottom.

Perch have been sliding into the usual winter haunts. The most consistent ticket:

- Emerald shiners or fatheads on single hook or small spoons.

- Keep it just off bottom and be ready for light bites.

If you’re a bait person, the best live options right now are emerald shiners, fathead minnows, and waxies for panfish. For artificials, don’t overthink it: natural goby, perch, and shad colors are king in this clear water. Fluorocarbon leaders, light line, and slow presentations are making the difference.

Couple of local hot spots to circle:

- The mile roads off St. Clair Shores, especially 9 and 10 Mile out to about 14–18 feet for mixed smallies and perch.

- The mouth of the Clinton River and the dumping grounds edges, targeting 18–22 feet for walleye and the odd big smallmouth.

Dress warm, keep the PFD on, and remember that cold water doesn’t forgive mistakes. But if you move slow, watch your graph, and stay on those breaks, there are still plenty of fish to be had on St. Clair right now.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.