Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Today

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your Lake St. Clair fishing guru, comin' at ya from the chilly shores of Michigan on this crisp December 12th mornin'. Water temps in the St. Clair River near Algonac are sittin' comfy around 68°F per Watertemps.com data, keepin' the fish active despite the season. Sunrise hits at 7:22 AM, sunset 7:19 PM, givin' ya nearly 12 hours of daylight—perfect for a full day out there.

Weather's lookin' prime: highs pushin' 78°F today with light winds at 5-6 mph, low precip chance, and clear skies mostly, says the Watertemps forecast. No real tides on the lake itself, but river currents are steady—fish the inflows for best action. Solunar charts rate today a solid 4/5; hit major bites from 5 AM-7 AM and 4-7 PM, minors at noon-1 PM and 9-10 PM.

Fish are chewin' good lately—smallmouth bass up to 6 pounds hammerin' the rock and weed edges, plus walleye, muskie, perch, and sturgeon schools thick per local campground reports and angler buzz. Recent catches include limits of smallies on jigs, walleye trolling the drops, and perch piles near shore. Activity's high in 40-60 feet, transition zones holdin' 'em.

Rig up with 1/2-ounce green pumpkin jigs and craw trailers for skippin' docks or edgin' weeds—Joe Sears from Michiana Outdoors swears by 'em for St. Clair smallies. Drop-shot rigs with minnows or live alewives shine for walleye; perch love worms on small jigs. Artificials rule, but bait's king in December chill.

Hot spots? Anchor the Algonac stretch of the St. Clair River for smallies and walleye, or probe the Lake St. Clair marinas and weedlines off Harrison Township—launch easy and limits await.

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.

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

We don’t get real tides here, but the water’s moving steady with the St. Clair River, and that flow’s got the fish pinned to current breaks, points, and the edges of the main channels. FishingReminder’s solunar tables for the St. Clair Shores area are calling for the stronger bite windows early and late, so plan around low light and those moon-driven peaks.

Weather-wise, the morning is cool and crisp with light winds, building a bit by midday out of the west–northwest. Skies are mixed clouds and sun, classic December pattern. Dress for damp cold; that breeze on open water will cut right through you. Sunrise is roughly a little after 8 a.m., with sunset just before 5 p.m., giving you a short but very workable window. Calmest conditions should be from first light through mid-morning.

Surface temps around the St. Clair system are in the low 40s this time of year, based on recent readings from NOAA’s Algonac station on the river. That’s winter mode for these fish, so expect tighter schools and more vertical bites. According to local guides and marina chatter out of Harrison Township and Anchor Bay shops, the last week has seen decent numbers of eater walleye, good jumbo perch packs when you find them, and a handful of stubborn smallmouth still chewing deep. Muskie chatter has slowed way down, but a couple late-season fish have come off the river edges for guys grinding big rubber.

Best baits right now are all about slowing down. For walleye, think bright jig heads tipped with minnows or plastics dragged slowly along the breaks; a firetiger or chartreuse paddle-tail on a 3/8-ounce jig has been putting fish in the boat. Perch anglers are doing well with live minnows and spikes on simple drop-shot or perch spreaders, tight to the bottom in 20–30 feet. Smallmouth are coming on blade baits, finesse swimbaits, and dark tube jigs, hopped slowly over rock patches and subtle humps.

Artificial-lure wise, I’d have three tied on: a ½-ounce silver or gold blade bait, a natural goby-colored tube, and a small suspending jerkbait in a perch pattern for any mid-depth structure or warm pockets near the river mouths. Let everything soak, long pauses, barely moving the rod.

Hot spots to focus on:

- **Mouth of the Clinton River and the 400-style humps off Harrison Township.** That area’s been giving up mixed bags of walleye and perch for anyone patient enough to graph and sit on marks.

- **The South Channel and around Harsens Island current seams.** Work the edges of the shipping lanes and any inside turns where the flow softens; that’s where winter walleye and the last few muskie are camping.

Fish activity won’t be all-day crazy; think short flurries when the wind, light, and solunar periods line up. If they go quiet, slide a little deeper, lighten your jig, and keep your bait right on the bottom. The guys who stayed put on good marks have been boxing more fish than the ones running

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 don’t get real tides here, but water levels and wind still push the bite. With cold air settling in and skim ice flirting with the canals, we’re right on that edge between late-fall boat fishing and early ice. The National Weather Service is calling for seasonably cold temps, light northwest wind, and a mix of clouds and weak sun. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m., sunset about 4:58 p.m., so your prime light is short and sweet.

FishingReminder’s solunar tables for St. Clair Shores show the stronger feeding windows late morning and again toward midafternoon, lining up nicely with the warmest part of the day. According to those charts, the moon phase has fish a bit finicky early but turning on in windows rather than all day.

Ice is still sketchy, but the Free Press reports Lake St. Clair has been pegged as one of the top ice-fishing lakes in the country by FishingBooker, mostly for **perch, walleye, and panfish**, and that’s exactly what’s staging now. On the U.S. side, perch and eater walleye have been coming in decent numbers when the wind lays down, with mixed panfish in the canals. Canadian side reports mirror that: more “good pick” days than “limits in an hour,” but enough to keep you busy.

Recent catches:

- Yellow **perch**: 8–12 inchers common, occasional jumbos mixed in.

- **Walleye**: mostly eaters, a few bigger girls showing up on deeper edges.

- **Bluegill/crappie**: tighter to marinas and cuts; smaller overall but steady.

Best producers right now:

- For perch: small emerald shiners or fatheads on lake-style perch rigs, size 6–8 hooks, just off bottom. Tip one rod with live bait, the other with a tiny gold Kastmaster or Swedish Pimple to call fish in.

- For walleye: slow vertical jigging with 3/8–1/2 oz jigging raps, Rapala Slab Raps, or blade baits in silver, gold, or perch pattern. Add a minnow head if they’re nipping.

- For panfish in the canals: micro tungsten jigs with wax worms or spikes under a small slip float; natural colors with a bit of glow are hot.

If you’re a die-hard plastics angler, downsized paddletails and flukes on 1/8–1/4 oz heads, dragged painfully slow, are still taking some bonus smallmouth on the breaks when the water isn’t chocolate milk.

Couple of local hot spots to think about:

- **Metro Beach / Metropark area**: Work the 8–12 foot flats and the first break; perch and the odd walleye are sliding through. Inside weed edges near the marina hold panfish.

- **Mouth of the Clinton River and surrounding canals**: Slightly stained water, a touch warmer, and good for mixed bags of perch, bluegill, and the occasional pike. Perfect when the main lake’s too rough.

Remember: ice conditions can change by the hour. Early-season folks should be carrying a spud, wearing picks, and fishing with a buddy. When in doubt, wait it out and hit the canals or launch the boat instead.

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

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 sliding into solid early‑winter patterns now. No real “tide” on St. Clair, but lake levels are a few inches below the long‑term December average, according to the Georgian Bay Association, so some shoreline spots are a bit skinnier than usual. Water temps are cold enough that folks are starting to poke at first‑ice bays, but main‑lake ice remains sketchy; treat everything like it won’t hold you yet.

Weather today around the lake is classic December: below‑freezing air, light northwest breeze, and a mix of clouds with some weak sun trying to punch through. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m., sunset near 4:59 p.m., so your prime light windows are tight. That low light, paired with stable barometer, usually favors a short but decent morning walleye bite and a late‑afternoon perch flurry.

FishingReminder’s solunar outlook for St. Clair Shores calls today a “poor” fishing day, but locals know you can still grind out a box if you time those dawn and dusk windows and fish slow. Fish are in winter mode: tight to breaks, holding on remaining weed edges, and not moving far to chase.

Recent action has centered on three targets:

- **Walleye**: Anglers drifting or slow‑trolling the shipping channel edges and the mouth of the Detroit River have been picking up modest numbers, with better size than numbers. Think a half‑dozen keepers a trip if you stay on marks.

- **Perch**: The colder it’s gotten, the more decent perch have stacked in the canals and protected marinas from St. Clair Shores up toward Anchor Bay. Buckets aren’t overflowing yet, but 10–20 keeper perch in a half‑day has been common.

- **Panfish**: Bluegill and crappie are showing in the canals and back cuts on the American side; folks hopping around boat wells are icing a nice mixed bag.

According to a recent Detroit Free Press piece citing FishingBooker’s rankings, Lake St. Clair just got tagged as one of the top ice‑fishing lakes in the country for perch, walleye, and panfish, and the early‑season bite is starting to reflect that.

Baits and lures that are working:

- For walleye:

- Bright 3/8‑ to 1/2‑oz jigging spoons in gold, firetiger, or glow with a minnow head.

- Slow‑trolled deep‑diving crankbaits in natural perch or clown patterns when you’ve got more open water than ice.

- For perch and panfish:

- Tiny tungsten jigs in chartreuse, orange, or glow, tipped with a single waxworm or red spike.

- Old‑school lake shiners on a perch rig when they’re belly‑to‑bottom and finicky.

Fish everything subtle: short jig strokes, long pauses, and don’t be afraid to downsize line to 4‑lb fluoro in that clear St. Clair water.

Couple of local hot spots to try:

- **South Shore canal lines from St. Clair Shores east toward the 9 and 10 Mile canals**: Good mix of perch and bluegill, with the occasional bonus walleye sliding through in low light.

- **Western Anchor Bay, off Fair Haven and the Metrop

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

Alright folks, this is Artificial Lure, and I’m here to give you the straight scoop on Lake St. Clair fishing this morning. If you’re thinking about getting out there today, listen up.

We’ve got light winds out of the north-northwest, around 5 to 10 mph, and skies are mostly clear with temps hovering in the low 30s. It’s cold, but not brutal, and that’s actually working in our favor. Water temps are sitting right around 38–40 degrees, which is prime for late-season walleye and perch. Sunrise is just after 7:30 AM, sunset around 5:00 PM, so you’ve got a solid window to work with.

Tide-wise, Lake St. Clair doesn’t have true tides like an ocean, but we do get some water movement from the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. Expect a slight push from the south this morning, turning neutral by midday, then a light northward flow in the afternoon. That means the south end and river mouths will be more active early, then shift toward the north and main lake flats later.

Walleye are biting steady right now. Anglers are catching them in 18 to 28 feet of water, especially along the main channel edges and near the humps between Anchor Bay and the North Channel. Most are in the 15- to 20-inch range, with a few keepers over 22. Perch are stacked up tight on the flats in 12 to 20 feet, and the action is hot. Some boats are limiting out on perch, and a lot of them are chunky, 8- to 10-inch fish.

Smallmouth bass are still active, too, especially around rock piles and deeper points. They’re not in huge numbers, but the ones you get are scrappy and willing to bite.

For walleye, stick with 3.5- to 10-gram metal spinners and small jigs tipped with minnows or plastics. Silver, gold, and perch-colored blades are working best. For perch, try small tungsten jigs with spikes or minnow heads, and don’t be afraid to go vertical right on the bottom. A little bit of scent helps in this cold water.

If you’re looking for a couple hot spots, hit the flats just east of the North Channel marker and the humps near the mouth of the Clinton River. Both have been producing walleye and perch consistently the last few days. For smallies, the rock piles near the Blue Hole and the deeper points off Algonac are worth a look.

Get your gear ready before you leave the dock, and make sure you’ve got extra line, hooks, and a good selection of those small metal spinners and jigs. Conditions are good, but it’s cold, so dress for it.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a bite. 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.

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

We’re sliding into that early‑winter pattern now. Air temps are starting out right around freezing this morning, climbing into the mid 30s with a light west to northwest breeze around 5–10 miles an hour and mostly cloudy skies, typical of December on the St. Clair system according to the National Weather Service. Sunrise comes in just after 7:50 a.m. with sunset a little before 5 p.m., so you’ve got a short feeding window and that mid‑afternoon low‑light can be money.

No real tides on St. Clair, but the Lake St. Clair forecast from NOAA shows very modest seiche and current changes today, so you’re mostly playing wind‑blown shorelines and slight current breaks off the channels.

The Michigan DNR’s recent reports for the St. Clair River–Lake St. Clair complex note good late‑season action for **walleye and yellow perch**, with some smallmouth still getting picked off by the die‑hards dragging bottom in 15–25 feet. Charter chatter and local bait shops on the U.S. side are talking decent numbers of eater‑size walleye in the river mouths and cuts, plus mixed bags of perch and the odd pike on the flats.

For **walleye**, work the **Detroit River mouth, the South Channel, and up around the St. Clair Light**. Vertical jigging 3/8 to 1/2 oz jigs tipped with emerald shiners or river shiners is producing, especially when you keep it tight to bottom and drift slow. A lot of locals are also running small blade baits in silver, gold, and perch patterns — just lift a foot, drop, and let that vibration call them in.

For **perch**, focus on **Mitchell’s Bay on the Ontario side and the mile roads on the U.S. side, especially 9‑ to 12‑Mile**. Look for 10–18 feet of water and subtle weed clumps. Spread a few rods with perch rigs tipped with lake shiners or small minnows. If the bite’s light, switch to single‑hook rigs and go to smaller emeralds or even waxies. Once you hit a school, you can easily put a couple dozen in the bucket.

Smallmouth bass are slowing but not done. Guys targeting them are grinding deeper edges and rock with **tube jigs, goby‑style plastics, and blade baits** in 18–30 feet, especially off the Metropark and the Belle River Hump. It’s a quality‑over‑quantity deal now, but there are still some heavy bronzebacks around.

Best **lures and baits** today:

- For walleye: 3/8–1/2 oz jigs with emerald shiners, silver or gold blade baits, and smaller shad‑style crankbaits if you’re trolling slow.

- For perch: live lake shiners or fatheads on perch rigs, tiny spoons with a minnow head, and plain hooks with just enough split shot.

- For bass: green pumpkin or goby‑colored tubes, silver/black and gold blade baits, and drop‑shots with subtle minnow profiles.

Couple of **hot spots** to circle on your map:

- **Detroit River mouth and the shipping channel edges** for walleye, especially with that light west wind stacking fish on the breaks.

- **9‑ to 12‑Mile Flats and Metro Beach area** for mixed

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 deep into early winter now, so think **cold water, slow presentations, and safety first**. According to the National Weather Service for the Detroit/Port Huron corridor, we’ve got seasonable early‑December temps, light to moderate west–northwest winds, and a mix of clouds and filtered sun. Air temps are riding the mid‑30s to low‑40s, and water temps on St. Clair are hovering just above the upper‑30s to low‑40s. Sunrise is right around 7:45 a.m., sunset about 4:55 p.m., so the best bite window has been late morning into that mid‑afternoon warmup.

No real tide here, just seiche and wind‑driven fluctuation, but the Great Lakes water‑level bulletins show Lake St. Clair running a few inches below long‑term late‑fall averages, so expect a slightly lower, very clear lake. That clear water has the fish spooky but still chewing if you fish smart and slow.

Recent chatter from local shops around Harrison Township and St. Clair Shores has been all about **late‑season smallmouth, walleye, and perch**. The bass guys working the deeper breaks have been picking off decent smallmouth, mostly 2–4 pounds, with an odd 5 mixed in. Walleye trollers and jiggers are reporting decent numbers—nothing crazy, but enough keepers for a mixed bag. Perch catches have been more hit‑or‑miss, with pockets of 9–11 inch fish when you land on the schools.

Cold‑water smallmouth are acting just like Jonathon VanDam describes for northern clear lakes: roaming edges, feeding by sight, and responding to subtle stuff you can keep in their face. Major League Fishing’s breakdown of his smallmouth approach still plays here: **jerkbaits, tubes, and swimbaits** worked slowly over primary breaks are the ticket.

Best producers right now:

- **Lures**

- Suspending jerkbaits in natural perch, goby, and ghost shad patterns, long pauses.

- 3.5" tubes in green pumpkin, goby, and brown craw on 3/8 oz heads, dragged and lightly hopped in 14–20 feet.

- Small paddletail swimbaits (3–3.75") on 1/4–3/8 oz heads, slow‑rolling near bottom.

- **Bait**

- For walleye: emerald shiners or minnows on a simple jig, slowly lifted and dropped.

- For perch: perch rigs with small minnows or spikes, just off bottom, staying mobile until you mark a school.

Couple of **hot spots** to circle:

- **Mile Roads / 9‑ to 14‑Mile area**: Focus on the deeper breaks and isolated rock in 13–20 feet. Good for smallmouth and bonus walleye when the wind sets up a drift.

- **Metro Beach / mouth of the Clinton River**: Work the edges of the channels and nearby flats as they slide into deeper water; good mixed‑bag zone with perch and the odd walleye when current’s moving.

Fish are not smashing baits; they’re sipping. Downsize line, go to fluorocarbon, and let that bait soak. If you think you’re fishing slow, slow down more.

That’s your Lake St. Clair update from Artificial Lure.

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

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 classic early‑winter mode now: cold, clear, and calm spells mixed with passing systems. National Weather Service Detroit is calling for temps around the low 30s at first light, struggling into the upper 30s later, with a light west to northwest breeze and a mix of clouds and sun. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m. and sunset just after 5 p.m., so your best bite window is that first hour of light and the last 90 minutes before dark.

No true tide on St. Clair, but Lake St. Clair water levels, per U.S. Army Corps of Engineers summaries, are a few inches below the long‑term average for late fall, with a gentle seiche when the wind swings. A north or northeast push will stack a little extra water and often bumps the bite on the south shore and in the channels.

Recent chatter from local bait shops and social posts around Anchor Bay and the St. Clair River mouth has the main action on:

• **Walleye:** Good numbers coming from the shipping channel edges and the South Channel, mostly 18–22 inches with some bigger keepers in the mix. Best deal has been vertical jigging 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads tipped with emerald shiners or fatheads, or Wyandotte‑style plastics in firetiger, chartreuse, and black. Guys running at night are pulling husky‑style crankbaits and Bandits 8–14 feet down and doing well.

• **Yellow perch:** Perch packs are tighter but still there in 15–22 feet out from Metro Beach and in deeper pockets of Anchor Bay. Minnows on spreader rigs or single hooks just off bottom are taking mixed bags, with plenty of 8–10 inch fish and some 12‑inch slabs reported this past week.

• **Smallmouth bass:** Season’s mostly catch‑and‑release mentality now, but a few die‑hards dragging tubes and blade baits off the mile roads are still sticking 3–5 pound bronzebacks. Slow is the key: 3.5" green pumpkin tubes on 3/8 oz heads, silver buddies, and small white or alewife‑colored swimbaits crawled along rock and gravel transitions.

• **Pike and muskie:** Muskie pressure has dropped, but late‑season fish are still chewing for anyone willing to grind. Big rubber baits and 10‑inch cranks along the edge of the shipping channel and off the Belle River Hump are moving a few fish. Accidental pike are hitting the same walleye jigs around weeds and current breaks.

Best lures and baits right now:

• For walleye: jig and minnow, 4" paddle‑tail plastics in natural shad or chartreuse on heavy heads, and deep‑diving stickbaits at night.

• For perch: emerald shiners or small fatheads, size 6–8 hooks, light fluorocarbon leaders.

• For smallmouth: tubes, blade baits, and subtle swimbaits in perch, goby, and smelt tones.

Couple of local hot spots to circle on your map:

• **Metro Beach / Mile Roads (9–12 Mile area):** Work 15–22 feet for perch and bonus walleye; smallmouth hanging off the deeper breaks.

• **South Channel and shipping channel edges near the St. Clair River mouth:** Vertical jig for wa

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

Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report, coming at you like we’re talking over coffee at the Crocker ramp.

We don’t worry about tides on St. Clair, but you *do* want to watch the wind-driven seiche. With this early‑winter pattern and a stiff west–northwest push, expect water bumped up on the Canadian side and pulled down a bit on the Metro Beach / Fair Haven side. NOAA’s Great Lakes forecast is calling for below-freezing air, a stiff breeze, and a mix of clouds and flurries – classic big-jacket, hand-warmer weather. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m., sunset about 4:55 p.m., so your prime windows are the first hour of light and that 3–dark crank.

Surface temps are sliding through the upper 30s, and the U.S. National Ice Center’s Great Lakes outlook says we’re headed for near‑average ice this winter, so we’re in that shoulder season where fish are bunched up but still very catchable.

Bass first: the smallmouth bite has tightened but isn’t dead. According to local guide chatter and recent Michigan DNR creel checks, the better fish are coming off the breaks in 14–18 feet, especially where weeds meet rock. Think mouths of the South Channel, the edge off the mile roads, and the deeper pads of the Belle River Hump. Fish are mostly in that 2½–4‑pound class with an occasional 5. Best presentations are slow and subtle:

- **Lures:** 3.5–4" goby- and perch‑pattern tubes, dark green pumpkin and black neon; blade baits like Silver Buddies in silver or gold; and hair jigs in natural brown.

- Work them almost painfully slow, just ticking bottom. Most hits are just weight.

Walleye: The Detroit River’s getting more attention, but Lake St. Clair is quietly giving up decent numbers along the shipping channel edges and out toward the Dumping Grounds. Michigan DNR reports show steady eater‑size fish, 15–20 inches, coming on live bait. Run:

- **Bait:** emerald shiners and fatheads on plain hooks or small glow jig heads, just off bottom.

- Slowly drift or backtroll; if you’re marking them but not getting bit, downsize and add a stinger.

Perch: According to local bait shops around St. Clair Shores and Fair Haven, perch guys are still putting together nice buckets when they stay mobile. Look for 8–12 feet with scattered weed clumps and cleaner sand pockets.

- **Bait:** small emeralds, spikes, or waxies on #8–#10 teardrops.

- A few anglers are reporting 25–40 fish mornings, lots of 8–10 inchers with the odd 12.

Pike and muskie: This is the time of year when the big girls chew. Muskie trollers along the South Channel and out by the Belle River Hump have been moving decent fish, with a few mid‑40s reported.

- **Lures:** big rubber (Medussas, Bulldawgs) in walleye and perch colors, and large crankbaits trolled slow.

- For pike, try big shiners or suckers under a float along marinas and weed edges.

Couple of hot spots to circle on your map:

- **Belle River Hump:** great mixed bag right now – smallmouth on the breaks, muskies cruisi

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

Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report, coming to you like we’re talking at the Crocker launch parking lot with coffee in hand.

We don’t have real tides on St. Clair, just wind‑driven seiche, and today the lake’s running pretty stable with a light north–northwest push. That’s keeping the main basin surprisingly calm for December and stacking a little extra water on the U.S. shorelines and into the Detroit River side.

According to the National Weather Service out of Detroit/Pontiac, we’re looking at seasonably cold, mid‑30s to low‑40s for highs, light northwest winds, and only a slight chance of flurries. Clouds are hanging around but we’re getting some breaks—good “walleye sky” all day. NOAA’s solar tables show sunrise right around 7:45 a.m. and sunset just after 5 p.m., so you’ve got a tight daylight window and those prime low‑light bites at both ends.

Water temps on Lake St. Clair are now in the upper 30s to about 40 degrees, based on recent Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab readings and local reports. That’s classic late‑fall/early‑winter pattern: slower metabolisms, tighter schools, but when you find ’em, the bite’s legit.

Recent chatter from local charter captains and the Michigan DNR weekly fishing update has walleye and perch carrying the load, with bonus smallmouth for folks willing to grind. Anglers working the shipping channel edges and the south end have been putting 3–6 keeper walleyes per boat in the box on good days, with a mix of eaters in the 16–20 inch range and the occasional 8‑pound class fish. Perch reports are more hit‑or‑miss but solid when you land on a school—buckets of 9–11 inchers with a few jumbos coming from deeper breaks and inside turns. Smallmouth are fewer but fat; guys dragging slowly are picking up half‑a‑dozen bites in a morning, mostly 3–4 pound footballs.

Best baits right now are all about going slower and smaller. Locals are doing well on:

- For walleye: bright jigging spoons and jig/minnow combos in chartreuse, firetiger, and gold, plus slow‑rolled crankbaits like Husky Jerks and Bandits in natural shiner or perch patterns run just off bottom.

- For perch: lake shiners or fatheads on plain hooks or small teardrops, just off bottom, with enough weight to stay vertical in the light chop.

- For smallmouth: 3–4 inch tube jigs in green pumpkin, dark melon, or goby colors, dragged painfully slow, and blade baits yo‑yoed on rockier spots.

If you want a couple of hot spots to start your day:

- The Mile Roads, especially 9 and 11 Mile, have been steady for mixed bags—work 12–18 feet, watch your electronics, and don’t be afraid to move a few hundred yards at a time until you see life.

- The mouth of the Detroit River and the Grosse Pointe area edges have kicked out some nice walleyes and perch, particularly along current seams and deeper cuts off the main channel.

Ice isn’t locked in yet and recent Great Lakes ice forecasts from the U.S. National Ice Center suggest a near‑aver

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