Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Today

This is Artificial Lure clocking in with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for November 7th, 2025. It’s a crisp, classic Michigan autumn morning on the big bowl, and locals are already heading down to the docks with coffee in hand and rods rigged up. First light was at 7:15 a.m. today, and sunset will come early at 5:19 p.m. Weatherwise, we’re seeing low 40s out the gate, with patchy clouds and a brisk north wind carrying the promise of a November cold snap by Sunday, maybe even a touch of lake effect snow on the way—so bundle up!

Lake St. Clair doesn’t have tidal swings like the ocean, but wind-driven currents can move the bite, especially with today’s north wind stacking up the southern shorelines and marinas. Water levels are holding steady, a little higher than average for fall, keeping the shallow weeds productive in the bays and along the flats.

Muskie have been the talk this week. Charter captains running out of the Metropark and Harley Ensign have reported solid action, particularly mid-morning to lunchtime. Most boats are trolling over the shallower breaks, 8 to 14 feet of water, with custom-painted jointed crankbaits and large rubber baits in perch and black-nickel—those colors are hot right now thanks to matching the natural forage that’s still abundant. Don’t be surprised to see a 40-incher crash your bait right alongside the nearshore weedlines.

Bass fishing is still hanging on. According to pro Kevin VanDam’s breakdown and recent guide reports, the entire lake is a giant feeding bowl right now. The northern rocks near the St. Clair Light remain a favorite; anglers are hauling in chunky smallmouth, and occasionally largemouth, on tube baits in green pumpkin, Ned rigs, and drop-shot setups. On calmer afternoons, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits along Goose Bay and around Strawberry Island have produced beautiful fish. Local standouts say to slow your retrieve—these bass want an easy meal as the water cools.

Walleye are making a strong showing in the mouths of the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, especially on the American side where the wind puts a mild chop on the water. Jigging white fluke-style plastics or vertical jigging chrome blade baits near the shipping channel edges has been effective, especially through mid-morning.

Perch continue to school up at the usual haunts: the weedbeds off Metro Beach, the mouth of Anchor Bay, and residential canals in Harrison Township. Locals are loading up on nice eaters with emerald shiners or small jigging spoons. Bonus bites include slab crappie and the occasional jumbo bluegill.

Recent DNR surveys and angler reports confirm plenty of life in the system, with deepwater sculpin, gobies, shiners, and smelt all still showing strong numbers in trawl counts—this keeps those gamefish fat and active.

If you’re looking for hotspots today:

- **Metropark & Metro Beach weedlines:** Prime for muskies and perch.

- **St. Clair Light north flats:** Consistently productive for big smallmouth.

- **Goose Bay an

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Lake St. Clair served up a classic November morning—air crisp at 34°F, light east wind around 7 mph, and partial cloud cover promising occasional sun pokes before sunset at 5:17 PM. Folks hitting the water early saw sunrise at 7:15 AM, and a high barometer around 30.13 inches has fish on the move. Tides don’t play much on Lake St. Clair, but wind can build a minor setup—today’s breeze is keeping the shoreline bite active, especially given the recent cold snap and passing fronts (per NOAA marine forecasts).

Fishing action this week has been steady and classic for fall. According to Michigan DNR updates and guide chatter, the **smallmouth bass bite remains strong** in the steep drops off the Mile Roads and by the St. Clair lighthouse. Early this morning, several local crews bagged multiple smallies in the **3-4 pound range, with a couple over 5 pounds**. Hot baits have been **dark green tube jigs, chartreuse swimbaits, and drop-shot rigs tipped with smaller shad-imitating plastics**. If you’re casting deeper, a Carolina-rigged craw also earns its keep.

**Walleye anglers** working the mouth of the Clinton River and the south channel edges trolled up keepers on **purple or firetiger crankbaits and jigging Rapalas** tipped with emerald shiners. Size hasn’t been trophy, but guys reported **limits of 15-20 inch fish** over the past 36 hours. Deeper mid-lake weeds are holding some bonus **yellow perch**—best luck there is small perch rigs or live minnows set just off bottom.

Reports from charter captains on Captain Experiences say the action is “fast and fun”, with one group boating over a dozen quality bass on the rocks near Metro Beach and another pulling a mixed bag by drifting the Harley Ensign area. Guides stress **downsizing baits** and matching natural forage as water clears up post-front.

If you’re after something different, some **monster muskie are still getting caught** along the US-Canadian border—trolling **large jointed crankbaits or bulldawgs** with an erratic retrieve. No record-chasers this week, but a reliable word of a 43-incher caught yesterday south of Strawberry Island.

For live bait, **emerald shiners and large golden shiners** are best for both walleye and perch. Artificial lure fans should lean into natural tones and smaller profiles; water clarity’s up after last week’s chop, and the fish are getting a bit cautious mid-morning.

**Hot spots to hit this weekend:**

- **Nine Mile Tower drop-offs:** excellent smallmouth structure and a few bonus walleye in the afternoons.

- **Metro Beach weedlines:** perch and pike mixed in, plus a strong bass showing at dawn.

- **St. Clair Light and the shipping channel break:** big fish chasing bait as temps slide.

Local wildlife techs with the MDNR note plenty of diver ducks and geese moving through as well, so expect some company and a busy ramp. Water levels are solid, cover’s still decent in the weeds, and the shallows are producing when the sun’s out. Best bite windows are dawn until

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Fishing out here on Lake St. Clair this Thursday, November 6th, it’s shaping up to be classic late fall action—chilly mornings, lots of crisp air, and some bold, hungry fish still on the chew before winter. We’re looking at sunrise today at 7:18 AM and sunset at 5:21 PM, so there’s a solid window for both early risers and those who want one more evening cast. Lake St. Clair doesn’t see tide, but water movement is still a major player, with wind-driven currents keeping the bait stirred up on the flats and around the channels.

Today’s forecast from the National Weather Service says expect a high around 46°F, light northwest winds, and overcast skies most of the day, which usually means fish’ll stay a little more active in shallower water. Layer up, especially if you’re running out before sun-up—these late-season winds cut sharper across that big open water.

Smallmouth are still the dominant story on St. Clair right now. According to recent DNR reports, the lake’s bass size structure is looking real solid, with lots of fish in the chunky three- to four-pound range, and multiple year classes holding through the fall. Most anglers this past week have been putting numbers in the boat—double-digit mornings aren’t out of the question, with a healthy mix of smallies and a few bonus largemouth mixed in. Some walleye are showing up too, especially as temperatures drop and those fish push shallow to chase last-minute bait balls.

The hottest bite this week has been around the Mile Roads—11 Mile and 9 Mile are both reliable, with the break lines off St. Clair Shores producing well. The dumping grounds remain a fall go-to, with classic rock-and-gravel structure drawing both bass and the occasional pike. Anchor Bay and the area off Metro Beach are also in the rotation, especially for shore-going anglers targeting shallow transitions.

Best lures right now? According to Great Lakes bass experts like Jonathon VanDam, you can’t go wrong with a drop-shot loaded up with a small worm or minnow-style plastic in natural colors. Tubes and small swimbaits, especially in green pumpkin, shad, or goby patterns, have been hammering smallmouth on both edges of the flats and around current seams. Anglers running a lighter 3/8 to 1/2 ounce drop-shot weight or a 3-inch swimbait on a ball head jig report the best numbers. If you like power fishing, a white or chartreuse spinnerbait or a medium-diving crankbait can get smoked when the clouds roll in. Walleye chasers are still finding success slow-trolling small crankbaits or jigging with live minnows and blade baits along the south channel edges.

Live bait can still be king in November, particularly if you kite for those bigger walleye—live minnows, shiners, and even softshell crayfish when you can get them. For bass, scent-impregnated plastics or adding a little attractant to your tubes helps on pressured fish.

From the local charters and guide reviews out of St. Clair this week, nearly every group is reporting a steady bite,

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Lake St. Clair locals woke this Thursday morning to chilly temperatures around 3°C and a stiff southwest wind pushing 15 to 20 knots, shifting westerly by afternoon, with waves between 2 and 4 feet. The skies are heavy and mostly cloudy, and there’s just a chance of light rain or even a dusting of snow as we get late into the day, so layer up and maybe pack that thermos. Sunrise came at 7:17 AM, with sunset expected at 5:20 PM—prime daylight for any diehard out on the water according to the National Weather Service.

No tides to watch here, but those winds will test boat handling—keep safety first and expect fish to relate to wind-driven structure and current breaks. Lake St. Clair continues to show off her late fall bounty, with the latest Michigan DNR reports noting strong smallmouth and largemouth bass action, excellent size structure, and multiple year classes confirming the health of the fishery.

Anglers out the past week have been especially successful with smallmouth bass on flats near sharp breaks and subtle current edges. Tube jigs in green pumpkin or smoke, 3/8 oz drop-shot rigs with smaller plastics like the Strike King Dream Shot or Half Shell, and small paddle-tail swimbaits have all been top producers—especially in overcast, choppy conditions when fish push shallower. Jonathon VanDam and other local pros swear by the vibrating jig (bladed jig like a Chatterbait) for both largemouth and smallmouth, especially when searching for aggressive fish after a front pushes through.

Recent chatter on local docks and trip reviews through Captain Experiences confirms solid multi-species activity, with walleyes and pike in the mix for those running crankbaits or trolling mid-basin structures. Perch bite has been decent for the past few mornings on live minnows, particularly near Anchor Bay and the mouth of the Clinton River; the key is moving with the schools as they shift with the water temperature and bait transitions.

Best baits today: for bass, rig up a drop-shot with Morning Dawn or natural bait colors, or work tubes bounce-and-drag style along breaks and weed edges. Swimbaits in perch or white shad are a good bet—make that first cast count, especially around bait schools. For perch and walleye, tip your rig with live emerald shiners or fathead minnows. Don’t shy away from bright colors if the sky stays grey; add a bit of chartreuse or orange to trigger bites.

Hot spots worth fishing today:

- **Metro Beach Flats:** Look for rocky outcrops with weed transitions; smallmouth and some big largemouth are staging here as water temps drop.

- **Anchor Bay:** Perch and walleye are favoring the deeper holes and inside turns, responding best to live bait on gentle drifts.

- **Mile Roads near Grosse Pointe:** Consistent numbers of bass, plus a bonus pike or two on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits.

Fish counts have varied with the front, but seasoned guides report solid half-days of 10–30 bass (mostly released for conservation), with perch buckets r

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Fishing conditions are staying classic fall here on Lake St. Clair this Wednesday, November 5th. The morning’s brought in a stiff breeze from the southwest, with overcast skies and air temperatures in the low 50s—might reach the upper 50s by afternoon, but don’t hang your hopes on sunshine. According to the National Weather Service, we’re expecting winds near 12 to 15 knots, keeping a moderate chop across most of the lake. If you’re heading out, dress warm and watch that wind gusting up on open water.

Sunrise hit at 7:12 AM, with sunset coming early now at 5:22 PM as we slide into November. No worry about tides here—Lake St. Clair’s a freshwater inland lake—but if you’re in from out of town and used to coastal fishing, don’t expect any tidal swings to help you. Water temps have dipped to around 48 to 50 degrees near the channels and just a touch warmer in protected shallows.

Fishing action’s been lively for those braving chillier conditions. The Michigan DNR and recent charter reports say the **smallmouth bass bite is still rock-solid** if you work mainlake structures and rocky flats, especially up near Grassy Island and out in Anchor Bay. Most bass are being caught between two and four pounds, with the occasional football over five showing up now and then. Local anglers have also reported a nice mix of **walleye** working the mouth of the Detroit River, plus **yellow perch** showing up in the shallower, weedy cuts around the Metropark and the Mile Roads.

Folks are doing best with **blade baits** like Damiki and Steel Shad for bass, bounced slow on the bottom—the vibration is key in this cold water. Swimbaits rigged on heavy jigs, and old school suspending jerkbaits like a Pointer 100 or Shadow Rap work well when fished with long pauses. For walleye, firetiger and perch-colored Rapala Shad Raps or jigging Raps are winners, and slip bobbers tipped with emerald shiners are putting perch in many coolers. If you poke around the nearshore weed beds with small minnows or waxworms, you’ll get into a mess of bluegill and the occasional crappie too.

A couple **hot spots** worth trying right now:

- **Mile Roads:** Both 9 Mile and 12 Mile outflows are holding bass and some surprisingly big perch, especially when the wind blows bait in tight.

- **Belle River Hump:** This classic spot is producing nice smallies on blade baits and underspins, especially from late morning to early afternoon—just watch your graphs for schooling fish off the drops.

Don’t forget, the water’s cold and can get rough quick—always wear your life jacket in November. Michigan DNR reminds all anglers to have their 2025 licenses squared away, and the perch limit’s 25 per day so keep an eye on your count.

Thanks for checking in with Artificial Lure for your Lake St. Clair fishing report! Hook one up for me and if you want more tips, hit subscribe so you don’t miss a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Brisk but fishable is the story this morning on St. Clair. Temps just before sunup hung in the upper 30s, and that November chill had steam rising off the water at the DNR ramps in Harrison Township and up near the St. Clair Flats. According to NOAA buoy 45147, winds are light early, forecast to pick up from the southwest and settle back down this afternoon. Skies are mostly clear, and sunrise came at 7:13 AM, with sunset due for 5:24 PM—plenty of daylight to chase that fall bite.

There’s no tidal movement on St. Clair, being an inland lake, but our greatest movement today comes from a gentle south-to-north current, especially pronounced near the mouth of the Detroit River and the Channel. Water clarity is a touch murky near shallow launches, but still solid for long casts with light tackle.

Recent catches have been downright impressive for November. Word from the water and reviews on Captain Experiences say guides have put folks on nearly 20+ largemouth bass in just a morning, with smallmouth running thick and healthy near deeper breaks and drop-offs. Several anglers also reported hauling in a couple of keeper-sized walleyes and some sturdy muskies, especially out in Anchor Bay and near Metro Beach.

Hot ticket lures right now: finesse rigs like the **drop-shot** and **Ned rig** are doing real work, a trick I picked up straight from local legend Kevin VanDam’s own fall cleanup playbook. He swears by Z-Man Ned Ochos on a Tour Grade Ned head, and Baby Z-Too or Dream Shot worms suspended off the bottom for drop-shotting. These keep the presentation just above the muck, which is important with the chilly, gunky bottom we’re seeing this late in the season, making them irresistible for smallies and even some bonus perch.

Don’t sleep on traditional tubes in goby colors if you’re after smallmouth—Lake St. Clair fish know the scent and silhouette by heart. If the wind kicks up, try a **Swimbait Jighead** or even a 1/2-ounce chatterbait along the weed edges or submerged rock piles. Early risers are still picking off pike and the occasional muskie on big chartreuse bucktails and jerkbaits at the edges of current seams and drop-offs, especially up towards the South Channel.

Live bait is a solid fallback: shiners and lively perch minnows are both pulling panfish and ‘eyes for those fishing from shore or bobber drifting in the canals, particularly around Strawberry Island and the mouth of the Clinton River.

As for hot spots, don’t overlook these two:

- The **mile roads** between 9 and 13 Mile, especially off the weed beds and transitions. Multiple reports have the bass and a few marauding muskies stacked deep right now, chasing bait balls.

- The **Belle River Hump**, just off the east side, is drawing a steady crowd of seasoned regulars and with good reason—walleyes and smallmouth are both active around the drops, especially late morning when the sun gets a li

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. Sunrise this morning busted through at 7:13, with sunset coming early at 5:22 pm, thanks to the recent time change. Conditions are classic late fall: the air temp is hanging around 46 degrees, water’s down to about 53, and anglers braving a stiff east breeze of 15 knots are getting rewarded. According to NOAA’s Lake St. Clair Station 45147, wave heights are holding steady near 2 feet, and that wind chill sneaks it below 40 before the sun climbs.

The late fall pattern is locked in. Water temps slipping into the high 40s have packed the smallmouth bass and walleye into tighter schools, often hanging on rocky shelves, points, and those classic deeper flats. Over the weekend, several charters out of the Detroit River and the American side brought in serious numbers: walleye limits came quick for most crews working the southeast corner, while smallmouth action was steady off the Mile Roads and near the Thames. Captain Billy Howe’s runs picked up loads of 18- to 21-inch smallmouth, some kissing the 4-pound mark—a true fall bruiser.

If you’re hunting smallmouth, blade baits in silver or gold have been the top ticket—jigged slow and low over rocky humps in 10 to 15 feet. Anglers working natural-colored tube jigs, especially green pumpkin or smoke, have been rewarded when fished right along bottom. Swimbaits, especially larger soft-bodied models, are bringing the bigger bites. Remember: wherever you mark dense shad or perch schools, stick around; the bass are lurking underneath. Pro tip from Major League Fishing’s Skeet Reese—don’t hesitate to throw a big bait even in chilly water. Jig it slow, bump it along, and hang on.

Walleyes are still thick from the Detroit River mouth north up the shipping channel. The candy-colored blade baits—chartreuse or pink—produce well, as do ¾ oz jigs tipped with emerald shiner, either live or Gulp! Alive. Try trolling when the breeze sets up and vertical jigging once it eases. Drifting east of Grosse Pointe or near the Metropark launch, boats are boating several “eaters” per pass.

Looking for perch? The bite’s hit or miss, but steady for patient hands. Anchoring past the weedlines off Strawberry Island, rig a small spottail shiner or a worm bit on a perch rig and stay put. Not a lot of limits, but enough 10- to 12-inchers for a hearty fry if you weed through the dinks.

Pike fans, don’t hang it up just yet. Anchor Bay and the south shore weed shelves are still holding fish. Flashy spoons or suspending jerkbaits run parallel to the deep edge are drawing strikes, and there have been a few reports of trophy fish taken this way even in the colder water. Muskie diehards are running late troll hooks from St. Clair Light to Belle River Hump. That fire tiger rubber or big jointed bait, trolled slow, landed a handful of 36- to 45-inch fish this past weekend. There’s still time for a November monster.

For hot spots this week: best bet

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Good morning, folks. Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. The clocks fell back yesterday, so sunrise hit at 7:13 AM and sunset’s coming early, just after 5:30 PM. The air’s chilly, but the bite’s heating up. Water temps are in the high 40s, and the late fall pattern is in full swing.

The wind’s out of the east at about 15 knots, and the waves are running around two feet. The air temp’s just under 47 degrees, so bundle up if you’re heading out. The barometer’s steady but starting to drop, which could mean some unsettled weather later.

Smallmouth bass are schooling up tight along the rocky points and deeper flats. Captain Billy Howe’s charters out of the Detroit River and onto the American side of St. Clair came back with multiple 18-21” smallies, some pushing four pounds. The best action’s been jigging blade baits in silver or gold, or working natural-colored tube jigs and swimbaits slowly over rocky humps in 10-15 feet. The Berkley Chigger Craw and a standard 4” green pumpkin tube are solid choices. If you’re after a true bruiser, don’t sleep on large soft-bodied swimbaits—Skeet Reese of Major League Fishing always reminds that even in colder water, big swimbaits fished slow can trigger heavy bass.

Walleye are thick from the mouth of the Detroit River north along the shipping channel edges. Trolling and vertical jigging with chartreuse or pink blade baits and heavy jigs tipped with live minnows or Gulp! alive in emerald shiner are top producers. When the breeze lays down late morning, try drifting the deeper cuts east of Grosse Pointe and up toward the Metropark launch—most boats running there have been boating several eaters per pass.

Perch action is decent, though a bit hit or miss. Those doing best are anchoring near the weedlines off Strawberry Island and dumping small spottail shiners or bits of worm on perch rigs. Fewer limits are reported, but a patient stick can put a couple dozen slabs in the cooler if you’re willing to weed through the dinks.

Northern pike are still cruising shallows and weedy shelves near Anchor Bay and the south shore—work flashy spoons or suspending jerkbaits parallel to weed edges for a shot at a trophy. Muskie diehards are squeezing in late troll runs from the St. Clair Light toward the Belle River hump. Big rubber baits in fire tiger or walleye pattern, trolled slow, accounted for multiple 36- to 45-inch fish over the weekend.

Hot spots this week: the Mile Roads (especially 9 and 11 Mile reefs) for smallmouth, Windmill Point for late walleye, Strawberry Island drop for perch, and Anchor Bay weedlines for pike. For less-pressured action, the Canadian side near the Thames River mouth is still quietly producing.

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This is Artificial Lure bringing you today’s fishing report for Lake St. Clair and the surrounding Michigan waters, Monday, November 3, 2025. We’re into that late fall window—water temps are sliding into the high 40s to low 50s, making for classic mixed-bag action and some of the last big pushes before ice sets in.

First, the weather and timing. Today’s sunrise came in at 7:13 AM with sunset expected at 5:23 PM. Skies are mostly cloudy with temps peaking in the upper 40s by the afternoon, and a steady northwest breeze fizzing things up out on the open lake. Lake St. Clair isn’t tidal, but that steady wind churn will put some drift on your lines and keeps those predator fish feeding, especially in wind-swept shallows and edges.

Fish activity this past week’s been strong. Lots of folks targeting smallmouth and largemouth bass, and that bite has continued to produce with fish holding off deeper breaks near the mile roads and around Anchor Bay. Captain Billy Howe, who fishes out of Detroit, said his best numbers are still coming on a mix of jigging and trolling, with smallmouth running 2–5 pounds and several reports of bigger 18–20 inchers in the mix. According to CaptainExperiences.com, fall trips have been filled with “lots of fish” and great overall action, even with the chill and a little wind chop.

Walleye anglers are doing their damage too—especially drifting out by the channels and Belle Isle, as well as the shipping lanes leading into the Detroit River. Recent catches are reminiscent of late October: limits aren’t a gimme, but 2-3 good ‘eyes a trip is about average, with some folks hitting more if you find the right school.

For gear, the story all week has been on natural-looking artificial lures. MajorLeagueFishing.com highlights craw-style plastics—green pumpkin or watermelon work wonders all year on Lake St. Clair, and Ned rigs or tubes can hardly be beat as that water keeps cooling. For crankbaiting, lean towards lipless styles or classic jerkbaits in shad patterns. Local guides like Billy Howe will also tell you that slow-rolling hair jigs tipped with minnows produce both bass and the occasional bonus walleye.

Bait-wise, nothing’s beating lively shiners or fatheads. But if you’re out to cover water, blade baits and jigging spoons are working well in 10–18 feet.

A couple of hot spots to put on your hit list today:

- **Metro Beach Mile Roads** for stacked-up smallies, especially early and late around deeper weed lines.

- **The St. Clair Light/Beacon area**, northeast of Harley Ensign launch, is known for mixed bags—perch, walleye, and some bonus pike.

Day by day, it’s classic November fishing—bundle up, fish slow, and key on moving baits if you find an active window. Most importantly, check the Michigan DNR regulations on size and limit—remember, bass harvest runs thru end of December for St. Clair-Detroit so you’re legal for catch and keep, but big mama smallmouths are best let go for next season.

Thanks for tuning in to today

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Monday, November 3rd, 2025. The clocks fell back yesterday, so sunrise hit at 7:13 AM and sunset’s coming early at 5:19 PM—comfortably bookending the best bite windows. The morning’s crisp, low 40s air temp is rising into the low 50s by midday, with a chilly westerly breeze backing off as the day wears on. Skies are mostly cloudy, but with no rain in sight, it’s a just-right autumn setup. Lake St. Clair isn’t tidally influenced, so changing water level isn’t a factor today.

Fishing this weekend was hot for those who braved the chilly air and shifting winds. The late fall pattern is setting in: water temps have cooled into the high 40s, driving smallmouth bass and walleye into tighter schools scattered along points, rocky shelves, and deeper flats. Several Lake St. Clair charters have reported clients boating limits of walleye in the southeast corner and consistent numbers of chunky smallmouth off the Mile Roads and near the mouth of the Thames. Captain Billy Howe’s recent weekend charters out of the Detroit River and onto the American side of St. Clair came back with multiple 18-21” smallies, with some pushing the four-pound mark.

For those targeting smallmouth, the best action has come from jigging blade baits in silver or gold, or working natural-colored tube jigs and swimbaits slowly over rocky humps in 10-15 feet. The clusters of shad and perch are holding tight, so wherever you find bait, you’ll find fish shadowing beneath. Anglers tossing a Berkley Chigger Craw or a standard 4” green pumpkin tube have been rewarded, especially if bumped along the bottom and fished slow. If you’re after a true bruiser, don’t sleep on large soft-bodied swimbaits—Skeet Reese of Major League Fishing always reminds that even in colder water, big swimbaits fished slow can trigger heavy bass.

Walleye are thick from the mouth of the Detroit River north along the shipping channel edges. Trolling and vertical jigging with chartreuse or pink blade baits and heavy jigs tipped with live minnows or Gulp! alive in emerald shiner are top producers. When the breeze lays down late morning, try drifting the deeper cuts east of Grosse Pointe and up toward the Metropark launch—most boats running there have been boating several eaters per pass.

Perch action is decent, though a bit hit or miss. Those doing best are anchoring near the weedlines off Strawberry Island and dumping small spottail shiners or bits of worm on perch rigs. Fewer limits are reported, but a patient stick can put a couple dozen slabs in the cooler if you’re willing to weed through the dinks.

Northern pike are still cruising shallows and weedy shelves near Anchor Bay and the south shore—work flashy spoons or suspending jerkbaits parallel to weed edges for a shot at a trophy. Muskie diehards are squeezing in late troll runs from the St. Clair Light toward the Belle River hump. Big rubber baits in fire tiger or walleye pattern, trolled slow, a

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