Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Today

Good morning from Lake St. Clair—this is Artificial Lure, bringing you the freshest fishing intel for September 20th, 2025.

We’re waking up to **cool, clear conditions**: overnight air temp held steady near 66°F and water temp’s a prime 68°F, with a gentle northeast breeze at around 8 knots according to the buoy off St. Clair. The pressure’s dropped just a tick, signaling stable weather for much of the day. No tidal swings here, but the wind’s light enough that small-craft anglers aren't fighting waves. **Sunrise was right around 7:12 AM, sunset at 7:32 PM**—plenty of daylight to make hay before the equinox shortens our sessions.

**Fish Activity:**

Musky are stealing the show again this September. Just yesterday, anglers boated two identical 35- to 37-inch Muskies before the north wind got up. Captain Kurt and Captain Matt from Reel Therapy have been dialed in all week: they landed a **monster 50-inch Musky with a 20-inch girth** September 16th, and on the 10th, their crew pulled five solid Muskies in five hours. If your arms are up for a battle, now’s the prime time—September here has always been “big fish month.”

Bass chasers, don't hang up your rods yet. Smallmouth are biting steady, especially in the main channels and rocky points. Perch schools drift along the weed edges, and reports from earlier in the week suggest good catches with steady action. **Walleye numbers have ticked up** too, particularly in the early morning and just before dusk.

**What’s Working on Lures and Bait:**

Musky are responding best to big jointed crankbaits—think 8" or bigger—trolled between Balls Island and the mile roads. Natural perch and shad colors have hooked the biggest fish. Bucktail spinners, especially black/chartreuse or fire tiger patterns, are also working along shoreline drop-offs.

For bass, early mornings continue to reward a switch to subtle topwaters: local forum chatter recommends downsizing to a Zara Spook or a Pop-R instead of buzzbaits as water temps cool. Ned rigs in green pumpkin and soft jerkbaits have stuck good numbers, especially near Metro Beach and along Anchor Bay. Tube baits and drop-shot rigs in goby or craw patterns get bites all day.

Perch are hitting on small live minnows and jigs tipped with waxworms, particularly close to the Clinton River mouth and the 400 Club area. Walleye anglers are scoring with blade baits and crawlers on a harness on the deeper flats east of Grosse Pointe.

**Hot Spots for Today:**

- **9 Mile Tower drift:** that classic stretch continues to cough up trophy muskies this month.

- **Anchor Bay:** Bass are schooling hard around weed beds and rocky bottoms; perch are here in numbers too.

- **Clinton River Mouth:** steady perch and bonus eater-sized walleyes, especially around first light.

- **Metro Beach breakwall:** always good for a mixed bag, and the bass and musky action’s been consistent.

If you’re heading out, pack a mix of big cranks, bucktails, subtle topwater walkers, and don’t forget those minnow

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Good morning folks, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Saturday, September 20, 2025, fishing report for Lake St. Clair and the surrounding Michigan waters.

Today’s sunrise kicked off about 7:13 AM and you can expect sunset around 7:33 PM. The weather right now is sitting crisp and ideal for fishing, with air temps holding at *66°F* and the water temp a refreshing *68°F*, based on the latest National Data Buoy Center readings from buoy 45147. Winds are coming in out of the northeast at a steady *7 to 8 knots*, nothing too hard for most anglers, and wave action is pretty tame, with wave heights less than a foot—plenty comfortable for getting out on the lake.

There aren’t any real tides to speak of here on Lake St. Clair due to its freshwater nature, but wind-driven water movement will be just enough to keep those bait balls scattered and the predators on patrol.

Now for the action: fish activity this week has been noticeably solid, especially with the recent stretch of stable weather. According to Spreaker's Daily Michigan Fishing Report, anglers have been landing healthy numbers of smallmouth bass, perch, and walleye—especially during the early morning and late evening bites. Reports from St. Clair Shores as late as yesterday highlight a hot smallmouth bite in the 12- to 18-foot breaks, with fish up to 4 pounds making a regular appearance in the catch[Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report - Daily - Spreaker].

Yellow perch schools are scattered but thick where you find them—try moving until you hit one and then anchor up. Guys dragging minnows around the weed lines and near the dumping grounds have been putting together good numbers, and if you like your panfish, now’s a great time to fill a cooler.

Walleyes remain steady, primarily along the south channel and up toward the Belle River Hump, with best action coming to those bouncing crawler harnesses and even crankbaits in the low light windows. Stay mobile and don’t be afraid to zig zag your troll between 10 and 18 feet.

Big muskie reports continue as well, with several fish over 40 inches coming from the Metro Point to 400 Club stretch. Trollers running big jointed plugs in perch or firetiger color have pulled the better fish, especially over deeper weed beds.

Best lures this week? For bass, local experts suggest sticking with *green pumpkin tubes*, *drop-shot rigs* with smaller plastics like flukes or Gulp minnows, and spinnerbaits when the wind chops up the water. Try a white or chartreuse spinnerbait in windy pockets, which produced a 17-fish morning for one group Thursday. For perch, you can't beat a *live minnow* under a slip bobber or a small gold jig. Walleye want night crawlers on harnesses (copper blades have done best lately), with #7 Flicker Shads getting bonus fish.

For bait, lively emerald shiners are top choice for perch; bass are keying on goby imitations and tubes around the rocky points and humps, while crawler harnesses out-fish most artificial for walleye

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair, Michigan fishing report for Friday, September 19, 2025.

Sunrise came at 7:11 AM with sunset expected at 7:36 PM, giving us a great early fall window for chasing action on the water. We’ve had calm northeast winds this morning, steady at around 8 knots, with water temps hovering at a comfortable 68°F. Air temps are sitting in the mid-60s, so it’s hoodie weather out there. Lake conditions are nearly flat with less than a foot of chop—ideal for both boat and kayak anglers, according to live buoy data from the National Data Buoy Center. With Lake St. Clair being non-tidal, water levels are slightly lower this week, so pay attention to the edges of weed beds and shipping channel drops, where the fish love to stack up when currents slow.

Bass fishing remains the main headline, and the smallmouth bite is still on fire by all accounts. The Outdoor News crew has reported “red hot” smallmouth action, especially for those drifting golden shiners or working tubes and spinnerbaits. Tournament guys have been hauling in solid numbers, with many adult fish ranging from two to three pounds and the occasional four-plus making it to the net. Recent tournament footage shows teams catching back-to-back smallmouth in the 2 lb 11 oz to 3 lb range, along with a few chunky largemouth mixing in near the muddy margins and river mouths.

As we transition into late September, smallmouth are piling onto shallow feeding flats, rocky humps, and current seams. Prime time is mid-morning through early afternoon, when the sun gets up and those shallows warm just enough to fire up the bite. This is a great window for fan casting along rocky points and weedline transitions across Anchor Bay and the Mile Roads. Don’t overlook the mouth of the St. Clair River, either—a classic highway for migrating bass, and the current edges there have been productive with active fish.

Best bets for baits right now: drop shot rigs armed with Berkley MaxScent Flatworms, G-Crack Bellows Shad, and traditional tubes in green pumpkin or goby pattern. Swimbaits and blade baits are starting to trigger reaction bites as the fish fatten up for fall. According to recent tournament chatter, both the exposed hook drop shot and compact jig heads are getting bit, especially when paired with an 1/8 or 3/8 oz weight to keep contact along the bottom. For live bait folks, drifting golden shiners or small chubs is as close to a sure thing as it gets for steady action.

On the perch front, action’s been a little hit-and-miss compared to previous weeks. Reports from Michigan Sportsman forums say yellow perch are still scattered, but the bite seems best around grassy flats and isolated rock piles, especially when schools are located through persistent searching. Harnesses tipped with minnows or small soft-plastics are the go-to for filling a panfish basket if you stumble on a pod of active eaters.

The hottest spots lately:

- **Mile Roads (9 to 12 Mile) for consistent sma

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Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your September 19th fishing report for Lake St. Clair and the surrounding Michigan waters.

Here on the lake, sunrise was at 7:12 AM and we’re looking at sunset around 7:38 PM. The air is cool and steady—early morning temps are in the upper 60s, and we’re sitting with 68°F water by the buoys. Wind is currently out of the northeast at about eight knots, keeping the water just a bit choppy, but with waves less than a foot, nothing you can’t handle out there. Atmospheric pressure’s steady around 30.12 inches, but trending slightly down, a sign the bite might pick up later in the day.

We don’t get real “tides” here, but St. Clair’s water levels are running normal for September. Weed beds have thinned a touch but still create plenty of ambush spots. Overall, excellent bass and muskie conditions, and if you’re targeting perch or walleye, the current’s steady enough to set up a good drift.

On the fish front, Lake St. Clair is flat-out on fire for smallmouth bass right now. According to longtime locals and the chatter at the ramps, anglers are regularly hauling in 20-plus pound bags, and some are saying it’s the best bass fishing this lake has seen in 50 years. Numbers are strong, and the fish have been feeding up—expect chunky 3- to 5-pounders if you stay persistent, with an occasional beast topping the 6 mark. A few reports have even come in about smallies busting bait on the surface during the wind breaks.

As for tactics, the bite’s been good both shallow and deep, but especially over scattered rock near Metro Beach and east of Anchor Bay. Ned rigs and soft swimbaits are getting smashed, and when the north wind lays down, don’t sleep on throwing spinnerbaits or jerkbaits, especially in perch and goby patterns. For those who like to power fish, crankbaits worked along the drop-offs have been consistent.

If you’re chasing muskies, several charter captains out of St. Clair Shores and Harley Ensign report solid action, with productive numbers coming on big bucktails and rubber baits, trolled or cast along weed edges. The best windows have been midday, as the water warms a bit, so don’t be afraid to sleep in, grab breakfast, and hit your favorite flats around noon.

Walleye catches have ticked up with the cooler nights. Bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers, as well as shad-imitating deep-divers, are doing work along the shipping channel, particularly by the St. Clair Light and the dumping grounds just south of Harsens Island. The pick bite at night’s been slower, but a few crews reported limit catches by working crankbaits low and slow right at dusk.

Perch action is sporadic—some are hitting jumbos in front of the 400 Club, but they’re moving fast. Anchoring and using spreaders with emerald shiners is still your best bet, but be ready to relocate if the bite dies. Don’t give up after the morning flurry; sometimes midday slabs show up when the wind shifts.

For bait, it hasn’t been complicated:

- Ned ri

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Artificial Lure here, fishing friends—it’s Wednesday, September 17, and if you’re up before sunrise on Lake St. Clair, grab your coffee and gear because today’s a classic late-summer transition on the water.

Sunrise hit at 7:13 AM, and we’ll see a sunset at 7:39 PM. The day rolled in calm with light westerlies—wind speed from the Lake St. Clair buoy clocked at just under 4 knots out of the west, water sitting at a perfect 70.2 degrees, and waves a gentle 0.7 feet, so nearly anyone can launch safely this morning according to the National Data Buoy Center. Pressure’s steady at 30.10 and we’re topping out at about 73 degrees, feeling almost summery—just cool enough for a hoodie at launch but short sleeves by lunch.

Now for the fishing report. After a run of cooler water, things have stayed mixed up out there. Reports from the south end this week say fish are scattered—one angler put in long days and managed some perch, but not the big buckets we saw last September. It’s still worth your time, though, especially if you’re willing to stick it out and move around. Pickerel, perch, and the odd walleye have all hit the ice, and if you keep after it, you’ll connect. Long days and roaming schools are the pattern right now, so cover ground and stay patient, as relayed by local anglers on Michigan Sportsman.

Recent weeks around Lake St. Clair have seen anglers landing fair numbers of yellow perch—most running 8 to 10 inches, with some 12”-plus jumbos if you hunt those weed bed drop-offs. Smallmouth bass numbers remain consistent, with plenty in the 2–3 pound range in classic haunts like Anchor Bay. Northern pike are prowling near the weed edges and shallow flats—no giants reported this week, but plenty to bend a rod.

For tactics, if you’re chasing perch or walleye, you can’t go wrong with live emerald shiners on slip bobbers or jigging spoons. Perch, in particular, are still falling for small tungsten jigs tipped with waxies or plastics—chartreuse and pink have been reliable. In the clearer water, try downsizing. For smallmouth, tubes in shades of green pumpkin or copper have been money, while Ned rigs and drop shots with natural bait colors are producing solid numbers.

If it’s pike you’re after, tie on a bright spinnerbait or a big white swimbait and work the weed lines—those fish are hungry as water temps cool heading into fall. Don’t overlook a sucker or chub on a quick-strike rig for a shot at a true gator.

For the hotspots, Anchor Bay remains prime for steady perch action, especially out from the Metropark and the mouth of the Clinton River—watch your electronics for bait balls and don’t be afraid to keep moving. The Mile Roads area has produced bass and the occasional walleye on crankbaits, and the channels near Harsens Island are another solid bet, particularly with flow and boat traffic pushing bait into ambush points.

As always, keep an eye on Michigan’s latest fishing regs—harvest limits and size minimums are enforced for walleye, perch, a

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Artificial Lure here, coming to you from the banks of Lake St. Clair on this breezy September 17th, 2025. If you were out early this morning, sunrise hit at 7:12 AM and you can expect sunset tonight at 7:42 PM—nice long day for prowling the weed beds and break lines. The water’s sitting around 70 degrees by the latest National Data Buoy Center reading out near the middle of the lake, air temps are a balmy 73, and the wind’s gentle out of the west at about 4 knots. The lake’s like glass, with barely a ripple—prime for throwing finesse baits and sight fishing the shallows.

Fishing’s been a grind this week, and if you’ve felt it, you’re not alone. According to several folks fishing the south end, there’s still a lot of cold water hanging around, which means baitfish and predators are scattered and roaming. The perch bite has been tough—most reporting mostly small ones, with just enough keepers mixed in for a panfish fry if you put in the hours. No one bait has really stood out, so your best bet for perch is to have a variety handy: try live minnows on drop shot rigs, or tip a small tungsten jig with waxworms or soft plastics. If you’re drifting deeper or working the flats, keep it slow and be ready for light bites.

Smallmouth bass are still the main draw, with local anglers logging thousands of catches around Lake St. Clair this season. Fishbrain anglers especially recommend targeting rocky points near the Mile Roads, the Metro Beach area, and Anchor Bay. The bite’s been up and down, but some big bronzebacks are showing up for those working tubes, Ned rigs, and crankbaits in the 6-to-10-foot range. Chartreuse or green pumpkin is the color this week if the sun’s out, but go darker during cloud cover or low light. Early mornings and evenings just after sunrise or before sunset are prime times as the water’s at its coolest and baitfish are active.

Walleye are a little more scattered right now, but night anglers trolling harnesses and stickbaits near the mouth of the Detroit River and off the dumping grounds have picked up a few. If you’re looking for northern pike, try the weedy cuts in Anchor Bay or near the Clinton River mouth—spinnerbaits in white or firetiger seem to be the go-to. A 33-inch pike was recently logged over in Hubbell Pond, so you know the toothy critters are feeding up for fall.

Don’t overlook the panfish—especially pumpkinseed and rock bass—which are still biting off docks and in weed pockets close to shore. Kids have had luck with worm and bobber rigs. For some good family action, try the riverfront park in Algonac for shore fishing; it’s a great spot if you just want numbers or to enjoy the views as the freighters slip past.

Hot spots this week:

- Anchor Bay drop-offs, especially around the 9-to-11 foot zone.

- The shipping channel edges near the Grosse Pointe shores and Metro Beach.

- Clinton River mouth and the cuts at the north end for pike and late-summer bass.

A quick note: always double check the current Michigan DNR cr

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This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair Fishing Report for Sunday, September 14, 2025.

Sunrise kicked off around 7:07 AM, with sunset wrapping things up at 7:44 PM—plenty of daylight for those determined to chase the bite. Conditions today were about as classic mid-September St. Clair as it gets: air temps hovering in the upper 60s, water temp steady at 67 degrees according to the National Data Buoy Center, and barely a puff of wind out of the southwest. Calm waters, glassy in the morning and only a hint of chop by dinner, made for prime boat handling and sharp sightlines.

Fish activity is ramping right up, with the September Slam in full swing—prime time for **smallmouth bass**, **yellow perch**, and a solid push of **walleye**. Reports out of Anchor Bay and the Mile Roads show smallies busting up schools of bait as they feed heavy heading toward fall. Most catches today were midsize but healthy—plenty in the 2–4 lb. range, with a few tanks pushing five caught closer to Peche Island. Bass are chasing shad, and perch are piling up near weedlines, especially off the south channel.

Best action by species:

- **Smallmouth Bass**: Top catches on green pumpkin or smoke tube jigs and Ned rigs. Crankbaits with a shad pattern and spinnerbaits were lights-out during the early bite. Anglers slow-rolling swimbaits along deeper breaks at Strawberry Island did real damage.

- **Yellow Perch**: Minnows on drop-shot rigs or under slip bobbers are converting in 12–16 ft. near Metro Beach. Emerald shiners are still the gold standard; local bait shops say get out early for best selection.

- **Walleye**: Evening trollers had the most luck running bottom bouncers tipped with crawler harnesses, especially pink and chartreuse blades. Drifting jigs with nightcrawlers across the teeth of current at the St. Clair River mouth picked up some dandy eaters.

- **Muskie**: The big girls are following the packs of perch and small bass. Double-bladed bucktails and large soft plastics, especially in perch and fire tiger colors, raised a few follows but things are just starting to heat up.

Top Hot Spots:

- **Mile Roads (9 and 10 Mile areas)**: Consistent smallie and perch bite—weed edges are loaded and the bite heats up as the sun gets higher.

- **South Channel–Strawberry Island**: Best multi-species action. Smallies, perch, and occasional walleye. Toss lures parallel to breaklines and you’ll hit paydirt.

The bait of the day across the board? **Emerald shiners** where available; tube jigs and Ned rigs if you’re tossing artificials. Bright patterns if the water gets a little stained, more natural if it stays clear.

No tide swings to worry about since this is a freshwater gem, but water clarity stayed clear today with only a small uptick in turbidity after some minor friday storms.

Several local charters docked with full limits of perch and happy clients, and this weekend should see even more bass boats as the pre-fall bite peaks. If you want numbers, this week’s log

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Artificial Lure here, bringing your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Sunday, September 14th, 2025.

It’s a classic September morning in Michigan—temps hovering in the mid-60s at sunrise, with light winds and just a whisper of haze on the water. Sunrise hit at 7:09 AM and tonight’s sunset will be at 7:49 PM, giving us a full day’s window for action. We’re coming off yesterday’s mild, late-summer weather, with the lake showing patchy cloud cover and stable barometer. There’s no tidal movement in Lake St. Clair itself—being a Great Lake system, water levels are steady, but recent rains have raised clarity to ‘tea stain’ and pushed a bit more bait into the shallows.

According to Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Daily, fish are on the move. With water temps sliding down toward the low 70s, get ready for the fall transition—you’ll find baitfish schooling up in bays and along the grass flats. Fish population trends are healthy; guides and locals are reporting strong numbers of smallmouth bass, a good mix of muskie, some toothy northern pike, and healthy catches of walleye and perch. The bass fishing remains the staple—most smallmouth in the 2 to 4-pound range, with muskie catches creeping up and the average size stretching into the mid 40-inch bracket.

Just this week, anglers across the lake have landed:

- Limits of smallmouth bass near Anchor Bay and the Huron River mouth.

- Muskie—reports of three to five ‘ski’ encounters per boat, with several kept over the slot between 45–49 inches.

- Walleye and perch—a steady bite along the Metro Beach weed lines and in the shipping channels.

Best bait and lure choice right now:

*Bass are smashing on green pumpkin and watermelon tube jigs, casting just off the rocky points and deep gravel humps. When smallmouth push shallow, strike with soft plastics—Ned rigs, finesse worms—and mix in lipless crankbaits or shad pattern jerkbaits for more aggressive feeding windows. If you’re muskie dreaming, throw oversized jointed plugs in perch or fire tiger, or troll big rubber baits along deeper breaks.

For walleye and perch, local anglers are tipping chartreuse jigs with bits of worm and casting into the current near channel edges. Perch are chasing live minnows, so don’t be shy.

Hot Spots today:

- Anchor Bay: morning topwater and tube jig bite; smallmouth and muskie feeding heavy around bait schools.

- Metro Beach: perch and walleye on spinners and jigs, especially in late morning and early evening.

- Thames River mouth: muskie trolling mid-morning along breaks, best with bright, jointed lures.

Fish activity peaks early—best window is 7–10 AM. Watch for surface boils; bass and muskie are busting bait in open water, so stay alert for those sudden blitzes. Afternoon slows down but picks back up near sunset for the night bite.

One last word for Lake St. Clair regulars: gear up with medium-heavy spinning rods, 10–15 lb fluorocarbon for bass, and step up to steel leaders for muskie. The chatterbait and spinnerbai

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September mornings on Lake St. Clair remind us why we love this water—mild air, glassy coves, and a real taste of late summer action. Sunrise broke this morning at 7:10 a.m., with temps around the mid-60s at dawn and a gentle southwest breeze moving at 6–8 mph. Expect partly cloudy skies most of the day, high topping out near 75, and a gorgeous sunset tonight at 7:47 p.m.

No big tides here, but water levels remain healthy and stable—recent Metroparks updates say that local renovations are complete and boat access is better than ever. Water is clear to lightly stained along the southern shoreline with just the right chop for predatory fish to be out hunting. The current and slight wind have been pushing schools up into the shallows, especially around metropark points and weedlines.

Bass fishing is firing on all cylinders—anglers working the Mile Roads and the Harley Ensign pier report a mix of quality largemouth and smallmouth, some topping 5 pounds. Folks tossing green pumpkin tubes, dark Ned rigs, and white spinnerbaits right along the edges are getting consistent bites. Early morning is when the topwater action is prime—those using poppers and black frogs have drawn aggressive strikes before the sun fully breaks through.

Believe it or not, the musky bite is just as good. Around Anchor Bay and the St. Clair Light, trollers are seeing two to four decent fish per trip, some stretching into the upper 40-inch range. Best success has come on 8–10 inch jointed crankbaits in fire tiger, as well as rubber swim baits in white and perch patterns. Slow rolling over deeper weed beds and ledges is key.

As for panfish, perch are starting to school up off the Metropark pier and down near Grosse Pointe. Anglers with live minnows on small drop-shot rigs or perch spreaders are putting 20–40 keepers in the cooler, most in the 8–11 inch bracket. Bluegill are still active off the docks, hitting on waxworms and small pieces of nightcrawler.

Walleye reports this week at the mouth of the Detroit River are solid for late season—trollers pulling crawler harnesses and mini crankbaits in purple or gold are picking up a mixed bag, especially under low-light conditions. A few nice slot walleyes, 17–21 inches, have come from the shipping channel near Peche Island and the South Channel.

For bait, nothing beats lively golden shiners or emerald shiners for perch and walleye. Soft plastics and big bucktails are catching most of the predatory fish, but if you can find suckers or larger minnows, musky hunters will want some on hand as a trailer.

If you’re hunting for the hottest spots, roll over to 9 Mile and 400 Club for both bass and perch, or venture out to Strawberry Island for mixed bags and steady action all day.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Lake St. Clair fishing report—may the bite be hot and your lines tight. Don’t forget to subscribe for the freshest on-water updates and angling insight every week. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out qui

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Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your September 13th Lake St. Clair fishing report. It’s just past 7:20 a.m. and the lake’s alive with crisp late-summer air, smooth water, and a solid bite—perfect conditions to get out there.

Today’s sun peeks over the horizon at 7:06 a.m. and you’ll have daylight until 7:47 p.m. Plenty of time for a double session if you want to get after ‘em. Right now, water temps sit comfortable at 68°F, air temps are matching, and the wind’s out of the ENE at a manageable 2 knots according to buoy 45147 from the National Data Buoy Center. Waves are almost non-existent, barely a third of a foot—so whether you’re launching at Harley Ensign or Metro Beach, you’re set for an easy ride.

No tides to speak of here, but low overnight winds and steady atmospheric pressure around 30.17 inches should keep the fish active in the early morning through midday. Pressure is falling slightly, which often puts gamefish on the prowl, looking for an easy meal.

Let’s talk fishing: According to the most recent angler chatter, Michigan Sportsman boards, and podcast checks, the big news this week has been consistent musky action—especially out by Belle River Hump and around Anchor Bay. Trolling large rubber baits like Bondy Baits, double 10 bucktails, and classic Drifter Believers in perch, shiner, or natural cisco colors has been hot. The evening musky bite has picked up with the moon phases, with several boats reporting three to five fish per outing. The average musky size has been solid, many in the low 40-inch range and one beast taped at 49 inches.

Smallmouth bass have stayed aggressive in the cooler water. Focus on the mile roads, the St. Clair Light, and the shipping channel edges. Drop-shot rigs with goby-pattern plastics, Ned rigs, and jerkbaits in natural tones are getting it done. Some boats reported 20 to 30 smallies in a morning session, with best action at 12–15 feet of water.

Walleye numbers aren’t what they were in midsummer, but they’re still catchable near the channels and by the dumping grounds. Early risers working crawler harnesses or trolling Flicker Shads at sunrise are pulling a mix of keepers and unders until about 9 a.m.

For panfish, perch are showing up best in Mitchell’s Bay and around the Metropark weed edges. Use minnows or small jigs just off bottom. The size is mixed but there’s plenty for a fry. White bass and even a few incidental pike are biting for folks vertical jigging silver spoons around current breaks.

Hot spots today:

- Belle River Hump: Best shot at big muskies, especially trolling deep edges, 14–18 ft.

- Mile Roads (9 to 13): Steady smallmouth bite, use finesse plastics tight to structure.

- Harley Ensign launch area and Metropark: Easy perch and occasional bonus walleye early.

On the bait front, large suckers are still a top choice for musky chasing and lively golden shiners or fathead minnows for panfish. Don’t overlook soft swimbaits in shiner or bluegill patterns for bass and ev

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