When Paul Elias won the Lake Guntersville, Alabama FLW Bass Tournament in October, he created a controversy not seen in the professional bass fishing ranks in many years.  Elias won the tournament using an Alabama Rig.  An Alabama Rig is a mess of a set up.  It features a plastic fish head trailing up to five baits each with its own hook.  Striped bass anglers have been using a similar “umbrella rig” for years.  Following Elias’ tournament victory, dozens of professional and amateur anglers lined up at bait stores and went online to purchase the Alabama Rig.

We’ve heard that anglers throughout southeast Michigan can’t wait to fish the Alabama Rig in their home waters – including Lake St. Clair.  We wanted to know if a rig like this is actually legal in Michigan?  So we consulted the 2011 Michigan Fishing Guide.  Here’s what we found on page 6 of the Guide:

Hook and Line Fishing: Fish so taken must be hooked in the mouth. Fish not hooked in the mouth must be returned to the water immediately. No more than three lines per person (including tip-ups) nor more than six hooks or lures may be used. All hooks attached to an artificial bait or “night crawler harness” are counted as one hook. Hooks must be baited or attached to an artificial bait. You may use any number of hooks on one line for taking smelt in recognized smelt waters…

Reading this, it looks like the Alabama Rig is legal to use in Michigan waters.

But…is there ample room in the interpretation of the rules to make the Rig illegal?  Is it just plain silly to fling five lures at a time despite its success rate?  Is there a moral or otherwise reason anglers in Michigan should avoid the Alabama Rig especially in the spring when bass are on their beds and a good angler could hook more than one bass per cast?

What do you think?  Are Alabama Rigs legal in Michigan?   Please leave a comment below.

A fine November Lake St. Clair smallmouth

With a low chance of rain and afternoon temperatures in the mid to high 50’s, this weekend looks like a good one to get out and hunt down some really great fish.  The bass and muskies are fattening up for winter.

Since 1968, Ranger Boats has built a reputation for well-built premium bass boats that add value and enjoyment to the sport of bass fishing in the United States.  On Tuesday, Patrick Klempert, Michigan sales representative for Ranger Boats, took several Macomb County officials and their guests for an afternoon of fishing on Lake St. Clair.  The morning was spent meeting with County and local tourism experts to discuss ways the County can increase awareness of the outstanding fishery we have in Lake St. Clair.  All agreed that more can be done to attract anglers – and their tourism dollars – to SE Michigan. 

After the morning meeting, anglers braved the whitecaps kicked up by the southerly wind and headed to the Firecracker lighthouse at the southern tip of Seaway Island. The sturdy Ranger bass boats made for excellent fishing platforms but were rocked all afternoon by the waves and freighter wakes. 

And the smallmouth fishing was pretty rockin’ too.  Six smallies were landed in little over 2 hours of fishing.  Bait of choice was purple and green tube baits on 3/8-oz. jigs dragged along the bottom.  All fish were hooked in 10-14 feet of water. All the fish were fat, golden beauties. 

Lake St. Clair provides the greatest smallmouth bass fishing in the country.  Get out and enjoy this fabulous fishery.

A purple tube bait on a 3/8-ounce jig hooked this smallie.

Where To Go Fishing This Weekend 

Steven is a happy winner!

We received this letter from a reader named Steven Kujawski who landed a 54″ muskie in Lake St. Clair:  I was in a special Olympics muskie tournament on June 21,2011 at the Grosse Pointe yacht club which was held on lake St.Clair and I was aboard the boat Mary Megan the 2nd.  At 9:30 am I latched on to a 54-inch muskie which took 15 minutes to reel in and once it was in the boat it was very lively.  When it was released it swam away right away without a problem and than later I caught a 44 inch muskie.  At 2:55 I heard over the radio all boats need to weigh-in and then I heard that I had won the tournament with a winning 54 inch muskie and everyone on the boat gave me high fives they were all very nice.   That fish took 4 people to hold up and then later it turned out that I was the first and youngest special Olympian to win that event and that whole day was fun.  I cant wait to do that again next year.

Perch fishing is reported to be excellent right now from the mouth of the Detroit River all the way up to Huron Point near Metro Beach.  Anglers are reporting fat fish in sizes up to 11-12″.  You can get a great fillet from those fish!

Also, the bass fishing continues to be strong along the Mile roads.  Anglers fishing for perch are reporting big smallies being caught last week.

It appears weeds are making muskie and walleye anglers irritated.  Detroit River walleye fishing is being effected by weeds and so is walleye fishing in Lake St. Clair.  Successful anglers are suffering the weeds and using bottom bouncers and harnesses.  The muskies being caught are in the Red Barn, Thames River and Belle River Hump areas.

We are getting into the fall “shoulder” fishing season.  This fishing report will slow down to maybe once every two weeks until the ice is in and anglers can get out for winter perch fishing.  But if you have a story to tell, please send it long to us at  report@stclairfishingreport.com.

If you are a muskie angler you know there are lots of weeds out there and seem to be getting worse.  Despite the weeds, we are hearing of anglers being successful with larger baits. Spankies and Cowgirls are working well.  Reports this week of good fishing near the Thames River area and the Canadian waters..

Captain Dan from Lakeside Fishing Shop in St. Clair Shores, a sponsor of the Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative, says he had a charter last week and spent the morning near the GPYC and the 9-Mile Road area.  Apparently he did pretty well…up to 100 fish caught including some chubby perch and a few really good smallies.   Fish in 15’ of water for both perch and bass.  Make sure you move around to find the best fishing.

Another good location for perch is Point Huron off Metro Beach and waters off Selfridge AFB.

Walleye jigging in the Detroit River is yielding really good fish right now when the water conditions are right.  Also we heard reports of good walleyes on the Canadian side near the Ambassador Bridge and in front of Tommy’s.  The wind last week created lots of mud but we know things will clean up soon for you.

Where to go Fishing this Weekend (without a boat)

Don’t have a boat and wonder where to take the kids this weekend?  How about trying Tucker Park in Harrison Township? 

View from Tucker Park of Jefferson Avenue bridge over the Clinton Cutoff

Sweet little fishing pier in Tucker Park, Harrison Township, Michigan

Getting to Tucker Park is easy.  If you are driving from St. Claire Shores, head north along Jefferson Avenue towards the Clinton River Cutoff.  You will go over the Cutoff on a two lane bridge and take a left onto Ballard.   Park in the lot next to the senior center.  From there you stretch your legs a bit along the hike/bike trail, cross over Jefferson and enter the park.  The park features a nice little fishing pier and allows anglers to sit on the shoreline rocks and fish in the Cutoff. 

Anglers fishing this water hook carp, bass, perch and bluegills.  Tucker Park is fine spot to take kids and relax and is open daily from 8:00 AM to dusk.

Please let us know (report@stclairfishingreport.com):  What is your favorite shoreline fishing location?