A GP Farms resident with a nice smallmouth

And on Tuesday, Captain Dan landed a fine specimen of North America’s largest freshwater fish and the largest fish of his career.   For close to 40 minutes he fought a 57” sturgeon which he estimated to be nearly 50 pounds!  He was out on the Detroit River across from the Belle Isle coast guard on the Canadian side and caught it in 40 feet of water on a gold jig and a Lakeside brown worm.

Sturgeon from the Detroit River

Dan said, his fishing buddy “brought it in over the boat gunwales like a saltwater charter captain would land a tuna”.  After a few photos Dan released the fish. 

Going fishing this weekend?  The weather is looking kinda rough.  Come into the shop and talk to the guys about best baits to use during rainy or dark and cloudy days.

Grosse Pointe Farms, MI – The Michigan DNRE is “continuing to hunt these animals” Kelley Smith, Fisheries Division Chief, told a crowd of 100 citizens at an Asian Carp Town Hall hosted by State Representative Tim Bledsoe Monday night at the War Memorial.

Asian Carp are large, plankton-eating, invasives that compete with young, near-shore game fish.  It is feared their presence in the Great Lakes will threaten the $7 billion annual fishery there.  No viable population is believed to be in Lake Michigan yet.   But when asked by Bledsoe how long it would take for carp to reach Lake St. Clair, Smith was unsure but was clearly worried about the possibility of the fish affecting the relatively shallow lake’s fishery.

Bill Kirk, from the League of Conservation Voters, said the issue “has become highly political” with Michigan industry fighting Illinois industry. “There have been a number of roadblocks dealing with Chicago and Illinois elected officials,” he said.

Smith, along with other panel members, agreed that the best solution to the complex political and economic problem is a physical and hydrological separation of the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds.  When an audience member asked about fish poison, Smith said, “Rotenone is not a silver bullet and by itself will be insufficient to kill the carp population.”

Until we get a clear plan for watershed separation, and an understanding of the costs for such a plan, the most effective thing citizens can do is call the White House and their Congressmen and Senators in Washington, DC.  To learn more about the Asian Carp threat to Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes, go to www.asiancarp.org or www.stopasiancarp.com.

Perch: Anglers have been catching lots of perch roughly two miles out off of 9 Mile Road. In fact, many anglers report limiting out on jumbo perch this week. Anglers are taking perch with Reillys perch rigs and shiners. Buy them here at the shop. Fishing has also been really good in front of the 400 Club.

Muskies: There was a big muskie tournament this past weekend. The winning fish was 52 3/4”. A winner in any tournament that’s for sure! All the big fish were taken on the Canadian side near Thames River. Best baits are Lokey lures and Spankies and Grandma lures.

Smallmouth: Bass fishing has been slow. At this time of the year, the best bait S and L Chruncher baits (tube and a jig), golden shiners, and live crayfish. Sponsors (Anglers Dream) of a big bass tournament coming up this weekend hope the fish start getting hungry again. The tournament will go out of Wayne County’s Elizabeth Park marina in Trenton (info here). If you are in this tournament, please be sure to send us your fishing report.

Also at the shop, we have free sturgeon tags. Each angler is permitted one tag in Michigan waters. Watch that minimum size!

9-11-09:  Fishing has been very slow this week but expect it to pick up this weekend.

Bass have been good at the Mile Roads and off the GP Yacht Club. Anglers report hits on shiners and tubes.  The S and L Crunchers are working really well too.

Perch have been biting at the lighthouse. Use Reillys perch rigs and shiners.

Looking for walleyes and very little boat traffic? Head down to the RenCen and fish the Detroit River. We’ve been getting reports of good walleye action there. Anglers are pulling wire using spoons.

There’s a MOMC muskie tournament on the lake this weekend. Muskie action has been slow for whatever reason. Area captains are expecting muskie fishing to pick up this weekend. Big ones will be caught during the tournament. Call MOMC or Dan or Julie at Lakeside Fishing Shop for more info.

The store is fully stocked with muskie lures such as Loke baits, Hi-Fin baits, Drifter lures, Lochness baits, Grandma lures and Jake lures.

Go fishing this weekend and send us a photo and a fishing report.