St. Clair Fishing Report » Lakeside Fishing Shop

Wind, Metro Beach and Perch This Weekend

editor — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:23:54 +0000

Lots of wind this weekend but if you can get out and do a little shoreline fishing along the banks of Lake St. Clair you may have great fishing. Perch are closer in to shore now and anglers with access are doing well. Metro Beach park is still open and shoreline fishing can be had there.

Metro Beach is still open to anglers

The Chapaton ramp at 9 Mile and Jefferson is now closed for the season but the fishing pier at Blossom Heath off Jefferson in SCS is open to anglers. Just drive in through the gate, keep going along the road and park directly across from the Coast Guard facility. It is a pleasant spot for a nice fall fish and provides easy access. Perch fishing has been very good.

A fall perch at Blossom Heath in St. Clair Shores

We just returned from Lakeside Fishing Shop. According to Captain Dan, jigging in the Detroit River is on fire. Anglers are reporting nice walleyes catches at the mouth of the Lake and the Detroit River and near the RennCen. Now is the time to go get them and beat the snow.

Holiday gift - An ice jig

For the Christmas season just beginning to heat up, Lakeside, a sponsor of the Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative, offers a variety of shanties and ice augers to meet any angler’s budget. The new Eskimo 6-8” augers are excellent and priced right.

Also, Lakeside has new Shakespeare Ugly Stiks and Fenwick ice rods. The Fenwick rods are 23-30” in length and use high strength low weight graphite. They are the highest quality rods available at Lakeside.

New this fall: The Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative, the owner’s of this site, has published a fabulous new canoe and kayak folding map called the Lake St. Clair Coastal Water Trail Paddling Routes. It features many access points, a high quality map, points of interest and actual paddling routes. Grab a copy at Lakeside Fishing Shop. According to Brad Simmons, Executive Director of the Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative, the long term plan is to have the map posted to the home page (similar to how they handle the Circle Tour map). Further, Brad says, they are working to add a new tab on the website on paddling, canoeing, kayaking, etc. on Lake St. Clair. Stay tuned for that.

A Nearly 7-Pound Smallmouth!

editor — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:58:45 +0000

First things first! How about this smallmouth. Biggest we’ve seen in two years. It was caught by Mike McGrane and was 6 pounds, 10-oz. The fish was caught out by Metro Beach on a drop shot. Mike brought it into Lakeside to be entered in the fishing contest and we snapped a quick picture of it. No word on how long the fight lasted.

Fish of a lifetime!

Weather this weekend will be delightful. High temperature on Friday and Saturday will be 86 and only 78 on Sunday. Lows in the upper 50’s this weekend.

Hot spots on Lake St. Clair right now:

Dumping Grounds, all American waters, are hot for perch, bass and walleyes. Bottom bouncers are the favorite.
2 to 3-miles out from 400 club using bottom bouncers and harnesses.
Belle River and Belle River Hump area for Muskies is going crazy right now as well as the Black Forest area in Canada. Best baits are familiar to you – Spankies, Booby Traps, etc.

Many anglers are using harnesses with crawlers and bottom bouncers. For bottom bouncers and all sorts of harnesses, do your shopping at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a Tour Lake St. Clair sponsor.

This from our friend and reader Captain Chuck Delaney late last week: I caught my walleye limit using jig and worm drifting in the Detroit River out in front of the Piece Fountain on the Canadian Side in about 35 to 40 feet of water. You must be down at the bottom and try to have your line as vertical as possible.

Thanks very much Captain Chuck! And readers, please send us your photos and fish stories to be reprinted here.

Caught His Limit…Again!

editor — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:56:52 +0000

The weatherman this weekend is calling for highs in the low 80’s with possible scattered showers. Lows around 68 each evening. It was a great weekend and early part of this week on Lake St. Clair. Muskies are being caught all over the lake especially along the Canadian shoreline. Many fish being caught in the middle of the lake in 18-20 feet.

He caught his limit...again!

These fish were caught at the south end of the dumping grounds toward the Wine Glass near Puce River on the Canadian shoreline. The angler used Reilly’s custom harnesses with white blade and red bead and purple blade. He caught his limit again!

Walleyes are being caught by anglers trolling with harnesses and bottom bouncers. Fewer anglers are using planer boards. Floating weeds are affecting the fishing so beware of those now. Buy bottom bouncers and harnesses at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a sponsor of the Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative.

Here’s a 2-minute video showing one solution to fishing in weeds in Lake St. Clair:

Please write and tell us how we can improve this site: (report@stclairfishingreport.com)

Celebrate Bass Opener – Take Dad Fishing

editor — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:22:09 +0000

Amid fishfly debris, a largemouth bass awaits his prey.

The weather this weekend should be great for the opening of catch and keep bass fishing on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River with highs in the low 80’s and mostly clear. Get out and go fishing!

Reports of silver bass still strong in the Detroit River. Walleye limits are being taken in the Detroit River too. Anglers from the Downriver Walleye Association report walleyes in anywhere from 14 to 20 feet of water. Walleye harnesses with various colors seem best. Anglers should have several colors of blades and beads and be prepared to switch things up a little. Get out onto the River early to find the best bite.

MOMC celebrates their 15^thannual muskie charity tournament to benefit the Special Olympics on Monday, June 20 and Tuesday, June 21. It is a wonderful event which raise lots of money for a great cause. Please contact Randy Carron at (313) 300-7753 or Michael Meda at (313) 705-1592 if you have questions.

From Captain Dan at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative sponsor, hand liners are doing well on the Detroit River near Joe Louis Arena and down to the Ambassador Bridge. Check out the water near Tommy’s. The water color there may help catch fish. Anglers are successful for bass from the GPYC up to 12 Mile Road. Captain Dan reports nice walleyes being caught at the 400 Club all along the shoreline and up to Metro Beach. Good perch are being caught too near the Firecracker.

Anglers: We need more photos. Please, please send you pictures to us at report@stclairfishingreport.com