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.

Get out there and catch a muskie like the one below sent to us from our friend Lee Powell who is a long-time Lake St. Clair angler.  No word from Lee what he used to catch the fish but we’re glad he sent it our way.  This note from Lee accompanied the photos:  I fished in Lake St. Clair about 10 years off and on and caught many musky over the years. Finished fourth once on St. Clair.  Oh well.  No place on that lake that you can’t catch fish.  Lake St. Clair is the greatest by far.  Lee Powell, (The Banana Boat).   We agree Lee!

Another big muskie from Lake St. Clair

Where to fish this weekend:

An August 20 entry from the Lake St. Clair Walleye Association website fishing report:  Pulled BB’s and in lines, by buoy 25 area American side, got 5 nice ‘eyes, then dark.  Moved to SC area picked a few more up with wire, I got bigger fish by 25 area. 6 to 17 f.o.w. weeds and more weeds. Fish are there. 

From Captain Dan at Lakeside Fishing Shop:  Jiggers are dong well on the Detroit River near the Casino, the Sand Pile, Fighting Island and the Belle Isle Bridge.  Lots of muskie action at Pike’s Creek and Puce River.  Also a 21.14” smallmouth bass was landed from that area caught on an 8” perch Believer muskie bait.  Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and the Dumping Grounds in America waters is really hot.  Fish the Belle River Hump too with harnesses and crawlers.  Fish the 400 Club area in 14-16’ of water.  Anglers are reporting lots of perch and bass there.

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.

Walleyes are being caught at the south end of the Dumping Grounds, Puce River and Belle River area.  A lot of nice fish being caught in those areas.  Most successful anglers are using bottom bouncers and Reilly’s harnesses with all sorts of colored blades.  Purple, wonder bread, white, and chartreuse seem to be the most popular.  Buy Reilly’s harnesses at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative sponsor. 

Speaking of Lakeside, co-owner Captain Dan Chimelak has a charter service for Lakeside customers called Four Seas Charter. Earlier this week his party caught 7 bass and about 60 perch.  They kept 30.  They fished in front of Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in about 15-17 feet of water in weed beds and used Lakeside Shiner minnows with Reilly’s perch rigs.  This fish was caught by 12-year old Trevor Beltowski. Contact Captain Dan at 586-481-0333.

Captain Dan didn't let Trevor release this smallie without a photo.

Also, we are hearing reports of fish being caught out a ways from the Clinton River Spillway in 12-18’ of water at first light in the morning.  Anglers are using bottom bouncers.  Perch up to 10-11” and lots of reports of nice smallmouth bass being landed.  Also try this area just before dark on your way back to the dock.  Smallmouth bass are all over the lake but especially good along the mile roads.  We like Cruncher brand tube baits and live minnows.

Muskies are being caught in the middle of the lake near the weather buoy and also over at Thames River using spinners and body baits.

Anglers using jigs in the Detroit river anglers are finding fish.