Perch are in close to shore and since there’s no ice to sit on the docks make it very easy to find fish without getting soaked. Photo below shows the docks area last year when there was ice.

Docks at the newly named Lake St. Clair Metropark

Perch are in close

Also, worried about lake levels?  See this re-post from The Voice…The lack of ice covering Anchor Bay and Lake St. Clair this year has helped contribute to higher water levels than years past, according to experts…

What’s the best bait  for perch?  According to Richard at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a sponsor of the Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative, most anglers are sticking with the old shiners and umbrella rigs approach.  But many are also buying red plastic scented eggs and adding them to the tip of their jigs.  See video below for a suggested set up.

Sunday’s weather promises most sun, partly cloudy.  High 37F.  Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.  Get out to Blossom Heath or other shoreline locations and catch a limit of perch.

Perch galore from Lake St. Clair

We met today with Captain Dan at Lakeside Fishing Shop, a sponsor of  The Lake St. Clair Tourism Initiative.  Where to go this weekend?  According to Dan, “The Mile roads are great.  The GP Yacht Club is smoking hot!  Fish in 8-13 feet of water using live minnows. Anglers need to move around a bit but everyone is catching fish…some jumbos and lots of mid-sized ones.” Also check out Point Huron and the South Channel.  These are American waters and you use less gas and no need for a Canadian license. “The lake is loaded with perch right now,” said Dan.

According to Captain Dan the perch have been schooling up due to the cooler evening temperatures recently.  Also, the mud and dirt are gone and the winds have died down making fishing conditons perfect. 

Live bait appears to be the way to go and judging by the long line for emerald shiners this morning at Lakeside, anglers are buying them up.

If you have photos of your catch, please send them in  and we will publish them along with your fish story (report@stclairfishingreport.com).

Hummer Dave with a 15+" perch

Hummer Dave, an avid angler from St. Clair Shores, landed this fat 15 1/4″ perch on Lake Erie at the end of January.  He won’t tell us where or what he caught the fish on.  This is the kind of catch people from all over the upper Midwest come to Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair for.

Ice fishing on Lake St. Clair has been a roller coaster the last week or so.  One day you kill ‘em, the next no fish at the same hole.  Like usual, you have to be at the right hole at the right time.   Reports of walleyes at Thames River jigging with spoons and Rapalas.  See the video we did a couple of posts back regarding jigging the #2 Rapala.

Still decent reports from anglers coming from Ginos and Metro Beach.  Apparently the afternoon bite is best.

Buy Worm Dirt Coffee at Lakeside Fishing Shop

You’ve read about it, now how about drinking it?  Worm Dirt Coffee is an aromatic fundraising product for Project FISH, a sportfishing and aquatic resource education program at Michigan State University.  Lakeside Fishing Shop is one of a few retailers selling the fine brew.  Come is and buy some coffee and help support a fine educational program.  Worm Dirt Coffee (www.projectfish.org).