Early Summer Walleye and Smallmouth Action on Lake Erie and the Detroit River

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Erie–Detroit fishing report. We’re sitting on a classic early-summer pattern along the western basin and Detroit River. Water temps are running in the upper 60s to low 70s, and the big push of post-spawn walleye has slid a bit deeper off the reefs and main channel edges, while smallmouth are hanging around rock, breaks, and current seams. Sunrise over the lake is right around 5:55 a.m. with sunset near 9:13 p.m. in the Detroit area, so you’ve got long light windows to work with. Winds are generally light west to southwest this morning, building a light chop by mid‑day. The big lake isn’t tidal like the ocean, but water levels and flow are being nudged around by wind set‑up and the steady pull of the Detroit River. Expect the river current to stay strong enough that boat control matters, especially when you’re vertical‑jigging. Local chatter from Detroit River regulars is that walleye limits are still common if you stay mobile. Most crews are boxing a good mix of 15–20 inch eaters, with a few 6–8 pound fish each day. Perch are starting to show in better numbers on the Michigan side of western Erie, mostly 8–11 inch fish in pods on subtle breaks. Smallmouth reports out of the rockier stretches and reef edges have been solid, with plenty of 2–3 pounders and the odd 4–5 pound bronzeback for folks who grind. For walleye, the top producers have been **blade baits**, **1/2–3/4 oz jig heads** with bright plastics, and traditional **river jigs tipped with emerald shiners**. Chartreuse, fire tiger, and white have been the money colors in the dingier river lanes, while more natural smelt and goby patterns are working better out on the clearer lake side. Trollers are pulling **crawler harnesses** and **shallow‑running crankbaits** behind inline weights at 1.1–1.7 mph, with a lot of bites coming higher in the column early and late in the day. Perch anglers are doing best with **live emerald shiners** on spreader rigs or simple drop‑shot style setups. Keep your presentation just off bottom and don’t be afraid to hop 50 yards at a time until you land on an active school. Smallmouth fans should lean on **tube jigs**, **Ned rigs**, and **drop‑shot minnows**. Natural green pumpkin, goby, and smoke colors are steady producers. Early and late, a **topwater walking bait** or **small popper** over shallow rock or current breaks can draw some violent strikes if there’s a bit of chop on the surface. A couple of hot spots worth your time: • The **Trenton Channel and down toward Grosse Ile**: work the edges of the main shipping lane and adjacent flats with jigs for walleye, especially at first light and late afternoon. • The **mile roads and reefs off the Michigan shore of western Lake Erie**, especially around the rock humps and breaks: great mix of walleye and smallmouth if you rotate between jigs, tubes, and crawler harnesses. Mid‑day is a grind with the higher sun, so key on low‑light windows or overcast stretches. Pay attention to your electronics; the fish are roaming, but once you mark them, they’re willing to eat. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn