Lake St. Clair Fall Fishing Heats Up with Smallmouth, Perch, and Musky Action

Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Sunday, September 28, 2025. Right now, sunrise is about 7:22 AM and sunset rolls in just after 7:20 PM. The weather’s been classic early fall, calm skies, light chop, and the temps starting off near 58, warming into the low 70s by the afternoon. Winds are mild from the southwest—ideal for both boat and kayak anglers. Tides aren't a major factor here, just watch those lake-level changes after rain or stiff winds. Fish activity is definitely on the upswing with the cooler water putting smallmouth bass into serious feeding mode. This weekend’s Four Flags Classic confirmed it—Dan Posey and Jeff Bostic hauled in a total of 31.59 lbs of smallmouth over two days, working Ned rigs, flatworms, minnow baits, and grubs in the 8 to 12 foot range. Day one’s largest bass tipped in at 4.04 pounds. The runner-up team leaned on tubes in 4–15 feet, bringing in over 25 pounds. Scott Solomon grabbed third—again, tubes were the ticket in that 8–12 foot window and the biggest bass of the event weighed 4.95 lbs, all solid-sized fish for St. Clair according to Michiana Outdoors News. Yellow perch are schooling up thick in the deeper flats and near drop-offs. Several reports across social media and the latest Michigan Sportsman forum say perch are stacked, with some boats claiming "thousands and thousands" in the shallows and edges, but real action starting from about 9–13 feet. Jigging with live minnows or small pink/peach jigs is producing non-stop bites, many keeper-worthy. You’ll want to hit the water with a bucket of live bait, and try drifting along weed lines near Grosse Pointe and the Metropark breakwall. Win City Outdoors recommends keeping it simple: drop shot rigs tipped with minnow is the top setup right now. Muskies are lurking in the weeds and transition zones, but most catches are by bass and perch anglers getting lucky on crankbaits or big tubes; intentional action mostly comes on oversized rubber baits, with the luckiest hits reported in Anchor Bay and up near the mouth of the Thames. As for lure selection, Kevin VanDam’s masterclass on Bass Pro Shops spells it out: fall on St. Clair is about covering water fast, hitting the classic channel mouths and flats where baitfish push up. Go with power baits—crankbaits in perch patterns, Strike King KVD jerkbaits, especially in brighter colors like chartreuse or sexy shad if the water’s stained, or more natural tones in clear conditions. Ned rigs and tube jigs always deliver, and if things get slow, a drop shot rig below the schools will finish the job. A couple local hot spots deserve mention: - **Anchor Bay**: Classic fall staging area for bass as well as perch. Fish the river mouths and inside edges. - **Metropark Breakwall**: Perch schools are thick—easy launching and steady action, especially on the east drop-off. - **Grosse Pointe Shoreline**: Scattered rock and weeds draw big smallmouth; work out from 8 to 15 feet. Boat traffic’s been This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.