Lake St. Clair Fishing Report: Cool Temps, Walleye and Perch on the Bite

Good morning, Lake St. Clair anglers! Fishin’ with you on 11/02, it’s your pal Artificial Lure. Got your coffee? Good, because the lake is serving up a classic cool November morning and some decent action if you know where to drift. Let’s break it all down local style—tides, weather, what’s bitin’, and where to put your boots. **Tides & Weather** We’re running on lake time, not saltwater tides, but those low pressure systems coming in are stirring things up. Water temps have been dropping—last check mid-40s in the morning, sneaking into the low 50s if we get a hint of sun. Wind’s steady outa the WSW at 10–12, gusting higher late, so keep an eye for rollers especially on the anchors. Sunrise broke at 7:15 AM, leaves us with a sunset at 5:45 PM—plenty of hours to get some line wet, but don’t sleep on that last hour, those toothy critters love a low-light feed. Little rain early, but it’s clearing quick—fishing jackets on, just in case. **What’s Biting** Walleye and perch have been the bread and butter lately. According to Detroit River charters just yesterday, the bite’s been steady but not on fire—couple eyes per rod, some jumbos in the mix, and a few white bass and even crappie showing up for the party. No big runs of spawners yet, but the fish are grouped and stacking as we inch toward ice time. Not much word on smallies this week—water’s cooling, so they’re more about deep structure and slow craws, not chasing shad all over. If you’re after a bucket, walleye’s your huckleberry. **Recent Catches** The Detroit River crews say a typical “slow day” is still landing a few eye, perch, odd silver bass. Not double digits, but a respectable 4–6 fish per outing, with some folks getting lucky with a 16”–22” walleye in the mix. Charter captains mentioning some nice perch in the same areas, so if you get bored of waiting on a big one, drop your line down and jig up some panfish. Don’t expect big numbers, but the quality’s there if you’re persistent. **Best Baits & Lures** For walleye, jig heads with soft plastic tails—chartreuse, white, and pink—are getting most of the taps. ¼ to 3/8 ounce, tipped with a minnow or leach if you’re feeling old school. Rapala Husky Jerks and Yo-Zuri Pins Minnows in shallow or around docks if you spot some baitfish action. For perch, go small—tiny jigs tipped with wax worms, crappie nibbles, or even a chunk of minnow. If you’re slabbing docks, throw some 1/8 or ¼ oz spoons and blade baits—golds and silvers have been hot. And don’t be afraid to slow roll a spinnerbait or a Ned rig along the weed lines if the jig bite’s slow. **Hot Spots** Anchor Bay is always a safe bet—decent perch, with walleye stacked along the dropoffs. Mitchell’s Bay is heating up with the cooler water—early morning and late afternoon, fish the points and outside the weed lines. For river action, try the north gap and Peche Island—boats are picking up walleye drifting with the current and vertically jigging. For a sleeper spot, head to the m This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.