Lake St. Clair Fishing Report: Late-November Walleye, Perch, and Smallies on Fire

Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your boots-on-the-dock, up-to-the-minute Lake St. Clair fishing report for Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Let’s kick off with the weather: a chilly start on the water today, waking up to brisk, late-November air temps dipping into the upper 30s. Winds are forecasted steady out of the west at 11 to 14 knots, gusty enough to push some good drift but not enough to keep a die-hard off the lake. Skies are expected mostly clear, giving us a nice sunrise at 7:33 a.m. and sunset at 5:02 p.m. No tidal swings on Lake St. Clair, but pay attention to wind-driven current, which has been shifting bait balls and fish activity this week. According to the Lake St. Clair, Michigan Fishing Report Today, the water clarity remains excellent, and cold weather has fired up the walleye, perch, and—no surprise—smallmouth bass. Local charter reports from the past several days show steady bags of eater-sized walleye from 15–20 inches, yellow perch up to 13 inches, and a solid showing of smallies, with plenty of 3 to 4-pounders in the mix. Anglers also report a few bonus largemouths tucked in among decaying weeds, especially near protected canals and marinas. Major League Fishing’s latest tournament coverage highlights drop-shot rigs as the absolute ticket for big smallmouth right now. Top sticks recommend the Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm or Flatnose Minnow in green pumpkin or goby colors, threaded on a #1 to 1/0 straight-shank hook with 1/4–3/8 ounce tungsten weight. If the sun pops out, experiment with lighter shades. For walleye and perch, don’t overlook jigging Rapalas or a classic minnow under a slip bobber on the deeper flats and shipping channels. Crankbaits in bluegill or ghost shad patterns and deep-diving jerkbaits remain hot on the outer weedlines and along the Mile Roads. When the wind kicks up, switch to a Rapala DT10 or 14 in perch colors, and don’t sleep on the spinnerbait bite if you see baitfish or diving birds. For largemouth chasers, punching thick matted grass with a Zoom Z-Craw Jr. in black/blue, weighted heavy, has turned up some chunky fish on the Detroit River and canal edges. Peak fishing times today, per Fishing Reminder, are 3:37–5:37 a.m. and again 3:51–5:51 p.m. Late afternoon till dusk has brought the best walleye bite, especially along the shipping channel near Anchor Bay and up toward the St. Clair Light. For a sure bet, try drifting the "Mile Roads" for smallies or posting up on the weed edges at Metro Beach. The mouth of the Detroit River, where it dumps into Lake Erie, is also stacking with shad and bass right now—boat traffic is light, and the bite is steady. A couple hot spots for today: - The Mile Roads (9–14 Mile) on the U.S. side—working long drifts with a drop-shot or Ned rig. - The mouth of the Detroit River—follow the birds and fish tight to subtle bottom transitions for mixed bags of smallies and late-run walleye. A quick word to the wise: with duck season in full swin This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.