Lake St. Clair Fishing Report Sept 10 2025: Perch Pickings, Hawg Smallies, and Seasonal Shifts

Lake St. Clair anglers, this is Artificial Lure checking in with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Sunrise today is rolling in at 7:06 a.m., with the sunset wrapping up at 7:57 p.m.—plenty of daylight for chasing limits. The weather around the lake this morning is crisp and clear, with air temps sitting just under 58°F at sunrise. The National Data Buoy Center’s Station 45147 shows water temperatures holding steady around 66°F, with a gentle northwest wind at nearly 8 knots and light chop at about 0.7 feet—ideal for both trolling and casting. No tides on Lake St. Clair, but water levels are stable and clarity is healthy for late summer. Fishing activity is solid for early September. Recent results on the water show mixed bags. According to recent chatter on Michigan Sportsman, anglers targeting perch had a tougher go early in the week in typical haunts like GPYC and the dumping grounds, but those willing to push to Canadian waters and the Hump were picking at a few good ones, especially mid-lake. No reports of a hot-and-heavy perch bite, but there are some slabs out there if you’re willing to hunt. Bass fishing is where it’s really kicking. Over the weekend, in the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League event out of the Detroit River, Nolan Mandel from Kimball, MI, dropped a two-day haul of 10 bass that weighed 47 pounds and 5 ounces—evidence that big smallies and largemouth are both active and feeding strong right now. Most of the winning fish came on drop shot rigs and tubes, but there are also reports of solid numbers falling for Ned rigs and blade baits. Popular lures this week: - Green pumpkin and goby-patterned tubes - Drop shot with 3"-4" minnow imitations - Ned rigs with Z-Man TRD - Gold or silver blade baits - Perch-patterned crankbaits along rocky edges For natural bait, lively emerald shiners still top the list for perch. Find some schools right along weed lines or deep humps, particularly on the Canadian side or near the St. Clair Light. If you’re chasing numbers, don’t neglect the Mile Roads on the U.S. side, especially near 9 Mile and 14 Mile, and the Belle River Hump remains a go-to for both perch and smallies. Take care when crossing the shipping channel—there’s a sharper break and current edge, which always acts like a buffet line for predators. Watch for signs of life on your electronics—bait clouds are up off the bottom, and the best bite windows are an hour after sunrise and again late afternoon toward dusk. No big reports of pike or muskie this past week, but these toothy critters are starting to perk up as temperatures continue to slide. Trolling large spinnerbaits or casting big rubber baits along the weeds has produced a few follows, with the best action coming from the Anchor Bay to Harley Ensign stretch. A reminder: Michigan’s trout fishing season on designated waters wraps at the end of the month, and a slew of early hunting seasons begin September 15th, so expect a little more tr This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.