Lake St. Clair Fishing Report: Smallies, Muskies, and Perch Dominate the Late Fall Bite

Artificial Lure here, boots damp and spirit high, calling in the Thursday, November 20th Lake St. Clair fishing report, straight from the Michigan shoreline. Morning's greeted us at a brisk 35°F, low wind pressing from the southwest, and the forecast calls for cloudy skies with sporadic light rain, so layer up. Sunrise cracked at 7:27 AM, with sunset headed for 5:08 PM—ideal windows for dawn and dusk hits. While Lake St. Clair doesn’t see traditional tides, late November brings subtle flow shifts from the St. Clair and Detroit rivers. The fall drawdown continues, making back bays and drop-offs prime holding zones as baitfish push out. Water clarity’s typical Michigan—clear on the main lake, slightly stained near river mouths after yesterday's drizzle. Angler chatter and this week's reports say the **smallmouth bass bite is still strong**, especially in short bursts around midday. Lots of action near the Mile Roads and Anchor Bay—boats have been hauling limits of smallies topping 5 pounds. Over at Metro Beach, groups worked jerkbaits and landed a mix of smallies and the odd largemouth. Muskie chasers continue to find big fish, especially trolling deep breaklines close to the South Channel; one angler wrestled and released a 48-incher Tuesday afternoon according to the Detroit River Muskie Network. Perch are running thick in the canals and marinas—try Harley Ensign or the canals off Clinton River, where a crew boated several dozen keepers yesterday by midday. Reports from local guides say you’ll find aggressive schools in 12-18 feet, so drop a tungsten Gem-N-Eye jig in Firetiger or chartreuse, tipped with a white plastic or minnow—works like magic. Best baits for **bass** have been finesse plastics: try a drop-shot rig with a 3.5-inch Baby Z-Too (smoke or goby), or nose-hooked Dream Shot for deeper fish. Kevin VanDam swears by the drop-shot around St. Clair this time of year, especially with a half-ounce tungsten weight on those 18-30 foot breaks off grass edges. When fish move shallower, switch to a 3.25” Strike King Rage Swimmer or a Berkley Chop Block glide bait—natural shad and perch colors shine. Jerkbaits—especially the Rapala DT06 in Hot Mustard—have put plenty of bass in the net lately. For muskie, big Bondy Baits and paddle-tail swimbaits trolled slow on deep edges are the top ticket. Perch and walleye folks have been vertical jigging with small spoons and plastics in the morning, switching to minnows as the clouds thicken. Pike are popping up on spoons near marsh inlets, particularly around Strawberry Island. As for **hot spots**: - Anchor Bay (especially west of the Fair Haven ramps): consistent smallmouth and perch - South Channel drop-offs: muskie and walleye, best on deep trolling runs Bassmaster Elite pro Trey McKinney's St. Clair win this fall showed how the best finesse and swimbait combos trigger cold-water bites—so if you want numbers and quality, fish slow and cover water methodically. Quick note for boaters: docks are This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.