Lake St. Clair Fishing Report: Smallmouth, Walleye, and Perch Bite in the Cold, Gray Stretch

Artificial Lure here with your Lake St. Clair fishing report. We’re in that cold, gray stretch where the lake looks sleepy, but the fish still have to eat. No real tide to speak of on Clair, just a light seiche now and then, so you’re mostly playing wind, barometer, and water temps. According to the National Weather Service Detroit office, we’re sitting in typical early‑winter conditions: daytime highs around the freezing mark, nighttime lows in the 20s, light west to northwest winds and on‑and‑off clouds. Sunrise is right around 7:50 a.m. with sunset just after 4:55 p.m., so the prime window is that late‑morning to mid‑afternoon warmup. Michigan DNR’s recent weekly fishing notes say smallmouth, walleye, and perch are still getting picked off by the die‑hards working soft‑water edges and the river systems; ice is sketchy to non‑existent, so plan on the boat or casting from shore, not walking on anything. Local bait shops around Harrison Township and St. Clair Shores are reporting decent mixed bags: a few chunky smallies in the 3‑ to 4‑pound class, eater‑size walleye, and nice jumbo perch in 9‑ to 12‑inch range when anglers find the right schools. Fish activity has been classic December: short, sharp feeding windows. The smallmouth are sliding off the summer flats and holding on deeper breaks, rock, and scattered weeds in 14–22 feet. Walleye are moving with current and clean water in the channels, and the perch are stacking on softer bottom edges next to rock and any remaining green weeds. Best producers right now: - For **smallmouth**: finesse and natural. Think tubes in goby and green pumpkin, small swimbaits on 1/4–3/8 oz heads, and blade baits hopped off bottom. Major League Fishing interviews with Michigan pro Jonathon VanDam back this up: jerkbaits and tubes are still his go‑to on our clear northern waters, even in the cold. Work them slow, long pauses on the jerkbait, and really milk those deeper breaks. - For **walleye**: bright jigging raps, blade baits, and 1/2 oz jigs tipped with minnows or plastics in the shipping channel edges and the mouths of the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. A slow, lift‑and‑drop just off bottom has been taking most of the fish. - For **perch**: you can’t beat live bait. Emerald shiners and fatheads on a simple perch rig, small spoons or teardrops with a minnow head, just above bottom. Keep moving until you mark a solid pack; once you find them, sit tight. A couple of local hot spots to circle: - **Mile Roads off St. Clair Shores (9 to 12 Mile)**: Work the deeper outside edges of the weedbeds and the first hard break. This stretch has been quietly kicking out a mix of smallies and perch for guys dragging tubes and vertical‑jigging blades. - **Mouth of the Thames River and the Belle River Hump area on the Canadian side**: When the wind lays down and you can get across legally and safely, those current seams and subtle rises in 16–20 feet have been solid for walleye and roaming smallmouth. Color wise, stic This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.