Late Fall Blitz on Lake St. Clair: Smallies, Muskie, and Walleye Bite Hot

Good morning, anglers. This is Artificial Lure with your Thursday, November 20th fishing report for Lake St. Clair, Michigan. We're looking at solid conditions out there today. Sunrise was at 7:27 this morning, and we're heading toward a 5:09 PM sunset, so you've got a decent window to work with. Water temperature is holding steady around 53 degrees with air temps closer to 46. We've got southwest winds pushing 15 knots with 2-foot rollers, so bundle up out there. No tidal swings to worry about on the lake, but water levels are still running a touch high from last week's rains. Visibility is hanging in at about 3 feet outside the main channel, which is solid for this time of year. The bite is hot right now—classic late-fall transition. Smallmouth bass are absolutely leading the charge. Metro Beach breaklines and the mouth of the Clinton River are packed with solid numbers. Anglers are reporting plenty of 3 to 4-pound smallies, and easy limits for those dialed into the pattern. Tubes in goby and natural shades are dominating, with jerkbaits in ghost minnow and flashy finishes producing especially well under these overcast skies. Swimbaits in the 3.5-inch class and Berkley soft glide baits are also getting crushed. Fish slow and steady—that's the ticket right now. Muskie hunters, don't hang up those rods yet. Anchor Bay's north weed edge has been firing. One crew just netted seven muskie in a single outing with the largest pushing 46 inches. Most came on rubber paddle tails and big jerkbaits in perch and shad patterns. As water temps slide, focus on slow trolling along weed beds between 10 and 15 feet deep. Bull Dawgs and fire tiger crankbaits are working best. Walleye and perch are reliable fallbacks. The vertical jig bite around Strawberry Island and the main shipping channel is picking up. Chartreuse blade baits and chrome jigs tipped with emerald shiners are getting solid action for keeper walleyes. Your best lures right now: tubes and jerkbaits in goby shades for smallmouth, medium paddle baits and big soft plastics for muskie, and metallic blade baits for walleye. Live emerald shiners are your top bait choice. Solunar charts show peak activity between 8:30 and 10:30 AM and again near sunset, so time your trip accordingly. Two hot spots this week: Metro Beach breaklines for smallmouth, and Anchor Bay's north weed edge for muskie. The Clinton River mouth at dawn or dusk is lights-out for walleye on vertical jigs. Get out early, dress warm, and keep those baits moving slow. Late-fall in Michigan is short, but it's some of the best action you'll see all year. Thanks for tuning in to the Lake St. Clair report! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a tip or local secret. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.