Late Fall Fishing on Lake St. Clair: Smallmouths, Muskies, and More

Artificial Lure here coming at you from the marshy edges and weed beds of Lake St. Clair, Michigan, with your Tuesday fishing report for November 18, 2025. Conditions saw a brisk southwest wind sweeping low gray clouds off the water—typical late fall action for our corner of the state. According to Quiet Please Daily, overnight temps dropped into the upper 30s before climbing toward the low 40s by sunrise. Sunrise hit at 7:27 a.m. and we’ll see sunset at 5:09 p.m., so plan your sessions tight between those hours. With shorter days, get on your spot early or settle in for the late afternoon bite. Lake St. Clair doesn’t experience ocean tides, but water levels are up a touch after last weekend’s rain. The steady pressure has triggered fish to set up along transitions—from deeper sand flats to green cabbage beds. Fish activity this morning has been good, with water clarity at about 3 feet in most areas outside the main shipping channel. Best action is picking up mid-morning. The smallmouth bite is leading the charge: local anglers have logged solid catches with easy limits, especially on the breaks near Metro Beach and the mouth of the Clinton River. Out deeper, classic late-fall patterns produced several smallies in the 3–4 lb range. Muskie are still cruising. Just yesterday, a local crew casting from a drift boat boated 7 muskie in one trip out near Anchor Bay with the biggest pushing 46 inches. Most hits came on mid-sized rubber paddle baits and big jerkbaits in perch and shad patterns. The muskie action is slowing as the water cools, but don’t pack it in yet: focus on trolling along weed edges between 10–15 feet with fire tiger crankbaits or big Bull Dawgs, especially in midafternoon when the sun pokes through the clouds. Walleye and perch have remained reliable, especially for those vertical jigging blade baits around the main shipping channel and the edge of Strawberry Island. Anglers have landed keeper walleyes with metallic chartreuse blade baits and chrome jigs tipped with emerald shiners. The perch bite isn’t as heavy as October, but the larger fish are still in the mix along the drop-offs near the South Channel. For baits, natural presentations are hot: live emerald shiners for perch and walleye, while the bass and muskie continue responding best to artificial lures that mimic the forage—think tubes in goby patterns, smaller jerkbaits in ghost minnow, and 3.5” swimbaits for the smallmouth. Major League Fishing pro Jonathon VanDam recommends a jerkbait as his go-to for smallmouths, especially with the clear water we’re seeing. Natural colors on bright days, with something flashy on the overcast. If you’re hunting for the hottest holes, two spots stand out this week: - **Metro Beach breaklines**—excellent for smallmouth bass with tubes and jerkbaits - **Anchor Bay—north weed edge drift** for muskie, especially with paddle tails and big soft plastics Another solid bet is the mouth of the Clinton River right at dawn or late after This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.