Late Fall Smallies, Walleye, and Muskie on Lake St. Clair

Lake St. Clair served up a classic November morning—air crisp at 34°F, light east wind around 7 mph, and partial cloud cover promising occasional sun pokes before sunset at 5:17 PM. Folks hitting the water early saw sunrise at 7:15 AM, and a high barometer around 30.13 inches has fish on the move. Tides don’t play much on Lake St. Clair, but wind can build a minor setup—today’s breeze is keeping the shoreline bite active, especially given the recent cold snap and passing fronts (per NOAA marine forecasts). Fishing action this week has been steady and classic for fall. According to Michigan DNR updates and guide chatter, the **smallmouth bass bite remains strong** in the steep drops off the Mile Roads and by the St. Clair lighthouse. Early this morning, several local crews bagged multiple smallies in the **3-4 pound range, with a couple over 5 pounds**. Hot baits have been **dark green tube jigs, chartreuse swimbaits, and drop-shot rigs tipped with smaller shad-imitating plastics**. If you’re casting deeper, a Carolina-rigged craw also earns its keep. **Walleye anglers** working the mouth of the Clinton River and the south channel edges trolled up keepers on **purple or firetiger crankbaits and jigging Rapalas** tipped with emerald shiners. Size hasn’t been trophy, but guys reported **limits of 15-20 inch fish** over the past 36 hours. Deeper mid-lake weeds are holding some bonus **yellow perch**—best luck there is small perch rigs or live minnows set just off bottom. Reports from charter captains on Captain Experiences say the action is “fast and fun”, with one group boating over a dozen quality bass on the rocks near Metro Beach and another pulling a mixed bag by drifting the Harley Ensign area. Guides stress **downsizing baits** and matching natural forage as water clears up post-front. If you’re after something different, some **monster muskie are still getting caught** along the US-Canadian border—trolling **large jointed crankbaits or bulldawgs** with an erratic retrieve. No record-chasers this week, but a reliable word of a 43-incher caught yesterday south of Strawberry Island. For live bait, **emerald shiners and large golden shiners** are best for both walleye and perch. Artificial lure fans should lean into natural tones and smaller profiles; water clarity’s up after last week’s chop, and the fish are getting a bit cautious mid-morning. **Hot spots to hit this weekend:** - **Nine Mile Tower drop-offs:** excellent smallmouth structure and a few bonus walleye in the afternoons. - **Metro Beach weedlines:** perch and pike mixed in, plus a strong bass showing at dawn. - **St. Clair Light and the shipping channel break:** big fish chasing bait as temps slide. Local wildlife techs with the MDNR note plenty of diver ducks and geese moving through as well, so expect some company and a busy ramp. Water levels are solid, cover’s still decent in the weeds, and the shallows are producing when the sun’s out. Best bite windows are dawn until This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.