Late Fall Walleye, Perch, and Smallmouth Action on Lake Erie and Detroit River

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake Erie and Detroit River fishing report for Monday, November 10th, 2025. Conditions are shifting fast as we settle deep into fall, so let’s break it all down so you can make the most of your time on the water. Weather’s being served classic November-style this morning: chilly, raw, and windy. According to the National Weather Service, we’ve got northwest winds steady at 20 to 30 knots, gusting up near 40 knots at times. Waves are a hazardous 6 to 10 feet nearshore and building higher further out, so respect those Small Craft Advisories and large wave warnings—these aren’t days for light boats or inexperience on the big lake. Water temps run about 50 off Toledo and 55 off Cleveland, so it’s still above freezing, but hypothermia risk is real. Detroit’s sunrise came in at 7:16 a.m., and sunset’s wrapping up at 5:14 p.m., giving us about 10 hours to work those baits and watch for changing conditions. Tides aren’t really an issue on the Great Lakes, but wind-driven current outflows mean fish will pull tighter to structure and river mouths, especially as those northwest gusts push colder surface water around. Expect stained water and floating debris after last night’s rain and snow mix. Fishing activity this past week has focused heavily on walleye, yellow perch, and the tail end of smallmouth bass action before deep winter patterns kick in. Reports from local charter guys and shore anglers say the fall walleye run is still going strong, especially after dark. Anglers working downtown Detroit, Trenton Channel, and the mouth of the Detroit River have been picking up solid numbers, especially jigging hair jigs tipped with emerald shiners or soft plastics like chartreuse twister tails. Trolling crankbaits—think Bandits, P10s, and Flicker Shads in purple, clown, and firetiger—has also produced quality fish in 12–20 feet near the dumping grounds and the Flats. Perch have been spotty but worth pursuing—try Grosse Ile and the weed edges near Wyandotte, using perch rigs tipped with minnows or redworms. Limits aren’t common, but enough keepers are showing for a tasty fry if you move to find the active schools. Smallmouth are sliding deeper as water temps drop, but you might pick up a few brutes along hard-bottom humps and breaklines just outside Stony Island throwing blade baits or ned rigs. Just slow everything down; their metabolisms are shifting into winter mode. For bait and lures: - **Best bets for walleye**: 5/8 oz. hair jigs (black, purple), #7 Rapala Shad Raps and P10s, blade baits in silver/gold. - **Best for perch**: Double-hook rigs with emerald shiners or spikes, live perch spreaders, and ice-fishing spoons jigged slowly. - **Smallmouth**: Ned rigs, drop-shot with goby or minnow imitations, and blade baits. The real *hot spots* this week are: - **The Trenton Channel**—especially just off the steel mill outflows and municipal water intakes. Night action for walleye has been hot there. - **The This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.