Late Summer Smallmouth Slam on Detroit and Erie

Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report for Detroit and Lake Erie, September 5th, 2025. We’re waking up to a classic September start—temps hovering in the mid-60s, calm early, but with a cold front set to push through later tonight. Sunrise came at 7:03 AM, with sunset rolling in by 7:59 PM. Expect mostly cloudy skies today, with winds picking up out of the west, reaching 10–15 knots by this afternoon. Waves will be building from 1 to 3 feet, then up to 2 to 4 feet overnight, so keep that in mind if you’re heading offshore, especially in open water. The Detroit River is running relatively clear, with water temps holding steady near 70 degrees along the western basin, as reported by the National Weather Service. Fish action’s been downright lively these past few days. The pre-frontal conditions and dropping pressure are stirring up aggressive feeding, especially among the smallmouth. Out on the Detroit River proper and the Lake Erie western basin, multiple boats this week have been hauling in impressive limits. Recent local tournaments have highlighted smallmouth catches with an average size of 2½ to 4 pounds. AnglersChannel reports that once folks settled into the current seams and drop-off zones—particularly near the river mouth and around Peche Island—they dialed into steady action with the right presentation. Bellows Shads and 3-inch paddletails have been deadly, especially in electric shad and green pumpkin variations mimicking the shiners that are thick right now. For bait, live emerald shiners fished on slip bobbers or on a drop-shot rig are sure bets. Nightcrawlers also continue to pick up eater-size walleye, especially along deeper cuts by the Grosse Ile and near Point Mouillee. For artificial lures, those Ned Senkos in green pumpkin, finesse jigs with a touch of black marabou, and any swimbait in a natural finish are getting crushed, according to Baits.com’s latest angler updates. Walleye have been a tad deeper but are still coming on bottom bouncers tipped with worm harnesses or trolling Flicker Shads in perch and clown patterns. Hot spots to circle today: - Peche Island drop-offs: Active smallmouth on the current seams, with bonus white bass mixed in. - Grassy and rocky points near Stony Island and the mouth of the Trenton Channel: these have held schools of smallmouth and some decent walleye action after sunrise. - **Bonus tip:** Don’t overlook the humps east of Grosse Ile for late-morning bite windows once the wind shifts. With another cold front set to arrive late tonight, expect the bite to ramp up through midday before things may slow as the barometer starts rising after nightfall. If you’re targeting sturgeon, the river channels remain a good bet at night, but go heavy and stay patient—those big girls are on the prowl, according to recent acoustic telemetry detections as tracked by USGS. Quick reminders: No tidal swings to worry about—Lake Erie’s controlled flow means current and wind dictate your drift. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.