HOOK Line
& SINKER
BY ANNA SWARTZ
Lake St. Clair is a Hot Destination for Fishing Enthusiasts
O
ne would be hard-pressed to ϐind a St. Clair Shores resident without at least one ϐishing experience – and it likely took place close to home. Whether it was spending a sunny afternoon at the edge of a pier waiting for a tug on the line or anchoring the boat to try their luck in deeper waters, many locals have fond memories ϐishing in the waters of Lake St. Clair and the connecting waterways.
What Makes Lake St. Clair Unique
“The beauty of Lake St. Clair is that you can enjoy it all year long,” says Kevin Backus, owner of Mr. Muskie Charters in St. Clair Shores. Backus refers to Lake St. Clair as the premier muskie lake in the world, and as number one in the country for small mouth bass. There’s also no other place in the world with over six million walleye, he says, which spawn in the Detroit River each spring. Why are there so many ϐish in Lake St. Clair exactly? “It’s a very shallow basin lake that is sand- and clay-based,” Backus says. “It’s shallow, clear and holds bait, and it’s ideal for spawning.”
St. Clair Shores resident Matt Trombley, who rediscovered his love of ϐishing seven years ago, takes his boat out on Lake St. Clair to ϐish three to four times per week “as soon as the ice is gone.”
In fact, Michigan.gov states: “At only 430 square miles in surface area with an average depth of 11 feet, Lake St. Clair is far smaller and shallower than the Great Lakes, but is incredibly productive, hosting one of the largest sport ϐisheries in the world. Nearly a third of the entire annual Great Lakes sport ϐish catch is pulled from the waters of the lake.”
“April/May is prime walleye season in the Detroit River and St. Clair River,” Trombley says. “That’s when the water temperature is just right. They are biting like crazy. Then you get a lot of bass ϐisherman in May and June. There are three kinds of bass in these lakes – small mouth, large mouth and white bass.” According to Trombley, the time to catch white bass is short. We call it ‘the white bass window’ – it’s right around Memorial Day. They are in a big school, and they are spawning. You can catch them on a bare hook. The best place to catch them is in the Trenton Channel. Look for the birds feeding on the minnows, and the ϐish will be there.”
Best Fishing Spots on the Lake
The best places to ϐish, Backus says, all depends on the time of year and the species you’d like to ϐish. “Even though it’s shallow, it’s not a consistent depth,” he says. “So, the best ϐishing spots will change depending on the time of year. Anchor Bay is great for bass, perch or muskie in the spring. But when the water warms up, the ϐish move out to bigger waters.” The shipping channel (the main vessel route across Lake St. Clair) and the “Dumping Grounds” (located on the border in U.S. waters, near the southern end of the lake) are also good spots, according to Backus.
24 the shores
For those who want to target ϐish in deeper waters, techniques such as vertical jigging and bottom bouncing (also called trolling) can be used. For those who may not own a boat or want to gain experience, hiring an expert such as Backus is an option for entertaining clients or hanging out with family and friends.
