According to Eric Sharp of the Detroit Free Press, the Metro Detroit area boast the “best Urban
fishery in the United States.” My clients and I couldn't agree more. Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie,
Saginaw Bay and several inland lakes offer some of the best smallmouth bass fishing anywhere.
People often ask when is the fishing good. My answer is that it is Always Good. Different techniques
are required at different times of the year. Fishing takes place from April 1st to ice-in which is
usually the first week of December. Here are the seasons in a nutshell.
Lake St. Clair Facts: http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/stclfact.html
Lake Erie Facts: http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/eriefact.html
Late April-May. This is considered the pre-spawn period. Many fish are coming out of their winter
haunts and tend to be schooled tightly during this time of the year. Smallmouth tend to be very
aggressive during this period as they prepare for the rigors of the spawn. Rat-L-Traps and jerk
baits really shine as many of the fish are on shallow flats near the areas where they will spawn. Big
number days and big fish are possible during this part of the season.
May-June. Many bass on the St. Clair system are spawning during this period. Spawning takes
place from the first week of May all the way through the month of June depending on what part of
the lake you are fishing. Remember on the North end of St. Clair cold water is coming in from Lake
Huron. There can be as much as 10-12 degree temp difference from the North end of the lake to
the very Southern end. This is a very exciting time to fish as many of the smallmouth are visible and
aggressive. Topwater Baits and Super Flukes are some of the most productive baits during this
phase. This period also offers the fly fisherman the best opportunity of the season to catch
numbers of smallmouth.
The Mayfly Hatch (Late May-July) Unique to the great lakes is the Hexigina or Mayfly hatch is a
very important food source for many of the fish in the Lake St.Clair/Erie system. It comes at a time
when many of the fish are spawning and offers them a nutrient rich diet when they need it most.
Don’t believe the old myth that the fish don’t bite when the hatch is on. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Most of the smallmouth in the lake are feeding on the surface and the hatch offers
some of the best top water action of the season. Pop-R's and walking baits are very effective at this
time. This is also another excellent time for fly fishing with hex imitations.
Summer Period (July-mid September) Once the smallmouth finish spawning and gorging
themselves on flies they start grouping up in schools and moving offshore to spend their summer
feeding. Because St.Clair/Erie system is unique an understanding of smallmouth behavior is critical
during this time of the year. Gone are the easy days of May/June when the majority of the fish are
shallow and easy to catch. 2007 was one of the best years I had during this period and the summer
fishing was often as good or better than the spring and fall fishing which are typically the best. What
was different this summer? I realized that there were far more bass that live off shore in the main
lake basin than I ever realized and I am convinced that I found smallmouth that were never fished
for before. Through the months of July and August I was catching huge limits of fish nearly every
day and had 50-75 fish days on several occasions.
Fall Feeding Frenzy (Late-September-October) As the lakes Temperatures start to fall this
triggers a migration of bait fish to the shallow water. Smallmouth are never far behind them. The fish
are still schooled and are feeding very aggressively now. The key to locating the fish is finding the
bait. 2007 was a great season and I have called it “Fall of the Gulls”. There were a ton of big shad
this fall and the seagulls seemed to give the location away nearly every day that I was out. This
made finding the fish easy. The smallies were pushing the bait to the surface and the gulls were
pounding them from the top. Both Erie and St. Calir saw the same things happening. I had some
world class days this past Sep/October with 25lb 5 fish limits on several occasions. Just absolutely
incredible fishing.
The Cold Water Period (Late October-Dec) As the water temps start to fall from the 50’s into the
40’s the bass start moving from the shallows to their winter haunts. Location at this time of the year
is critical. The fish are very concentrated and once found are very easy to catch. Tubes and Silver
Buddies are about all that is used now. The biggest fish of the year come during this phase. The
weather is cold but the fishing more than makes up for it. If you are after a true trophy smallie this is
definitely the time for it.
fishery in the United States.” My clients and I couldn't agree more. Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie,
Saginaw Bay and several inland lakes offer some of the best smallmouth bass fishing anywhere.
People often ask when is the fishing good. My answer is that it is Always Good. Different techniques
are required at different times of the year. Fishing takes place from April 1st to ice-in which is
usually the first week of December. Here are the seasons in a nutshell.
Lake St. Clair Facts: http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/stclfact.html
Lake Erie Facts: http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/eriefact.html
Late April-May. This is considered the pre-spawn period. Many fish are coming out of their winter
haunts and tend to be schooled tightly during this time of the year. Smallmouth tend to be very
aggressive during this period as they prepare for the rigors of the spawn. Rat-L-Traps and jerk
baits really shine as many of the fish are on shallow flats near the areas where they will spawn. Big
number days and big fish are possible during this part of the season.
May-June. Many bass on the St. Clair system are spawning during this period. Spawning takes
place from the first week of May all the way through the month of June depending on what part of
the lake you are fishing. Remember on the North end of St. Clair cold water is coming in from Lake
Huron. There can be as much as 10-12 degree temp difference from the North end of the lake to
the very Southern end. This is a very exciting time to fish as many of the smallmouth are visible and
aggressive. Topwater Baits and Super Flukes are some of the most productive baits during this
phase. This period also offers the fly fisherman the best opportunity of the season to catch
numbers of smallmouth.
The Mayfly Hatch (Late May-July) Unique to the great lakes is the Hexigina or Mayfly hatch is a
very important food source for many of the fish in the Lake St.Clair/Erie system. It comes at a time
when many of the fish are spawning and offers them a nutrient rich diet when they need it most.
Don’t believe the old myth that the fish don’t bite when the hatch is on. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Most of the smallmouth in the lake are feeding on the surface and the hatch offers
some of the best top water action of the season. Pop-R's and walking baits are very effective at this
time. This is also another excellent time for fly fishing with hex imitations.
Summer Period (July-mid September) Once the smallmouth finish spawning and gorging
themselves on flies they start grouping up in schools and moving offshore to spend their summer
feeding. Because St.Clair/Erie system is unique an understanding of smallmouth behavior is critical
during this time of the year. Gone are the easy days of May/June when the majority of the fish are
shallow and easy to catch. 2007 was one of the best years I had during this period and the summer
fishing was often as good or better than the spring and fall fishing which are typically the best. What
was different this summer? I realized that there were far more bass that live off shore in the main
lake basin than I ever realized and I am convinced that I found smallmouth that were never fished
for before. Through the months of July and August I was catching huge limits of fish nearly every
day and had 50-75 fish days on several occasions.
Fall Feeding Frenzy (Late-September-October) As the lakes Temperatures start to fall this
triggers a migration of bait fish to the shallow water. Smallmouth are never far behind them. The fish
are still schooled and are feeding very aggressively now. The key to locating the fish is finding the
bait. 2007 was a great season and I have called it “Fall of the Gulls”. There were a ton of big shad
this fall and the seagulls seemed to give the location away nearly every day that I was out. This
made finding the fish easy. The smallies were pushing the bait to the surface and the gulls were
pounding them from the top. Both Erie and St. Calir saw the same things happening. I had some
world class days this past Sep/October with 25lb 5 fish limits on several occasions. Just absolutely
incredible fishing.
The Cold Water Period (Late October-Dec) As the water temps start to fall from the 50’s into the
40’s the bass start moving from the shallows to their winter haunts. Location at this time of the year
is critical. The fish are very concentrated and once found are very easy to catch. Tubes and Silver
Buddies are about all that is used now. The biggest fish of the year come during this phase. The
weather is cold but the fishing more than makes up for it. If you are after a true trophy smallie this is
definitely the time for it.
| Copyright 2005 Gerry Gostenik GreatLakesBassFishing.com Website, and all of its contents, including but not limited to articles, other text, photographs, images, illustrations, graphics, logos, etc. are protected by copyright, trademark and other laws of the United States. |
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| This Late April smallie also ate a deep diving jerkbait |
| This huge Erie pre-spawn smallie ate a deep diving jerkbait. |
| These St. Clair bruisers fell victim to the pink Super Fluke. |
| 4lb Smallie locked on its bed. |
| The Mayfly Hatch in full swing. It's going to be a great topwater morning |
| The Mayfly hatch is a great time for fly fisherman |
| Summer smallmouth on the Great Lakes. Great weather and great fishing. |
| All of these 5 pound Erie Bass pounded spinnerbaits in Early October. |
| These 5 pound St. Clair smallies were taken on Rat-L-Traps. |
| November fishing is cold and the weather can be nasty but it is absolutely the best time to catch a true trophy. The fishing is great and the smallies are HUGE. |