Tuesday, August 14 - Not the report you wanna hear

[Revtro]

Only read if you're really, really bored and have nothing else to do.  Tuesday sucked.  I got out for a few hours up in Marine City.  I fished deep for the most part hoping the bass would be there as has been the pattern in August/September from back in the good old days.  Well it ain't the good old days, that's for sure.

I started at the ATB wreck on the south side of Fawn.  Found it on the side finder, and fished all around it...nothing.   Moved over to shoreline wreck a fished about 10' shallower on the SE side of Fawn...nothing.  See a pattern developing?   Moved up to the sand piles on the Canadian side...nothing.  Moved up to a good size deep notch above the ferry...nothing.   Moved up to the Power Plant on the US side...nothing.  Marwood Bar area where there are smallies traditionally stacked up this time of year...nothing.   Moved up a bit North to a couple other drifts...nothing.   Ended up the day with you guessed it...NOTHING.   

I believe every time on the water is a learning experience if you'll let it be.  So what did I learn?  IMO I just don't think the bass are using deep water in the river.  For what reasons, I'm not really sure.  I've heard a couple different posits.  1. No bait.  I didn't see any bait balled up on the sonar or at the surface.  2. Colder temps.  I was in 74 degree water if I recall correctly.  3. Water depths.  Possibly the bass don't like it on these old haunts because its a bit deeper than they like.  (Weird tho because in years past I'd catch them 40' deep and sometimes deeper.)   

I would be very interested to hear what smarter people than me might think is the reason the river isn't as productive the past few years.  All I know is that the deep fish don't seem to exist there lately.  I have heard similar reports from many anglers who fish the river annually.  There do appear to be shallow fish here and there in smaller numbers like the kind of stuff Dobson was on in the FLW.  So it doesn't seem the river is devoid of smallmouth.  But I sure do miss that deep, reliable bite.  I hope it rebounds.  Anyway, it was a day of eliminating water I guess. :/

[Hollada]

My guess is that they are there, but in different spots than they were in when the water was 2-3 feet lower.  I heard reports on another site of guys getting them on the breaks to the main channel in front of ASP.

Unfortunately, other than Russell and a few by the con ed plant, I've had similar experience.

Tried the lake today.  Fished east and west of the hump.  1 smb and a small Walter.  Back to Golf. 😜😜

[Revtro]

Unfortunately I sold my camera a while ago or I could take a gander down there and see.  I was thinking about the deep areas out off of Mitchel's Bay next.  They gotta be somewhere.  I just hate wasting gas.  Ahhh the Dog Days of Summer.

[djfunkebeetz]

this upcoming weekend last year (8/24/17) was the Elite Series on St Clair. Which was nice because I experienced a similar August lull in bass fishing and getting to follow the Elite Series allowed me to see where some of those guys were actually catching fish. A lot of them were fishing deeper water along the mile roads, some were in the rivers, but most were in the main lake if I recall correctly. A lot of them were throwing DD crankbaits but I haven't been able to get anything going this year on deep diving cranks. But usually I'll pick up the crankbait, throw it for about 20 minutes, not get bit, and put it back down.

I am in a similar boat, so to speak, with burning gas looking for fish. I keep my boat at 11 and Jefferson and the only place that I know I can go and at least catch some fish right now is the Belle River Hump area and that is a 14 mile boat ride. I have burned so much gas the last month looking for these dang smallies.