St.Clair 10/18 and 10/19

[Buckeye]

I fished St.Clair for the first time this past weekend with River Walker and a couple friends.  It was along trip all-around for me, on very little sleep.  Cincinnati to Michigan on two hours sleep wasn't fun.

We launched out of a small ramp on Saturday at a bait shop on the north end of St.Clair.  Very helpful people at the bait shop to be sure.  We fished arpounf grass island most of the day, and ventured up the north and middle channels a little.  I threw a number of baits, without success.  The water temp was 55 most of the day, NE winds up to about 15 or 20 miles an hour, and the water was a little stained from the wind.  I caught zero on a tube, a drop shot, a spinnerbait, or a jerkbait. 

My partner caught one largemouth in the north channel, and a pike on a bandit crankbait (shad color) out in front of docks in that channel. 

Sunday we headed further north.  We put in at Belle River (what a relief to see staff at a public ramp).  My partner and I drifted the west shoreline with tubes and a drop shot, but came up empty.  We ran to the power plant and picked up several smallmouth along the break wall, but that was about it.  We headed even further north to the Pine River, and we fished the sandbar out in front of it and slightly north with great promise.  Still nothing.  Sadly, our first trip was less than memorable.  In retrospect, we should have gotten Canadian licenses and fish over by Fawn Island.

Sunday's winds came out of the south, but it didn't improve our bite much.  RW did seem to do better than we did. It was weird seeing a crrent with a south wind pushing you upriver.   

Eric

[Skulley]

ebond is right.  I would have recommended Erie instead.  I have found that Erie is better in the fall than St. Clair.  You may not catch as many but the fish tend to run bigger.  The north shore of Erie on the Canadian shoreline was on fire last weekend 10/18 and 10/19.  Caught 21 on Saturday all in the 3lb to 4lb range with a couple over 5.  Sunday was even better.  Caught over 50 between two of us and had 3's and 4's.  Several over five and I would say two over 6.  It was awesome.  Had so much fun that I am planning to go there again this weekend weather and wind permitting.  If the weather is iffy, I may show up on Kent or Cass.........but I doubt it. 

BD             

[yukonjack2]

was out 10/18 as well with a few friends who drove all night from Indiana.  Put in at Selfridge, and fished around the bay for LM, but the water was pretty muddy with the E/NE winds the past few days.  Ran norht around the bay with only a hammer handle muskie to show for 4 hours effort.  Lucky to get the spinnerbait back.  Ran out to grassy with no success there either, albeit the water looked better.  Ran up the NC to a few known LM spots to get a tug on my line, nobody home.  Drifted the middle cvhannel wreck are - nobody - tried the lower River, and finally found a keeper (3  lb) SM on a DS tube - canadian mist of course.  Must have been a renegade, cause he had no freinds with him.  Drifted down the SC side of russell probing the weed patches - nothing.  Saw a pack of 5 lbers (6 or more) chasing baitfish at the surface for about 30 sec or so - spent about an hour trying to get them to bite to no avail.  At least we saw what we were looking for - ran down the cutoff out to the lake as the winds has lessened a bit by noon.  Nothing aroung the rip rap at seaway.  Ran across to metro beach flats, and it was game on - find isolated rock structure, and the were holding tight but biting - hit a 4.95, few 4's, several 3+,.. nonstop for about 2 hours.  Decided to leave when the rockbass starting biting.  Ran to more structure in the mouth of the middle channel - game on - another 5, several 3's.  Again - once the rockbass started jumping on the baits - time to go - made it back to the ramp just before dark - what an awesome afternoon anyhow.  Observation - would not hit any hard body baits - cranks, jerks, topwater, spinnerbaits,swimbaits,....  anything soft and on the bottom with purple - you were golden.  Water temps were in the high 50's most places - warmed up to maybe 61 in the shallow lake areas.

[Buckeye]

Glad someone tore into them Yukon!  I wish I knew the lake better, it would have helped a ton I'm sure.  Here are a few pics from the trip...that's River Walker in all of the pics, as I forgot my camera in Cincinnati.





Eric

[Buckeye]

And two more....try to focus on the fish, RW ain't much to look at!





Eric

[Buckeye]

I've never fished in Canadian waters.  I don't even have my passport to go over there, and with Erie being as unpredictable as it usually is, I'd be afraid to run that far with my 18.5 footer.  Maybe when I get more used to her, I'd run over there.  Glad you had success though UAW.

Eric

[Skulley]

My boat is 18.5 feet.  I run over there all the time.  You do not need a passport to fish Canadian waters, only an Ontario License.  The only time you would need to contact Canadian Customs would be if you put into port.  Hope this helps.  Erie is not as unpredictable than you think.

From the pictures, it looks that your trip was not a total waste.  Nice job.

BD              

[River Walker]

And two more....try to focus on the fish, RW ain't much to look at!





Eric

Well that's a fine howdy-do-lol!

[Bigbass201]

I have a 17' 2" Bass Tracker and I make runs of 30 to 40 miles round trip.  You just have to pick your days right to hit the lake.  I also carry a battery jump starter and few other safety precautions including the Coast Guard # on my phone.

There are several places on Lake Erie where you can launch and run 3 to 5 miles and be on big smallmouth.  There's spots on the northern shore of Michigan, and also the S.W. shore of Ohio.  The Ohio would not be that long of drive for you.  You can launch, and be on fish in 4 miles.  Rock humps all over the place.  I've only fished St. Clair a handful of times due to Erie being so much closer.  The fishing can be just as good if not better in my opinion. 

I sent you personal message Buckeye.

[djkimmel]

River Walker, I think he's just jealous about your fish

[Buckeye]

RWm, you are the man dude!!!  What's thw word on KY Lake this weekend or next.  My father went to the OSU?PSU game this weekend, and didn't come down.  I think he might plan on coming this weekend. 

I'll try to let you know ASAP if I can go this week or not.  Is Aaron coming too?  Are you bringing your boat?

Eric

[River Walker]

 Try to give me a call sometime midweek,right now I've got a bunch of things going on.I'm pretty much for sure about getting out this coming weekend,just not sure of where.KY may be a bit far for me this weekend,I shouldn't travel too far from home.If there's a favorable wave report later in the week,I may go up to Erie.Aaron can't go anywhere this weekend,he's playing over in Erie,PA.