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Autumnal Bass and Perch Bite on Lake St. Clair
Good morning, anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
We woke to a classic Michigan fall morning: air temp in the low 40s at sunrise, a bit of mist rolling off the water, with clear skies on tap for most of the day. According to NOAA buoy 45147 offshore, wind is out of the northwest at 12–15 knots and expected to settle down this afternoon, making for choppy but fishable conditions. Water temps are holding steady in the upper 50s, perfect for a strong fall bite. No tide action here, just good old Great Lakes wind-driven currents. Sunrise was right at 7:37 AM, and sunset will roll in around 6:30 PM.
Fish activity has been nothing short of electric lately. Reports across the lake show that both perch and bass are lighting it up, especially near weed edges and deeper structure—a textbook autumn pattern for Lake St. Clair. Smallmouth bass are firing on all cylinders, with tournament crews stacking up impressive bags: Just this past weekend, top teams in local tournaments brought in over 25 pounds, with big smallmouth up to 6.6 pounds landed. Bass have been especially active early, hitting hard in 2–5 feet of water on Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and a variety of smaller finesse swimbaits like the 2.8-inch Keitech and Spark Shad. The drop-shot continues to deliver when the midday bite slows, with some teams pulling 50 bass in practice sessions.
If perch is your target, now’s your window—rubber baits, small jigs, and live minnows have produced full buckets, especially around the Metropark and weed beds on the northern shore. Walleye have been showing in the evenings along the channel breaks, and don’t overlook musky: rubber baits trolled over open water have taken several mid-to-upper 40-inch fish, especially out from the DNR launch at Harrison Township.
The best lures today? For smallmouth, stick with tube jigs, spinnerbaits, finesse swimbaits, and drop-shot rigs with natural colors. Perch are hitting on live minnows and small chartreuse or white jigs. For musky, big rubber baits and trolling plugs are producing the largest fish. Don’t be afraid to downsize presentations until that wind lays down.
Top hot spots this week:
- The weed edges and rocky points around the Metropark have stacked up with both perch schools and hungry bass.
- The DNR launch area at Harrison Township—it’s loaded with mixed bags right now, and you’ve got a good chance at musky, too.
A few reminders: The water clarity’s been great, so keep your line light and your presentations subtle. Early-morning and late-evening bites are strongest, especially as the lake cools.
Thanks for tuning in to your daily Lake St. Clair fishing report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe for tomorrow’s update and more local tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago