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Fall Smallmouth & Musky Madness on Lake St. Clair - Artificial Lure Fishing Report for 10/27/2025
This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair fishing report for Monday, October 27, 2025.
Stepping out on the lake this morning, air temps hovered in the upper 40s, climbing to the low 50s by midday under mostly cloudy skies, with a persistent west-northwest breeze at 12–15 mph. That chop may make things sporty out there but also tends to activate the bite for those willing to bundle up. Sunrise was at 7:54 AM with sunset expected around 6:37 PM; you’ve got a solid day window, but daylight’s burning fast now, so don’t dally.
No tides to speak of around St. Clair, but water clarity has been good following the weekend’s strong winds, and surface temps are hovering in the high 50s which is prime fall action for both smallmouth and musky.
Tournament crowds just wrapped up a feisty weekend in tough conditions, but the catches were nothing short of impressive. According to Michiana Outdoors News, the Tackle Shack event on Saturday yielded some weighty sacks—Brock and Martin bagged 25.29 pounds of smallmouth, highlighted by a 6.6-pound bruiser. Second place was close behind with over 23 pounds, and the teams reported scores of 4-plus-pounders culled throughout the day, thanks to a hot first hour tossing Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits in just 2 to 5 feet of water. The Detroit River and the southern stretches of the main lake produced best, especially in slightly stained water post-blow.
A true highlight—a 7.45-pound smallmouth, the largest ever weighed at the Tackle Shack event, was landed in the Detroit River mid-morning on a crankbait, proving those river current seams near major drop-offs are the ticket for giants right now.
Finesse swimbaits were dynamite, with the most consistent bags coming from a BAFA F8 jighead paired with a 2.8" Keitech or Spark Shad. Other productive baits included smaller minnow-imitators like the Rapala Crush City Mayor and a handful of finicky fish fell for tubes and A-rigs, especially when worked slowly through deeper, rocky structure farther from the wind-swept edges.
Musky are still active, and recent charters like Reel Therapy Sportfishing out of Michigan are boating both muskellunge and bonus pike, particularly when trolling big rubber baits or classic crankbaits along weed edges and sunken islands. They report good action using both hardware and live bait under floats, especially on overcast afternoons. For those chasing walleye in the connecting channels and mouths, jigging with minnows in the deeper holes is a smart move.
For the most consistent action, locals are targeting two classic hot spots. First, the Belle River Hump—situated off the Canadian side, always a magnet for pods of smallies, especially in the fall. Second, the Mile Roads area on the lake’s U.S. side—fish the scattered gravel patches and emerging weedlines in 8–12 feet, drifting or spot-locking when you mark bait.
If you’re rigging up lures for today, make sure you’ve got **Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, small swimbaits on jigheads, and a selection of tubes and finesse rigs**. For musky, opt for **big rubber and flashy crankbaits**, and be ready to switch it up if a cold front moves in. Bring both bright patterns for the stained water and more natural hues for those clear pockets.
Bundle up, keep the coffee hot, and expect fewer recreational boats but top-shelf fish potential as the fall feed ramps up. Remember, bring your Michigan fishing license, tip your mate, and check the latest slot and tag regulations—especially for musky.
Thanks for tuning in to your Lake St. Clair fishing report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the bite updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago