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Fall Fishing Frenzy on Lake St. Clair - Smallies, Muskies, and Walleye Abound
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your November 14th, 2025 fishing report for Lake St. Clair, Michigan and the surrounding waters.
Sunrise hit at 7:19 AM this morning, and sunset is coming up at 5:15 PM—so you’ve got a compact window of daylight, but that means fish activity is peaking right around those hours. We’re looking at chilly fall temperatures out there, starting in the upper 30s and warming just a tad into the high 40s by this afternoon. Bundle up, because that northwest breeze is running 8-12 mph, stirring up some chop on open water and pushing baitfish closer to structure.
No significant tidal influence on St. Clair, but wind direction is the big factor today, with consistent pressure and mild cloud cover. Overcast skies like these keep those predators roaming longer into midmorning.
Here's the latest on what’s biting: According to recent reports from Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, smallmouth bass are still hot in the shallows. November on Lake St. Clair always delivers for those chunky bronzebacks, with multiple boats reporting catches in the 3- to 5-pound class just this past week. Mixed bags of 15 to 30 bass are not uncommon, especially around Belle Hump and the Mile Roads. Both largemouth and smallmouth have been moving onto slightly deeper flats, 8 to 15 feet, as weedbeds shrink.
The muskie bite is turning on for the diehards—anglers trolling big rubber baits and crankbaits along the Channel edges and in Anchor Bay are reporting a handful of 40-inchers, and at least two boats boated fish over 50 inches in the last five days, especially on darker days like today. Perch and walleye are showing better numbers in the channels and around the dumping grounds off the Detroit River mouth. Recent TV reports, like Michigan Fishing Nation TV’s Walleye Mayhem, showcased ice-out and river-edge walleye jigging with impressive stringers, and those patterns are still solid right now.
Best baits this week: For smallmouth, nothing’s slaying it more than Ned rigs, blade baits, and tubes in goby pattern. Crankbaits like the Lucky Craft Pointer in shad colors and jerkbaits such as the Megabass Vision 110 are top picks—echoing what pros like Kevin VanDam recommend for clear fall waters on Lake St. Clair. For muskie, trolling large Bulldawgs, Bondy Baits, or 8- to 12-inch crankbaits in perch and firetiger have produced multiple trophy fish. Walleye hunters should stick with 3/8-ounce jig heads paired with minnows or paddle-tail plastics, especially in the fast water near the spillways and points.
If you’re planning to launch today, two absolute hotspots:
- The Mile Roads stretch, especially near 9 Mile and 12 Mile ramps, for consistent smallmouth action.
- Anchor Bay’s weedlines and the South Channel edges, both holding muskie and concentration of late-fall perch.
Marinas and boat launches are still open, but always check local restrictions and dress for safety—water temps are hovering in the low 40s, and hypothermia risk is real.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s Lake St. Clair fishing update. Hit that subscribe button so you never miss a report, and if you land a giant or have a question, let me know for a shoutout in the next broadcast.
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Published on 1 month ago