St. Clair's Early Winter Bite: Smallmouth, Walleye, and Perch Action

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake St. Clair report.

We’re in full early‑winter mode now. According to the National Weather Service out of Detroit, air temps are riding the upper 20s to low 30s this morning, climbing just above freezing with a stiff west–northwest breeze and scattered clouds. Wind is pushing 10–15 knots, so it’s cold but fishable if you pick your windows. Being a Great Lakes–connected system, St. Clair doesn’t have real tides, but you will see seiche-driven water level bumps and current swings – today they’re mild, just enough to help the bite along the river mouths.

Sunrise is right around 7:55 a.m. with sunset a little after 5 p.m., so you’ve got a tight daylight window and a long low‑light stretch on either end. Those first two hours after sunup and the last hour before dark are prime.

Local chatter from Lake St. Clair Facebook groups and recent guide posts has the **smallmouth**, **walleye**, and **perch** bite still rolling, just more concentrated:

- Smallmouth: Most guys are fishing deeper breaks in 18–28 feet off the Mile Roads and down toward the Belle River Hump. Fish are grouped tight; when you find one, work that patch hard.
- Walleye: Detroit River and the South Channel are producing steady eaters with a few big girls mixed in, especially at night. Outdoor News writer Mike Gnatkowski has noted that some of the biggest December ‘eyes of the year come just before freeze‑up, often after dark, and that lines up perfectly with what we’re seeing.
- Perch: Not wide‑open, but good pods are hanging off the dumping grounds and around the mouth of the Thames when the water cleans up.

Recent catches reported by local charters and weekend warriors: mixed bags of 20–40 perch per boat when they stay on the school, half‑limits of walleye on the river for guys jigging efficiently, and several boats still putting 10–20 smallies over the rail in a day, with a handful in the 4–5 pound class.

Best offerings right now:

- For smallmouth:
• Blade baits like Silver Buddy or Heddon Sonar in gold or chrome/blue.
• 3.5" goby‑style tubes and Ned rigs in green pumpkin, Canadian mist, or dark melon.
• A slow‑rolled swimbait on a 1/4–3/8 oz head when they’re a little higher off bottom.

- For walleye:
• Vertically jigged 3/4–1 oz jig heads with emerald shiners or soft plastics in the Detroit River and channels.
• Classic Detroit River hair jigs in purple, black, or black/chartreuse, tipped with a minnow if they’re finicky.
• Deep‑diving crankbaits trolled slow if you’re covering edges on the lake itself.

- For perch:
• Perch rigs with emerald shiners or lake shiners, just off bottom.
• Small tungsten ice jigs with spikes or waxies when they’re picky.

If you’re a bait‑first angler, emerald shiners are still king on St. Clair right now. Fatheads will work in a pinch, but if you can get true emeralds from local shops around the lake, do it.

A couple of hot spots to key on:

- **9‑ and 10‑Mile areas on the U.S. side**: Focus on deeper rock and subtle breaks in 18–24 feet for smallmouth; watch your electronics for tight pods of fish glued to bottom.
- **South Channel / Detroit River mouth zone**: Excellent for walleye and late‑season perch. Slide along the breaks and current seams until you mark bait and arcs, then drop blade baits or jigs straight down.

Dress for it, move slow, and don’t be afraid to grind one small stretch when you know there are fish under you. Early‑winter on St. Clair rewards patience.

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