Date: June 24, 2017
Body of Water: Lake St. Clair
Boat: Numenon
With: Alone
Target: Smallmouth Bass; but then Walleye
Time: 6:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Conditions: Clear and bright; 65 - 80 degrees, developing a stronger WNW wind to over 15 mph; water clear inshore and 73 degrees; 66 and a bit colored/stained offshore.
I was pleased to see Lake St. Clair in a calm and navigable state, and I was doubly pleased to arrive at the weedbeds off the 400 Club and encounter excellent water clarity. At 73 degrees F and with post-spawn conditions for bass, Lake St. Clair was going to give me a new experience. I figured my best option was to simply cover some water here and let the fish reveal themselves. Given defined inside and outside edges and the excellent extent, health and variety of weeds here, I was reasonably confident that I had a chance to figure this out.
Starting on the outside edge in 10 or 11 feet of water, I chose to throw a Yozuri top-water prop bait. With no positive response, I quickly changed to a Red Eye Shad rattle bait, and scored a tiny largemouth bass. With nothing else biting, I then switched to the inside weed edge in about 6 feet of water. I think I missed a quick bite on a swim jig; a spy bait was also subsequently ignored. Moving over the weedbeds and to the outer edge and a bit beyond, I continued searching for bites with the spy bait, a pumpkin tube, and a Pb&J Ned rig.
Some kayakers dropped a buoy marker in 12 or 13 feet of water and seemed to have a bit of action. I shook off a small bass on the tube in this same depth, but the day was starting off slowly, and I couldn't help but notice that the wind was building.
I confronted myself; did I want to work through a slow grind and not experience anything new on the lake? I'd likely encounter some fish and they might be nice; on the other hand, I wouldn't cover much water, and by the way, where were all the bass fisherman? They certainly weren't around here! Meanwhile, the wind looked like it was going to be a factor. If I wanted to make a move, now was the time to do so.
So I decide to run out to the shipping channel and the St. Clair Light. I arrived to choppy 2-footers and clear, green 66-degree water. There were also piles and piles of mayflies! Here I used some local advice and trolled a couple of crank baits, up high in the water column. I was marking fair numbers of suspended fish between about 8 and 15 feet (over 20 or more feet), and I had confidence in my jointed Shad Rap (size 7, perch), Husky Jerk (size 6, blue glass minnow) and Flick'R Shad (size 7, purple and gold.) Back between 50 and 100 feet, these should have been cruising at or just above the fish I was marking.
But nothing happened, and there was only one other boat out here. I was getting a bit queasy changing baits and cleaning lines, and so I decided to relocate a bit north, to the area around Buoy 28.
There was a sizable group of boats here (probably a couple of dozen, including a couple I recognized as launching with me earlier in the day.) From my mapping, it looks like an approximate 15-foot flat intersects the shipping channel here. There seemed to be various spoils along the channel edge, and it seems like maybe any fish from the north could eventually find the channel in this area. I set my lines, and trolling at about 2.1 mph, the rod with the Shad Rap quickly doubled over. It wasn't the walleye I was looking for, but it was a dandy white bass. This repeated itself a few times as I roamed the area, weaving through boats, south and east of Buoy 28.
Nets were flashing with some regularity, and most folks were drifting or slow-trolling with electric motors while dragging bottom-bouncers. I'd thought I'd just give trolling a quick try as I scouted the area, but it was getting late in the morning; it was now quite rough; the return trip to the west side would take some time and/or deliver a beating; and I had my spinners, harnesses and Gulp! aboard, so I decided to stay in the area and try these techniques for the first time in 15 or more years.
Working mostly 19 feet of water along the eastern edge of the channel, south of the buoy, I trolled at speeds from 0.6 to about 1.1 mph while presenting spinner/Gulp! combos along the bottom with bottom-bouncers. My crank-bait casting outfits performed nicely for this; their softer tips amplified nibbles and pending hookups, and their moderate action kept fish hooked. It was actually quite enjoyable, but the walleye were infrequent (two, both about 14 inches), and most bites were more white bass (probably a dozen landed, total.) I also caught a couple of perch, which later in the season might be an abundant and worthy target.
And I did see a couple of other walleyes boated during this time, so they were out there. I also seemed to do best in certain spots, and especially where I was marking fish, so there's certainly some room for me to refine my techniques, should I choose to do so.
It was still pretty rough at about 1:30 PM, and I knew I was at least 30 minutes away from the ramp. It was time to head in!
I was pleased to see Lake St. Clair in a calm and navigable state, and I was doubly pleased to arrive at the weedbeds off the 400 Club and encounter excellent water clarity. At 73 degrees F and with post-spawn conditions for bass, Lake St. Clair was going to give me a new experience. I figured my best option was to simply cover some water here and let the fish reveal themselves. Given defined inside and outside edges and the excellent extent, health and variety of weeds here, I was reasonably confident that I had a chance to figure this out.
Starting on the outside edge in 10 or 11 feet of water, I chose to throw a Yozuri top-water prop bait. With no positive response, I quickly changed to a Red Eye Shad rattle bait, and scored a tiny largemouth bass. With nothing else biting, I then switched to the inside weed edge in about 6 feet of water. I think I missed a quick bite on a swim jig; a spy bait was also subsequently ignored. Moving over the weedbeds and to the outer edge and a bit beyond, I continued searching for bites with the spy bait, a pumpkin tube, and a Pb&J Ned rig.
Some kayakers dropped a buoy marker in 12 or 13 feet of water and seemed to have a bit of action. I shook off a small bass on the tube in this same depth, but the day was starting off slowly, and I couldn't help but notice that the wind was building.
I confronted myself; did I want to work through a slow grind and not experience anything new on the lake? I'd likely encounter some fish and they might be nice; on the other hand, I wouldn't cover much water, and by the way, where were all the bass fisherman? They certainly weren't around here! Meanwhile, the wind looked like it was going to be a factor. If I wanted to make a move, now was the time to do so.
So I decide to run out to the shipping channel and the St. Clair Light. I arrived to choppy 2-footers and clear, green 66-degree water. There were also piles and piles of mayflies! Here I used some local advice and trolled a couple of crank baits, up high in the water column. I was marking fair numbers of suspended fish between about 8 and 15 feet (over 20 or more feet), and I had confidence in my jointed Shad Rap (size 7, perch), Husky Jerk (size 6, blue glass minnow) and Flick'R Shad (size 7, purple and gold.) Back between 50 and 100 feet, these should have been cruising at or just above the fish I was marking.
But nothing happened, and there was only one other boat out here. I was getting a bit queasy changing baits and cleaning lines, and so I decided to relocate a bit north, to the area around Buoy 28.
There was a sizable group of boats here (probably a couple of dozen, including a couple I recognized as launching with me earlier in the day.) From my mapping, it looks like an approximate 15-foot flat intersects the shipping channel here. There seemed to be various spoils along the channel edge, and it seems like maybe any fish from the north could eventually find the channel in this area. I set my lines, and trolling at about 2.1 mph, the rod with the Shad Rap quickly doubled over. It wasn't the walleye I was looking for, but it was a dandy white bass. This repeated itself a few times as I roamed the area, weaving through boats, south and east of Buoy 28.
Nets were flashing with some regularity, and most folks were drifting or slow-trolling with electric motors while dragging bottom-bouncers. I'd thought I'd just give trolling a quick try as I scouted the area, but it was getting late in the morning; it was now quite rough; the return trip to the west side would take some time and/or deliver a beating; and I had my spinners, harnesses and Gulp! aboard, so I decided to stay in the area and try these techniques for the first time in 15 or more years.
 |
| Passing freighters were a frequent occurrence, and might have been part of the local walleye equation; their turbulence would stir up the bottom and provide an ephemeral stain to the water. |
 |
| Crank-bait casting outfits worked well for bottom-bouncing. The chartreuse Mack's Smiley Blade (below) with a death-roll hook and a pinched Gulp! worm outperformed the perch-colored conventional spinner rig (above) with a full Gulp! crawler. |
Working mostly 19 feet of water along the eastern edge of the channel, south of the buoy, I trolled at speeds from 0.6 to about 1.1 mph while presenting spinner/Gulp! combos along the bottom with bottom-bouncers. My crank-bait casting outfits performed nicely for this; their softer tips amplified nibbles and pending hookups, and their moderate action kept fish hooked. It was actually quite enjoyable, but the walleye were infrequent (two, both about 14 inches), and most bites were more white bass (probably a dozen landed, total.) I also caught a couple of perch, which later in the season might be an abundant and worthy target.
And I did see a couple of other walleyes boated during this time, so they were out there. I also seemed to do best in certain spots, and especially where I was marking fish, so there's certainly some room for me to refine my techniques, should I choose to do so.
It was still pretty rough at about 1:30 PM, and I knew I was at least 30 minutes away from the ramp. It was time to head in!
 |
| When you struggle with smallmouths and walleyes, white bass can make the day. This one was just under 16 inches. |
What do I have to say about this?
I've clearly lost my Sea Legs, and I was surprised to feel so queasy. I guess I've not done enough Big Water fishing, lately. Despite the small targeted catch, this was a fun day, and I like having a bit of success with new techniques in new locations. I've got friends that I might bring back. The spinners and Gulp! will probably stay in the boat with me.
 |
| It was a different kind of day! |
