Fishermen – bbgh

Helpful Info For Fishermen

Seasonal Patterns for Smallmouth // Launch Site Ramps // Fishing Licenses // DNR Ramp Site Requirements & Purchase Pass Port Tag // Marine Repair Locations // Bait & Tackle // Daily Fishing Report

(Reservation Log at Bottom of This Page)

Seasonal Patterns for Smallmouth Bass on Lake St. Clair - Michigan

Bass season opens the last Saturday in April in Michigan and runs thru December 31. Ice however, usually starts to form at launch sites by late November, so fishing in December is limited. The following is a breakdown of the seasons and some patterns that are consistent for catching Smallmouth Bass on Lake St. Clair.
Pre-Spawn: (late April thru mid May) At this time of year, Smallmouth fishing on Lake St. Clair is usually good to excellent. When the water temperature hits the mid 40's thru the upper 50's, Smallies are on the prowl. A lot of fish move shallow at this time in preparation for the spawn and are actively feeding. My favorite time to fish is from opening day on, the earlier the better. Big females are actively feeding at this time and usually not hard to catch. This is a popular time of year so book your trip early for the best dates available.

Spawn: (May thru June) Once The Smallmouth start locking on their spawning beds, they get a little tougher to catch do to their reluctance to leave their beds. During this time, Smallmouths are busy guarding their nests and usually won't venture far from them. When the fishing goes from super one week to noticeably slower the next, this is a sure sign the fish in that area are in the peek of the spawn. The key to consistent great days this time of year is being "dialed-in" to the key spawning areas and knowing which areas they have already spawned and which areas they have not. Being out there consistently is the best ways to stay tuned in to what faze the fish are in, in any specific area. That is one advantage of hiring a guide. Catch and Immediate release is extremely important this time of year.

Post Spawn: (June into July) The month of June is a great time to fish for Smallmouth Bass on Lake St. Clair. At this time of year a lot of fish are still shallow. The male Smallmouths usually hang around these areas thru out June in high numbers. The larger females start to pull out to the deeper weed patches and rock piles as the month progresses. Finding or knowing where isolated rocks and weed patches are out from the spawning areas, is key for consistently catching the bigger post-spawn females. "Time-on-the-water" is what is required to locate enough key spots and areas to consistently keep clients on fish. By early July most fish have left the shallows and the summer bite is starting.
Summer: (July thru early September When the post spawn period ends on Lake St. Clair, most of the Smallmouth Bass start heading for deeper water. Their primary forage is perch, shad, and crawfish. Knowing were the bait and forage are, is the key to catching numbers of quality fish. The perch and shad have a tendency to roam. Being out there consistently and following them is a big part of "Being on Fish". The crawfish take up residency in weed beds whose location changes from year to year. Relocating the key weed beds is a process guides under go each season. Summer time Smallmouth fishing is great on St. Clair. It does take time

Launch Site Ramps

1) City of Maryville Lat N 42 54.226 Long W 82 28.154
2) St. Clair Boat Harbor Lat N42 49.12 Long W82 29.05
3) Marine City DNR Lat N 42 49.12 Long W 82 29.05
4) Clay Township Lat N 42 63.314 Long W 82 65.099
5) Algonac DNR North Channel Lat N 42 61.407 Long W 82 55.011
6) Harsens Island DNR Lat N 42 58.567 Long W 82 64.090
7) Fair Haven DNR Lat N42 67.452 Long W 82 63.228

8) Selfridge DNR Lat N 42 63.034 Long W 82 82.001
9) Harley Ensign Lat N 42 59.326 Long W 82 77.473
10) Jefferson & Shook Rd DNR Lat N 42 56.227 Long W 82 84.332
11) Nine Mile Launch (Free) Lat 42 27.737 Long W 82 52.288
12) Harrison Township Metro Park Lat N 42 58.088 Long W 82 79.433
13) Brandenburg Park Lat N 42 66.559 Long W 82 75.86

Fishing Licenses

As spring draws closer, Michigan anglers are encouraged to purchase a 2022 fishing license when they go on sale Tuesday, March 1. The new license season begins April 1, and the 2022 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2023. Licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. By purchasing a fishing license online, anglers will have the opportunity to sign up for auto-renewal through the DNR eLicense system.

Anglers also are encouraged to review the upcoming regulations changes adopted by the Michigan Natural Resource Commission that will go into effect April 1, unless noted otherwise.

Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River – walleye size limit. The Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River walleye minimum size limit has been increased from 13 inches to 15 inches, which is the same as the statewide regulation. The change will result in uniform walleye regulations throughout the connected waters of the St. Clair-Detroit River system, which includes Lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River.

www.mdnr-elicense.com

DNR Launch Site Requirements and Passport Purchase

The Recreation Passport is your key to accessing state parks and recreation areas, boating access sites, state forest campgrounds, thousands of miles of trails and other outdoor spaces – all year long!

The state’s parks and recreation system is largely self-supporting. Funds derived from the Recreation Passport go right back into maintaining and improving the outdoor spaces we all love, and protecting natural resources for the next generation.

For Resident Cost: When purchased at the time of license plate registration renewal, your license plate tab will have the letter “P.” When purchased at a different time, you’ll receive a sticker that must be permanently affixed to the lower passenger-side windshield. The passport is valid for one year and/or until your license plate registration expires.

Vehicles: $12 when purchased at time of license plate registration renewal through the Secretary of State.
Vehicles: $17 when purchased at state parks, most DNR customer service centers or at the Secretary of State outside your license plate registration renewal cycle. (passport fee + $5 convenience fee = $17).
Motorcycles: $6 when purchased at time of your license plate registration renewal through the Secretary of State.
Motorcycles: $11 when purchased at state parks, most DNR customer service centers or at the Secretary of State outside your license plate registration renewal cycle. (passport fee + $5 convenience fee = $11)
Moped: $6 when purchased at state parks and most DNR customer service centers.
Commercial daily pass: $18 when purchased at state parks (24k+ lbs and/or seating capacity of 16+).
The purchase of a separate Recreation Passport is required for unhitched towed vehicles.

All state parks locations accept debit/credit, cash and check. DNR customer service centers, with the exception of Baraga, Bay City and Marquette, sell Recreation Passports via cash or check (no credit/debit).

Non-Resident Cost

Annual: $39
Daily: $11 – good for entry and re-entry to any state park for the day.
Towed motor vehicle: $8 – required if unhitched vehicle is being driven at state parks (valid for length of stay). A nonresident annual pass is required for towing vehicle.
Commercial daily pass: $20 – (24k+ lbs and/or seating capacity of 16+).
A $5 convenience fee is not applied to nonresident passes.

Annual nonresident passports expire Dec. 31 of the year it was purchased. The annual passport sticker must be permanently affixed to your lower passenger-side windshield.

As part of a statutory provision that ensures Recreation Passport funding keeps pace with the economy, the Recreation Passport fee increased slightly in 2023. Fee adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index, as determined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Where to Purchase:

MiDNRReservations.com/Store (annual only with a 2-3 week processing time). https://midnrreservations.com/store/all
Michigan state parks and recreation areas (annual, daily, towed vehicle and commercial).
Most DNR customer service centers, Cash and checks only. No credit or debit cards. //
Detroit Customer Service Center (Distance: 30.9 Miles) – 1801 Atwater Street, Detroit, Michigan, 48207 // Hours of Operation // Open to the public Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Contact Information: 313-396-6890
Self-registration envelopes and fee pipes at many state parks, boating access sites and state forest campgrounds (annual, daily and towed vehicle).
Kiosks at Duck Lake State Park and Belle Isle Park (annual and daily).

Fisheries Division: For general fishing questions, please e-mail [email protected] or call 517-284-5830.

Marine Repair Locations

Murley's Marine // Marine supply store - Ira Township, MI · (586) 725-7446 ⋅ Opens 9AM
Schneider's Motorsports and Marine // Boat repair shop - Fair Haven, MI · (586) 273-7411 - Opens 9AM
Rose Marine Services // Boat repair shop · Clay Township, MI · (586) 716-9600 - Opens 9AM
Colony Marine Sales & Services Inc 4.5(10) · Marina 6509 Dyke Rd (810) 794-4932

Bait & Tackle Locations

Anglers Blue Water Bait & Tackle // Bait shop - Ira Township, MI // Open 7AM · (586) 330-4555 - "They are fully stocked with Fresh Live bait, fishing and ice fishing gear"
Michigan Marine Sport Center // Bait shop - New Baltimore, MI // Open 7AM ⋅ Closes 5PM · (586) 725-3651 // In-store shopping
Anglers Point Bait/Marina // Bait shop - New Baltimore, MI // Open 7AM · (586) 949-9223 // In stock: baits & lures

Daily Fishing Report

https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/MIDNR-3370b88?wgt_ref=MIDNR_WIDGET_2#SELP