Lake St. CLaire Temps and Bass stage

[PABassfish]

Hello every one my trip is coming up quick! Were coming up to Mitchells Bay on June 28th. Im wondering what are the water temps like up there, and What stage are the bass in-- Mainly the SM bass-- Ik our seasonal patterens down here are running ahead of schedule this year.
So what stage do you think they will be in in a month??
Thanks everybody! -Mike-

[RandyB]

Last Saturday, on the west side of the lake, I measured 63F off shore and 69F back in the canals.  LM were spawning in the canals.  I don't think SM were spawning where I was.  There might be some warmer parts of the lake though.  My guess is that spawning is happening for SM for the next month and you'll be arriving toward the late side.  So some early spawners will be in the early summer phase and some others will be post-spawn and a few will be spawning.  That's just my guess.  Someone will be along directly to be more definitive.

[LennyB]

Most fish have already spawned. The last 2 weeks, we've been catching them off the beds and know many beds are now bare. There will be another wave of spawners but probably alot smaller.   

[djkimmel]

On the Mile Roads and in the bays, probably saw 500+ beds early last week. Easily over half were empty. But we also saw lots of real fresh fish and the anglers were sometimes tricked by large rock bass that were moving into empty beds in waves to do their own thing.

I've seen bass on beds out there in early April all the way in to mid-July.

I talked to several people last week who thought the spawn hadn't really started yet so it depends, as in most years, on what part of the lake you're looking in (and maybe how good your polarized glasses are?!? ).

[Revtro]

For me, fishing a post-spawn pattern has really been paying off for the past week and half.  I have been seeing a TON of empty beds the past few days on the Western side of the lake.  I would assume it's probably the same in Mitchells.  ?

[djkimmel]

You have to like a lake that allows success fishing so many different ways!

[fiker]

Define post spawn pattern fishing on Lake St. Clair please.

[Revtro]

I don't know if I describe it well, but to me even thought there are some fish on the spawn, the post-spawn females seem to be out deeper from the spawning areas feeding up.  I have seen ginormous pods of baitfish and bugs also atop the water, so there's been some topwater bite too.  Rather than fishing for the shallower spawning fish, I have been out in 12-15 FOW fishing for bigger fish and it's been pretty successful.  This is usually the pattern after the shallow spawn starts finishing up.  It's like an early summer pattern before the fish move way out to their summer haunts.  At least this is what I think is happening. 

[Skulley]

I don't know if I describe it well, but to me even thought there are some fish on the spawn, the post-spawn females seem to be out deeper from the spawning areas feeding up.  I have seen ginormous pods of baitfish and bugs also atop the water, so there's been some topwater bite too.  Rather than fishing for the shallower spawning fish, I have been out in 12-15 FOW fishing for bigger fish and it's been pretty successful.  This is usually the pattern after the shallow spawn starts finishing up.  It's like an early summer pattern before the fish move way out to their summer haunts.  At least this is what I think is happening.  

That's a pretty good explanation as to what's happening on the Mile Roads right now Rev. Some of the other areas I have been fishing including the area you and I fished last Friday May 25, have multiple things going on. I am catching fish in all modes, pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. But I am fishing areas that have spawning areas close to pre and post-spawn staging and feeding areas. When what is going on right now on........it's on. I wish Ontario was open right now because I am willing to bet that the south shore of LSC is spot on. With the seasonal changes happening faster this year, you'll have to approach those areas with a different frame of mind to be successful out there. Patterns are changing daily.




BD.                        

[djkimmel]

Plus... most studies that have looked at it say only about 1/3 of all bass spawn in any one year so I always figure that means the majority - 2/3's if my math is right - are doing something else. Like being bass and eating. I do think many bass tend to follow each other around and hang out in similar areas even if they aren't all spawning or all doing whatever else they are doing. I saw a bunch of this on a small pond this afternoon. I found the in place for the day. Bass of all sizes just swimming around and hanging out. Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd...