Lake St. Clair

[Duke]

This was the best day of fishing in my life! 

It began frustrating. I awoke my wife at 4am to head to the N. end of the Detroit River to a ramp I found called Reid Ramps. To make a long story short, we never found it. We drove around Detroit for a while. With our bass boat in that environment, I felt a little out of place . So we finally headed back to I94 and headed up to Harley Ensign Park. We didn't get there until 10!

I have never been on St. Clair before and was pretty clueless what to do. We headed over to Strawberry Island and looked for grass. After 40 minutes and no action, it was time to leave. I headed north a bit and stopped where I found some chara & cabbage. Shortly thereafter I hooked and landed a 13" smallie on a tube. Ten minutes later though, I hooked and landed a 4'2" smallie on the same tube. My wife took a picture and I was stoked! As I was fighting that fish it spit up a 5" perch, so my mind thought I should throw something to replicate that more closely. Thus I threw a drop shot that was perch colored goby. First cast with that and I landed a 4'6" smallie  I was real excited. However, that was it for the next hour.

I then spent considerable time searching and catching nothing. I did manage to catch a handful of small ones off of Black Creek point, but the biggest was only 14" Thus, we went back to the area where I had some luck.

Almost immediately we caught some fish. I was throwing the tube. I landed a 3'8" and then shortly thereafter my wife hooks a fish well over 4#. I was coaching her through it and thought I was doing a good job; she was fighting it perfectly. Then as it got close to the boat, it dove down under and instantly snapped her line. She stood there, as we all have done in our fishing lives, with mouth opened and shocked at what just happened. It then dawned on me, I never had her loosen the drag. That was my fault and I felt terrible. We caught a few more shorts and then landed a 4'12" smallie; biggest ever for me I was having a blast. A few minutes later my wife lands a 2'8" smallie and I land a 3'12" smallie. At this time my 5 biggest fish, 4'2, 4'6, 4'12, 3'8, 3'12 would top out over 20.5# Bar none, my biggest/best day of fishing ever. We stayed a while longer and caught some more shorts. To make it a perfect ending, I told my wife I didn't want to leave until she caught another (I still felt terrible about the break-off) and she looked at me, tightened her drag and set the hook on a fish; it was a dink, but the principal was perfect.

Not sure what made that spot so productive. We hooked 4 4# fish, lost another, and also 2 other 3# fish. This area was no longer than a 100' stretch of a small breakline. Weeds were present, and all 4# fish spit up perch during the fight, but interestingly, I couldn't get a bite on any perch imitation baits. We never ventured out of Anchor Bay all day.

I love Lake St. Clair and my wife wants to get back as well!

[fiker]

Good for you! 
Clair is the most awesome lake ever.  If I had to just fish one lake the rest of my life, it would be Clair. 
Problem is man, now you're hooked.  You can only keep going back. 
Too bad huh?

[canvsbk]

I fished with Duke on Tuesday night....he had this glassy eyed far away look all night. I hope this St. Clair trip hasn't ruined him forever.....

[Revtro]

St. Clair will do that to ya sometimes.  Right Langer? 

[Skulley]

Reids Ramp is another name for St. Jeans.  It is located at the end of St. Jeans Ave in Detroit which is near Chryslers Jefferson North Assembly Plant.  Not the greatest neighborhood but a good launch.  Great that you had a good day out there.  It is a great body of water. 

BD           

[Langer]

St. Clair will do that to ya sometimes.  Right Langer? 

I have been going through withdrawls lately......  You got an open seat on Saturday?

[Revtro]

Wish I could, but I'll be up in Grindstone City on our annual Lake Trout/Salmon trip.  Next weekend might work out though.

[Langer]

Wish I could, but I'll be up in Grindstone City on our annual Lake Trout/Salmon trip.  Next weekend might work out though.

Im in for next weekend if you have an open seat.

Be sure to eat at Capt. Morgans resturant while in Grindstone, its got some pretty good food.

[Duke]

Thought these photos were worth posting.

Thank you all for your kind remarks. And, yes, I am 100% addicted to Lake St. Clair now...