New to fishing in Michigan

[williamonica0214]

I will be fishing lake St Clair  and the Detroit river for the fist time the coming season. Can anyone tell what license I will need and where to get them? Also any tip on what baits and colors do well would be great. Not asking for any spots just pointed in right direction on baits and colors thanks

[huston]

I know it's a good drive to the Fishing show in Novi, coming up but if you can, you can meet and learn a great deal from Michiganders about our great resource and pick up what you need. Very informative show with seminars, tackle, outfitters and of course meeting the GLB members.

[djkimmel]

Search Lake St. Clair fishing license on the forum. There are posts that cover what licenses you need where, and how to get them in detail. Make sure you read through the last two seasons of fishing reports. Lots of good information in them to get you started real well.

[fiker]

There's a lot of water to be fished if you never stray outside Michigan waters. 

Having said that though the south shore of Clair can be pretty darn good right after the Canadian opener (4th Saturday in June). 

In the River for me it's about 50/50 as to whether to fish Canada or Michigan.  Depends on the time of year. 

I've never fished the Walpole waters. 


So if you have a Michigan license, Ontario license, and Ontario sportsman card, you can fish a lifetime and never cover it all from Port Huron all the way down to Ohio. 

[t-bone]

Here is what you do - come to the paper tournament that this forum puts on, search for "Madwags Memorial" and you'll find the details. You can fish as a non-boater and you'll get all kinds of info about St. Clair from your boater. Or come as a boater and Dan or others will let you follow them out on the water. He usually puts on a little clinic of what to throw and what to target. That would be a good starter for you.
Bring a tube, a jerkbait or fluke, a dropshot and a crankbait. Colors aren't overly important to start. They'll be either on beds or in the shallows getting ready to bed. Anything that freaks them out as a bed predator will get hit.

[djkimmel]

That's a really good suggestion I need to remember to make more often, though I suggest it usually when I get direct contacts from new people.

[williamonica0214]

Thanks for the tips guys

[Rangerman]

Annual MI fishing license reasonable, don't forget the DNR Parking Permit if you using the DNR ramps and last but not least. No Power Loading on ramps, they use soft concert all from a North Carolina Fishermen that love LSC