Lake St. Clair Perch report

[Little John]

Any of you guys that want to get a few perch meals stored away or have a shot at a master angler perch should spend a little time on Lake St. Clair ASAP. The perch are really popping in many locations around the lake. In a recent tournament held last weekend, a 50 fish limit weighed in at 31+ pounds, with many fish in the 12"+ class.

Any of you folks want to talk specifics???

[Scenic]

Does St. Clair get enough ice on it to find them perch in the winter months too?

[Matt Johnson]

Aww Jeff... you beat me to it I would love to pull up some of those perch through the ice!

Road trip?

[Scenic]

It could be another road trip for sure. lol

[Little John]

We usually get 1st ice around New Year’s Day on some of the bays and calmer shoreline areas. The miles and miles of canals/boat harbors usually freeze earlier and can offer some pretty good perch fishing too. The perch come into these marinas looking for the young of the year bluegills, crappies, largemouth, and rock bass. The hags will sometimes have half a dozen or more little gills in their football shaped bellies. The big problem with early ice is access. The marinas are private property and the folks that own the thousands of 5, 6, and 7 figure boats/yachts don't like hoards of scruffy, steel bar tot’s fells hanging around. The key is being discrete, quiet and having a few connections doesn't hurt. Guys hold their secret access spots pretty close to their chest, because crowds mean flashing blue lights and loss of access. Once the main lake freezes and it usually does by the 3rd week in Jan. or sooner, the canals are easy access from the main lake. But open expanses of main lake ice mean giant roaming hoards of jumbos and often means team work and cell phones to find them. It's worth it when you do! A 50 fish limit of 10+ can happen in 10 minutes on a bead jig (ask me about it later). These open water fish are usually on the move big time as they hunt and are hunted by walleye, pike, and musky.

But late ice is even better....You guys will have to come visit next year. I work during the week. But I know guys that fish almost every day.

Are you still out there Phil???