[Eric C.]

Ok, I'll bite, no pun intended. I have often heard that Lake St. Clair holds a healthy population of lunker largemouth. Is this still true? Where might one find these bigger fish and how do you fish for them?

I have caught a few fishing for smallmouth in the weeds around the Mile Roads, but most of them were dinks, with the biggest maybe hitting 14 to 15 inches. Its funny how some days fishing the same areas you might have fished a few days before you'll catch many largemouth and then not catch any for weeks. Any ideas why this is? Thanks for your posts, you guys are so helpful.

Sincerely,

Needing to Catch a Lunker Largemouth to be Fulfilled

 

[No More Mini]

Largemouth are all over the lake and underfished. You can find them in and around almost any canal system (the back basin of Metro is a fav of mine, especially when the wind is really howling). Alos you will find them located in almost any weedbed(s) in the lake, especially in Anchor Bay. The weed beds that are nearest sometype of depth change are best, although there is some pretty good fishing on the flats as you noted.

Most largemouth baits work, my favorites have to be topwater, jigs and spinnerbaits.

Mini

 

[Eric C.]

Mini,

I have always heard that a jig-n-pig or jig-n-craw is a great big largemouth bait. Out of every lure in my tackle box it is the jig that I am the most unsure of. I'll sometimes tie one on a rod but it will get overlooked for a tube or a worm or a crankbait or a spinnerbait or a jerkbait or the banjo minnow (ok maybe not the banjo minnow). How do you exactly fish a jig? drag it? slow retrieve? And what makes for good jig fishing waters. Thanks.

 

[h2o]

http://www.brauerbass.com/

 

[Basschaser]

Eric, the jig/pig is an excellent "big" largemouth bait. My favorite for those chirping toads lurking in the weeds. Just as you said, you can hop it, drag it, vertically jig it in place etc...I usually drag it in colder water and hop it in warmer water and vertically jig it in place in the thick stuff. I usually use a lighter jig in colder water and a heavier jig in warmer water (but not always). You have to experiment to see what the bass want. Sometimes they want it falling fast (creates a reaction strike) sometimes they want it falling slow. There is a lot of info on jigs and how to use them. Some other guys will add to this I'm sure. This is probably a small bit of info but hope it gives you a start.

 

[muskiebobsr]

This from an ex Bass Man. Some of the bigger Large Mouths will be over in the weedy areas on the Southeastern Shore of the lake. Up on the flats and the drop offs. There is also a very healthy group of them in Anchor Bay. Off of the point At Fair Haven is a good spoy. I landed a Big one years ago near the salt river of nearly 9 pounds. No one really targets them on our lake because of so many Smallie's. So some of them are big. Try the four foot edge of the weed beds around the lake. Another thing try bigger lures than you usually use. I catch a lot of 3 to 6 pounders on Super Shads casting for muskie. Bob

 

[No More Mini]

All good points....especially Muskiebob. That guy catches some toads on musky baits....

As far as fishing a jig, no one mentioned swimming it. If you know who Tom Monsoor is, you will know about swimming a jig. The guy is a master of it.

Start out fishing a jig/craw combo like you would a rubber worm. Let it feel its way in and around cover. You will not be able to fish it in all the same areas as a worm, but ti will be a good start.

Size and color are important most days, others (especially the spring on Clair) it really doesnt matter.

Mini

 

[Dgreif]

i have to say that my favorite and most productive way i have found is to troll the shorelines and cast up to seawalls and rocks with a black jitterbug, all hours of the day.
i usually get quite a few along with some nice suprises(pike, musky, smallies, even large sun fish)
its worth a try and its works most areas of the lake i have tried it at. nothing like hearing the SPLASH, GULP sound on a spring morning

 

[No More Mini]

I agree, I am a HUGE topwater fan!

Mini

 

[h2o]

I think top water cannot be talked about enough!!!!

Oh My!!!!!

Think about it, toss that baby out there and your body goes somewhere i can't explain. Your constantly ready for the EXPLOSION!!!!!!! You have to hesitate, you hope he or she didn't miss it, you wait for the slack to tighten (judgement day), the excitement is second to none. Giving that baby little pops, watching, waiting, antisapating, THERE'S NOTHING TO COMPARE IT TO. Calm water, quite, concentrating, and most of the time the fish is big. Your just waiting ,all the time you have to be ready no room for mistake.

h2o<----says top water fishing is the best there is!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dgreif]

something even better for topwater!!!
your out before light, or past dark.
water is calm, you cast, you hear it hit the water several yards out, you give it a twitch and hear the water bubble, another twitch, you cant see a thing but the lights on the shore, and just when your ready to reel it up, SPLASH, and you dont know what you have till you get it near your light or lantern..
damn, i should send that to Walkers Kay chronicles, haha
there is definitly a constant readiness and adrenalin rush.

i started top water fishing when i tossed out a minnow on a bobber and had something(likely bass) come up and try to eat the bobber!!! another besides jitterbug is a straight rapala, rip it, let it float up, rip it, etc etc, occasionally it wont float up and your line will get nice and taunt!! or your have that wonderful sound and sight or breaking water!!

 

[muskiebobsr]

I love top water when it is dead calm and there is fog on the water. Now thats an exciting hit. This is when a buzz bait wrecks havoc on the Bass population. Bob