It’s a fishing day

Lake St. Clair (Metropark) fishing conditions · Michigan

Now until tomorrow 1 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 80.

Log a trip here
Right now: 80 for walleye, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 804 pm
  2. 76
  3. 76
  4. 767 pm
  5. 76
  6. 76
  7. 7610 pm
  8. 80
  9. 80Sun
  10. 761 am
  11. 76
  12. 76
  13. 764 am
  14. 76
  15. 76
  16. 807 am
  17. 76
  18. 76
  19. 7610 am
  20. 80
  21. 80
  22. 681 pm
  23. 68
  24. 76
  25. 764 pm
  26. 80
  27. 76
  28. 767 pm
  29. 76
  30. 76
  31. 7610 pm
  32. 76
  33. 80Mon
  34. 801 am
  35. 76
  36. 76
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
10 mph

From the west-northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:17 pm

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
52°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Michigan regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

80Worth the tripNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River: 15" minimum, 6 a day, open all year. Michigan resets this limit every May 1.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Erie, Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River: 14" minimum, 5 a day combined. Possession season opens the third Saturday in June (Jun 19 in 2027) and runs to Dec 31; catch and immediate release the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan: no size limit, 25 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Muskellunge

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Muskellunge bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Muskellunge is here May–Oct. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

42" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River: 42" minimum, 1 per license year, possession season the first Saturday in June (Jun 5 in 2027) to Dec 31; catch and immediate release otherwise.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on muskellunge

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan: "All others", carp included, have no size limit, no possession limit and are open all year. Live carp may not be used as bait. Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Michigan

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.07 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:17 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:13 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:20 pm–12:20 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:20 am–7:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Michigan DNR publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A shallow, fertile bowl between Lakes Huron and Erie widely ranked the best smallmouth bass fishery in the country — and a top muskie and walleye water besides. The "flats" grow giant smallmouth on drop-shot and tube rigs, while the weed edges hold trophy muskellunge. Lake St. Clair Metropark anchors public launch access northeast of Detroit.

Bass harvest opens the third Saturday in June (14" minimum, 5 a day); catch and immediate release before that. Walleye 15" minimum, 6 a day.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Detroit River (Wyandotte)31 mi · MichiganBest now until tomorrow 11 am
96Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake St. Clair (Metropark)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake St. Clair (Metropark) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake St. Clair (Metropark)?

Lake St. Clair (Metropark) is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Muskellunge, Walleye, Yellow Perch, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake St. Clair (Metropark)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake St. Clair (Metropark) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake St. Clair (Metropark) have?

Lake St. Clair (Metropark) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Bass harvest opens the third Saturday in June (14" minimum, 5 a day); catch and immediate release before that. Walleye 15" minimum, 6 a day.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake St. Clair (Metropark)?

state agency regulations apply at Lake St. Clair (Metropark). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake St. Clair (Metropark) tidal water?

No. Lake St. Clair (Metropark) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.