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In April the Connecting Waterways of the Detroit River attract countless anglers targeting spring run walleye.
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Motown is famous for pop music, automobiles, world class
hockey and mouth watering ethnic foods. This sprawling southeastern Michigan
city scape is a symbol of America’s industrial infrastructure. The Detroit
landscape is made up of a complex mixture of high rise office buildings, five
star motels, steel mills, ethnic restaurants, sports stadiums and auto
factories. Smack in the middle of this very much urban lifestyle awaits a
completely different and intimately more laid back lifestyle.
Tons of travelers visit the
Detroit Metro area every year, but one of the last things you would expect jet
setters to pack in their luggage is a fishing rod. Not only does this
metropolitan area offer everything a city slicker could hope for, the Great
Lakes Connecting Waters that flow from north to south are also home to
countless fish species and angling opportunities.
The waters
of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River are collectively
known as Great Lakes Connecting Waters. Together these waters form a shipping
highway that links Lakes Huron and Erie. Not only are these waters busy with
super tanker and barge traffic, added to the mix are countless recreational
boaters, avid fishermen and an impressive fleet of charter fishing boats.
The Great
Lakes Connecting Waters in the metro area also form the international border
between Ontario Canada and Michigan.
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White bass like this one are just one of the many popular species
anglers visiting Motown can expect to catch in large numbers.
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SOMETHING FISHY
The species
of fish found in these waters varies by the season. In the spring time the most
abundant and sought after species include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike
and steelhead. As spring eases into summer, the fishing focus changes to
include a mix of warm water species such as smallmouth and largemouth bass,
white bass and the mega sized muskie this region is famous for.
Compared to
more rural fishing destinations in other parts of the country, this metro area
produces unmatched angling opportunities for walleye, smallmouth bass and
muskie. In part this amazing fishery has developed because of some unexpected
environmental changes.
The culprit
of these changes can be summed up in just two words -- zebra mussel. These tiny
mollusks were accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes region and their
numbers have skyrocketed in recent years. Zebra mussels filter the water,
removing plankton and leaving the water exceptionally clear. Clear water allows
light to penetrate and in return aquatic plant growth has expanded into areas
that historically did not support plant growth. As aquatic plant growth
encompasses more and more of the available habitat, sport fish like walleye,
smallmouth bass and muskie have benefited from these changes.
The species
which are enjoying the most benefits are the smallmouth bass, largemouth bass
and muskie, each of which thrive among weed cover. Just recently the Michigan
state record for muskie was broken in Lake St. Clair and catch rates for this
species have never been higher in all three bodies of water.
Smallmouth
and their cousin the largemouth bass are also experiencing population booms as
a result of the expanding weed growth. The real benefactors of these unexpected
changes are the masses of sport fishermen who flock to the area in search of
sport fishing adventure.
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There are lots of good “fishing reasons” to visit the
Motown region, but tasty walleye like this continue to be the big draw.
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FREELANCE FISHING
The vast majority of anglers
who fish in these waters are freelancers who hit the water with their own boat,
motor and fishing equipment. Because these are border waters, it’s recommended
that visiting anglers purchase both a Michigan and Ontario fishing license.
Both the American and Canadian sides harbor great fishing opportunities and the
precise locations of these borders is not always easy to identify on the water.
Crossing into Ontario waters
requires anglers to call in to the Canadian Border Services Agency using a cell
phone. For more details consult the following web page, http://www.cbsa.gc.ca.
The species most often
targeted by freelance anglers include walleye and smallmouth bass. In some
cases these fish can be targeted from shore, but the premier fishing spots are
typically best accessed by boat.
Walleye are
most often targeted with medium action spinning tackle, armed with 8-10 pound
test braided fishing line and lead head jigs ranging in size from 3/8 to 3/4
ounce. Tipping the jig with a live shiner minnow is customary, but many anglers
prefer to use soft plastic minnow imitations.
Smallmouth
bass are also targeted with spinning tackle. A suitable rod and reel
combination for bass fishing includes a medium to medium heavy action rod from
six to seven feet in length matched to a spinning reel capable of holding 150
yards of 10-15 pound test super braid line.
For
terminal tackle, bass anglers will find that a mixture of jigs tipped with soft
plastic grubs or jigs and tube baits work wonders. Spinnerbaits are also
important bass lures when fishing in or around weed cover. Diving crankbaits
are popular lures for targeting both smallmouth and largemouth bass in these
waters.
The water
clarity in each of these fisheries is clear to slightly stained. In the case of
both walleye and bass fishing, natural lure colors are strongly recommended.
CHARTER FISHING
Fishing
waters as good as these also attract scores of charter boats who cater to
locals and the growing number of visiting anglers. Those anglers looking for a
day or two of entertainment and fishing adventure will find an ample supply of
charter fishing trips.
Charter
captains target all the popular species, but not every captain offers a mixed
bag of fishing options. Charters tend to specialize in one species or type of
fishing, so as to offer their customers the best possible chance of success.
It’s
important to note that some species just lend themselves better to charter
fishing than freelance fishing efforts. The muskie so popular and abundant in
this region is a prime example of a species that’s best targeted with the help
of a local charter captain. The highly specialized fishing tactics and gear
required to target muskie, strongly suggests incorporating the professional
services of a charter captain.
SUMMING IT UP
The
industrial landscape of metropolitan Detroit certainly ranks as a unorthodox
setting for a world class sport fishing destination. It takes the visiting
angler a little time to come to terms with the urban culture shock new comers
experience on these waters. Thankfully, the culture shock is quickly replaced
with memories of red hot fishing action. Who would have guessed that one of
Motown’s most enduring qualities can only be experienced with a fishing rod?
