South Channel Walleye

[Catch-N-Eat]

From reading posts over the last several days, I see there has been some successful fishing trips in the Detroit River. I know we have discussed Walleye movements in the St. Clair River on previous posts, and the general answer for this area is; "When the Lilacs Bloom".

Having said all of that my question is, would the fish be moving in the South Channel of the St.Clair River now, or are they moving up from Lake Erie through the Detroit River and on up to Lake St. Clair? Do they "winter" at all in Lake St. Clair? Thanks!

[ESOX]

Personally, I think they are there year round, they just don't get the attention in the spring the huge numbers in the detroit river get.

[Catch-N-Eat]

Makes sense to me, Thanks Esox! We are going to take a shot at them this weekend.;)

[Percha Man]

Walleye definetly winter in lake St. Clair and are there year round.
If not I wouldn't have as many fish featuring walleye in the winter months.;)

[Can't Touch This]

Oh ya, i'm pretyy sure that st.clair should have eyss year round since alot of people reports catching them. I know the detroit river has year-round fish too.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

There are walleyes in the St. Clair system now. I have fished for the in the north channel in April. Some may come from Lake huron to spawn and some are residents of LSC. The quanity is less than the Detroit river which gets most of its spawners from Lake Erie.

Let us know how you do.

[I'llbeoutside]

Where is the best place to launch for the south and middle channels? Is the dnr launch at Deckers the closest. We may give it a try on saturday a.m if we don't go to Trenton. Water levels at that launch were pretty low last year. Plan on going to Anchor Bay today to get a few more break-in hours in and cast for a few pike. Thanks and will post results.

[Catch-N-Eat]

"Outside" - I haven't tried this launch yet but, the Algonac city launch looks ok depending on the size of boat you have. I have a 20ft Thompson with a Cuddy Cabin and I will eventually give it a try there.

Walleye Mike- Thanks for the input. I had to believe there were fish moving in that area.

What started this whole discussion was an ongoing debate with my father who has fished the St. Clair River for the last 200 years. ( I did say 200.) He always Hand-Lines up around Stag Island, and in his mind most of the fish are migrating up from Lake Erie, which may or may not be true. But somehow it does happen that the season really gets going full swing in that area, "When The Lilacs Bloom". So in his opinion, I am wasting my time fishing before then. I told him that I believe fish are moving around the south end of the St. Clair River, from Lake St. Clair, the same way they move at the south end of the Detroit River, from Lake Erie.

Anyway, it does make sense that there is a larger population of Walleye in Lake Erie which make for a more spectacular run in the Detroit River earlier than we see up here.