It’s a fishing day

Lake St. Clair (Metropark) fishing conditions · Michigan

Today 11 am to tomorrow 3 pmMuskellunge

The bite peaks at 80.

Log a trip here
Right now: 78 for muskellunge, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Muskellunge, 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. 783 am
  2. 78
  3. 78
  4. 766 am
  5. 66
  6. 66
  7. 729 am
  8. 68
  9. 76
  10. 7612 pm
  11. 80
  12. 80
  13. 763 pm
  14. 76
  15. 76
  16. 806 pm
  17. 80
  18. 76
  19. 769 pm
  20. 76
  21. 76
  22. 76Tue
  23. 80
  24. 80
  25. 803 am
  26. 76
  27. 76
  28. 766 am
  29. 76
  30. 76
  31. 769 am
  32. 80
  33. 76
  34. 7612 pm
  35. 76
  36. 80
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Muskellunge range 55–78°

Wind
3 mph

From the west-southwest

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:57 am

Sky
Patchy Fog

1% chance of rain

Air
50°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

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.

Muskellunge

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

80Worth the tripToday 11 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

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

Why

Muskellunge feeds aggressively under full moon. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

42" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan: 42" minimum, 1 muskellunge per angler per license year (Apr 1–Mar 31), registered within 24 hours. Great Lakes possession season is the first Saturday in June (Jun 5 in 2027) to Mar 15; catch and immediate release otherwise.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

70Worth the tripToday 11 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Michigan Great Lakes: largemouth and smallmouth combined, 14" minimum, 5 a day. Possession season opens the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 29 in 2027) and runs to Dec 31; catch and immediate release is open the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

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

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

70Worth the tripToday 11 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lower Peninsula Great Lakes: 15" minimum, 5 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Michigan

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

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

70Worth the tripToday 11 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

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

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

70Worth the tripToday 11 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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 8 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
  • Barometer30.34 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:57 am
  • Sunset today6:32 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 8:10 am–9:10 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:00 pm–7:00 pm

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 today 4 am–7 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.