Lake St. Clair Walleye - when?

[Puggz]

Happy spring everyone, after a dismal winter I'm excited to get out and drag some harnesses in LSC. I recall doing well there in May last year but when does it really start to heat up?

TIA!

P.

 

[walleyeman]

I would stick with May again Puggz. I think the water temps need to come up a bit. Still too cold!

 

[Buckets]

The guys I knew that lived down in that area used to tell us that when the lilacs start to bloom it was time to start walleye fishing in St. Clair . There's some around year round but that was when they hit it hard .

 

[blackeyes]

I'm not sure about the lilacs scenario this year. The bite is on. I've limited out in previous years in a couple of drifts, so not hot yet, but getting there. Yesterday it took about 8 drifts. We were jigging. I have cousins that have been catching for the last two weeks. My boats not ready yet so I went out yesterday with them and we knocked off a 3 man limit in less than four hours. Could have been in half the time but twice our limit was probably lost in the first two or three cranks of the reel. Very frustrating but we got some nice eaters. All males between 16" and 20" with two at 22". Most of the males were all milked out. Water temp was 42 degrees. Dozens of boats out where we were. After yesterday and seeing the early season start my boat will be ready on the weekend

 

[Caseys Dream]

I grew up close to Mitchell's Bay and spent many days on Lake St Clair, love that lake.

Lilac bloom was always THE signal. Meant water was warming, weeds were growing, baitfish, bugs and perch fry were hatching.

 

[Puggz]

Thanks everyone, I don't have lilacs but I'll be trying the 1st week of May, wind and weather dependent.