What color jig heads for St. Claire and Detroit river Walleyes?

[bronze_back_hunter]

Making the trip up the first time in May. Looks like everyone mostly uses just a jig head and plastic? Little different than what we do down here for walleye. We use more hair jigs and minnows in KY and TN. I was wondering if anyone would care to share the better colors to use in Jig heads and plastic? I pour and paint my own baits so I want to get a jumpstart. If we are lucky enough to catch any brutes they will be turned loose. Looking for the good eating size.


Thanks for all the help!!!

[dartag1829]

Chartreuse or Anti Freeze as guys call them is all I use. 3/4 to 1 oz is all I use. You could be fishing really deep so heavy is better. Little fish love them to. Make or buy Stinger hooks. I would say by may a Black or dark colored worm would be all you need. There are many brands. You can pick them up local here. No reason to use minnows as the Silver Bass will drive you crazy. I use 8lb fireline tied directly to the jig. Some use a floro leader. What ever suits your style. Biggest thing is contact with the bottom. Hopefully you have a trolling motor. Just bounce along and you will catch fish. Watch for packs of boats. Have fun. Maybe you will catch a Salmon of Sturgeon. Heck maybe even Jimmy Hoffa.

[bronze_back_hunter]

Chartreuse or Anti Freeze as guys call them is all I use. 3/4 to 1 oz is all I use. You could be fishing really deep so heavy is better. Little fish love them to. Make or buy Stinger hooks. I would say by may a Black or dark colored worm would be all you need. There are many brands. You can pick them up local here. No reason to use minnows as the Silver Bass will drive you crazy. I use 8lb fireline tied directly to the jig. Some use a floro leader. What ever suits your style. Biggest thing is contact with the bottom. Hopefully you have a trolling motor. Just bounce along and you will catch fish. Watch for packs of boats. Have fun. Maybe you will catch a Salmon of Sturgeon. Heck maybe even Jimmy Hoffa.

Sounds good! We jig down here for them also but with Hair jigs. Anywhere from 25 ft to 5ft. Our Walleye population has really dropped the last decade. Seems the true "river spawners" has all but disappeared.

Thank you!!!

[LennyB]

The key to jigging for walleye in the Detroit river is more about the presentation than the color. You want to keep your boat moving at the same speed as the current so your line stays straight down and not at angle. Jig weight is as light as you can use, and still maintain good bottom contact, usually around 3/4 ounce or so. The plastic trailer can be anything that the fish will mistake for a minnow or small perch, 4" to 5" senko, plastic worm, grub, what ever you want to use in what ever color you want to get rid of. The key is getting it in front of them. As far as how to jig, I found a subtle 1' lift and drop works best. Keep trying to tap the bottom, just a lift and drop. When they bite you most likely will not feel it. You lift and the rod will load up. It will feel like you snagged a large beach towel. Just weight with a subtle tug. As far as finding fish, look for all the boats. Everyone (mainly the retired locals and captains that are out there everyday) know whats going on and schools of fish draw the crowds. Get right in with them. You can find fish hunting on your own but if you want to catch fish NOW, look for the cluster of boats. Also, if you fish the lower river (Trenton Channel area) have a lot of jigs on hand. You can go through a couple dozen easily do to hoe snaggy it is in the lower river. The middle river around Wyandotte and upper end near Saint Clare is mainly a smooth mud bottom and for that reason, most guides, guide there (lots of fish and the clients don't loose all the tackle). The lower end is good but you can burn through jigs like crazy there. A couple other notes: Clear water is key. Walleye are sight feeders. Dirty water equals tough fishing here. How the spawn progresses: The end of March and early April are big fish time (38 to 42 degree water). The females pull into the river and stack up around the heads of the islands. Don't expect numbers at this time but it's the best time for quality 10 pound range fish. Once the water hits the 42 degree mark, early April, the smaller males show up in droves. Lots of 20 to 24" males. This is the numbers time. As the spawn winds down in early May, the silver bass show up and the walleye head back to the lakes Hope that helps

[bronze_back_hunter]

Helps a ton. Thanks!!

[LennyB]

Also, get a Canadian License. The best fishing is on their side. You can buy it online.

[dartag1829]

One good thing is you will be able to keep 6 on either side of the river this year. That time of year you can go up river and fish for smallmouth on the American side after you get a limit.

[bronze_back_hunter]

We are going to try and smallmouth fish also. Seems they are a little different than their southern cousins as well. Here the nastier weather the better. Seems opposite up that way. Will they hit moving baits that time of the year. Always hear of the dropshot being the bait for smallies on Lake St. Clair.

[LennyB]

If they are not locked on their bed, and not all will be, they will absolutely hit moving baits. In general, the spawn for LSC starts in early April and goes through late June. The key is not being locked into trying to force the fish to bite a pattern that's not on. Once I had a client insist on throwing a pink zoom fluke because that's how he caught them the year before. Even though it was the same weekend the following year, the conditions were different. The best thing you can do is figure it out on that day. The fish will be there, you just have to figure out the best way to catch them, that day, under that days conditions.

[dartag1829]

We are going to try and smallmouth fish also. Seems they are a little different than their southern cousins as well. Here the nastier weather the better. Seems opposite up that way. Will they hit moving baits that time of the year. Always hear of the dropshot being the bait for smallies on Lake St. Clair.

Remember in May Canada is closed to bass fishing. Well you can fish but it could be really expensive.

[bronze_back_hunter]

If they are not locked on their bed, and not all will be, they will absolutely hit moving baits. In general, the spawn for LSC starts in early April and goes through late June. The key is not being locked into trying to force the fish to bite a pattern that's not on. Once I had a client insist on throwing a pink zoom fluke because that's how he caught them the year before. Even though it was the same weekend the following year, the conditions were different. The best thing you can do is figure it out on that day. The fish will be there, you just have to figure out the best way to catch them, that day, under that days conditions.

Perfect!!! I am looking forward to it.

[bronze_back_hunter]

Remember in May Canada is closed to bass fishing. Well you can fish but it could be really expensive.

No we don't want that.

[piketroller]

For deep water walleye jigging, you really only need three colors for plastics - light/natural, bright, and dark. When you get down relatively deep, most of the visible light spectrum is filtered out, so think about how the baits would look in grey scale. I also like to run a contrasting jig head compared to the plastic.

You’ll want to spend the first hour sticking to 30 feet deep or less while you get the hang of boat control and keeping your line vertical. It’s a big, fast, deep river, and a little practice up front will make you substantially better for when you do get to deeper spots.

[Hollada]

[Hollada]

[Hollada]

Jigs and plastics - local shop at 16 and Jefferson near LSC Metropark on the lake

https://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/ultra-islammer-jig/

[bronze_back_hunter]

Jigs and plastics - local shop at 16 and Jefferson near LSC Metropark on the lake

https://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/ultra-islammer-jig/

Thanks so much!!!