Where are the rocks/structure on St Clair?!?!

[datbasstho]

So guys, I’ve been out 3 times now and I can’t find boulders or any type or rock or structure.
First couple times I was in anchor bay, no luck.
Today I launched from Metro Beach and went all the way down to Grosspointe Marina and found nothing but weeds.

I managed to pull one 4lber in about 16’ of water before I was stopped from the coast guard.
I even asked them to help me out lol, and one of them told me the rocky bottom is out far so I decided to take his word for it and made it to the channel and almost to Canada and literally nothing but flat bottom and no rocks whatsoever.

I was out for about 7 hours today and 5 of them was boating/lookin for structure.
I’m starting to believe St Clair used to be a desert years ago

Im not asking for honey holes just any locations I can find rocks so I can finally get more than one smallie in the boat.

Thanks in advance!

[21XDC]

The whole SW corner is rocks from 2ft out to deep... I'm not saying it's the best place to fish. I do catch a lot from this area.

[SAL321]

There are literally pockets of boulders and rock throughout. The area in front of the 9 Mile tower from 6 to 17 FOW is loaded with that kinda of structure. Along the Grosse Pointes there are also rock piles. They are out there .

The best explanation I've ever heard regarding LSC is by Mark Davis after a tourney.


http://video.bassmaster.com/detail/v...-it-like-it-is

[datbasstho]

The whole SW corner is rocks from 2ft out to deep... I'm not saying it's the best place to fish. I do catch a lot from this area.

So I would have to keep going south past grosse point Marina towards the river to get to where you’re saying?

thanks

[datbasstho]

There are literally pockets of boulders and rock throughout. The area in front of the 9 Mile tower from 6 to 17 FOW is loaded with that kinda of structure. Along the Grosse Pointes there are also rock piles. They are out there .

The best explanation I've ever heard regarding LSC is by Mark Davis after a tourney.


http://video.bassmaster.com/detail/v...-it-like-it-is

haha that videos amazing, it’s exactly how I felt when I was boating around all day looking for structure, THERES NOTHING OUT THERE!

Im an Erie guy too, but just moved here so I’m trying to adapt. I mean I’m used to finding structure this time of year but Mark Davis is making it sound like you can just crank the flats and find them?

I was around the 9 mile tower but I think I was too far out to see the rock piles.
I was in 16-20 fow so I probably missed them. That’s where the coast guard stopped me.

thanks for the help

[castforcash]

So I would have to keep going south past grosse point Marina towards the river to get to where you’re saying?

thanks

Right in front of 9 mile tower is loaded with boulders and rock piles. All kinds of rock piles between 9 mile and metro, as well as between 9 mile and mouth of Detroit river.

[MI bassassassin]

Out in front of 9 mile there is a green can and way to the north there is a red can, in between those two cans there are several rock humps. It’s a very large community area especially in the spring.

[datbasstho]

Right in front of 9 mile tower is loaded with boulders and rock piles. All kinds of rock piles between 9 mile and metro, as well as between 9 mile and mouth of Detroit river.

ok perfect, I was out too far in front of it so I missed it for sure. Thanks for the help

[datbasstho]

Out in front of 9 mile there is a green can and way to the north there is a red can, in between those two cans there are several rock humps. It’s a very large community area especially in the spring.

Appreciate it! I’ll be trying out next time I’m out.

[Hollada]

Get out there in April and mark rocks and structure before the weeds obfuscate them. Also look for clumps of tall weeds (“cabbage”) and think of them as structure. They provide cover for perch and minnows. Find the bait, you’ll find smallies.

This is worth the watch as well…

[datbasstho]

Get out there in April and mark rocks and structure before the weeds obfuscate them. Also look for clumps of tall weeds (“cabbage”) and think of the, as structure. They provide cover for perch and minnows. Find the bait, you’ll find smallies.

This is worth the watch as well…

I wish I was out there that early but I just moved here and didn’t get the boat until June so I missed the glorious pre spawn spring massacre everyone enjoys on this lake.

And I did find some grass and perch further out from the 9 mile tower and then boom, the 4 lber hit so you’re definitely right about tall weeds and bait.

As for the video, that was awesome. Extremely helpful and I felt every word he said about it being just miles of flats and although I don’t have the time to idle around as much as I wish, I have been doing it a lot more than usual lol

Thanks for the help

[XChris1632X]

Honestly my advice to you is to quit looking for it. You are literally driving over dozens of 20 pound sacks looking for rock. It's not Erie. That's what sucks but also makes it amazing. Fish the depth ranges you want to and narrow it down that way. Along the way you will find rock and they can hold fish at times but you can catch plenty between the rock piles.

[gatorsin09]

There's plenty of em on the sand/grass don't even really need to find rock...

[datbasstho]

Honestly my advice to you is to quit looking for it. You are literally driving over dozens of 20 pound sacks looking for rock. It's not Erie. That's what sucks but also makes it amazing. Fish the depth ranges you want to and narrow it down that way. Along the way you will find rock and they can hold fish at times but you can catch plenty between the rock piles.

What are 20 lb sacks?

appreciate the advice, I have been out again and been wasting so much time looking for structure.
I have stopped and fished weeds and grass but still with minimal luck.
obviously summer heat is always the hardest but I’m getting crushed every time these days

[datbasstho]

There's plenty of em on the sand/grass don't even really need to find rock...

Ive been trying those areas too with not much luck.
I’ve even looked for grass to sand transitions and that hasn’t helped.

I went into the channel in anchor bay and can see fish but no bites.

[gary_fritz]

What are 20 lb sacks?

they are referring to your best 5 fish weighing 20+lbs total

[brnzbaklvr]

Honestly my advice to you is to quit looking for it. You are literally driving over dozens of 20 pound sacks looking for rock. It's not Erie. That's what sucks but also makes it amazing. Fish the depth ranges you want to and narrow it down that way. Along the way you will find rock and they can hold fish at times but you can catch plenty between the rock piles.

Good advice here......I will add that rather than look for rocks you search out bait fish.....Also sand grass...
Concentrate on working an area rather than just sitting tight on one spot...

[datbasstho]

they are referring to your best 5 fish weighing 20+lbs total

Ah I see.
thank you

[datbasstho]

Good advice here......I will add that rather than look for rocks you search out bait fish.....Also sand grass...
Concentrate on working an area rather than just sitting tight on one spot...

Yes, you’re right about bait for sure and I’ll look for sand grass spots.
Also, I actually don’t sit tight. I would try and mark anything and try the area for a bit but then constantly troll slowly in the surrounding areas to try out.

I’ve also stopped near boat gatherings (keeping my distance) which I hate doing and hate that I could be bothering them but I’m only trying to located some structure at that time and not steal their honey holes.

[XChris1632X]

Yes, you’re right about bait for sure and I’ll look for sand grass spots.
Also, I actually don’t sit tight. I would try and mark anything and try the area for a bit but then constantly troll slowly in the surrounding areas to try out.

I’ve also stopped near boat gatherings (keeping my distance) which I hate doing and hate that I could be bothering them but I’m only trying to located some structure at that time and not steal their honey holes.

St Clair is different. I don't want to say stop looking for the structure but stop looking for the structure. I think it is steering you away from catching. A lot of people say St Clair has no structure. I disagree with this but it is not like most lakes where structure is everywhere. Pick an area that you want to fish. Within that area you stay until you catch them and then try to identify what they are relating to. You will need to do that in every area you try to learn after that.

My suggestion for you is to start in the Mile Roads or Metro area a couple miles from shore. Pick a day with a West wind and drift. Toss a drop shot with your bait of choice and start with green pumpkin. No other reason than the fact it will catch them and you do not need to be thinking about different baits to use for this day. Drift for 30 mins and if you don't get a bite motor East 1/4 mile and do it again. 1 of three things will happen. You will either catch smallmouth - and then you can further put a pattern together, you will run into Perch and bait - at which point you need to slow down and concentrate on this area as the smallmouth should bite next, or lastly nothing will between where you started and the Canadian line - at this point you will need to ask yourself what went wrong.

Follow this method and you will catch some with basic skill. Not say they will be giants, not saying you will put 50 in the boat. There are fish there and if you lock yourself to that area you can figure out the bite from there. Also, after 3 days of doing this in this area you will have found some "structure" or some key things that hold bass in this area. You now have waypoints.