Planning Lake St. Clair Trip
Good Morning All,
I hope everyone is having a good day thus far. A couple of friends and I are looking to plan a trip to St. Clair next year in Spring/Early summer. I am looking for advise on the best place to stay that is boat friendly. Any advise, tips, or tricks are also welcome. This will be my first trip up north and I am looking forward to it
Look in the Roseville area...or rent a house close to the lake on VRBO or AIR BNB.
I need to go back up there, caught some good fish when I was there, tough time of year when I went 3 fronts in 4 days
Call the Swan View Inn Algonac Mi. 586-382-3008. They can accommodate large groups . Even singles or 2 fisherman in the "Crows nest" . Very affordable and the accommodations are perfect. Close to ramp if you want to keep it on the trailer or you can dump the boat and keep it on the docks with electric . Plus I caught 2-3 lb largemouth from their pier.
Please tell them Ed Travis sent you.
Be advised that depths will change due to rainfalls, or how much snow and ice from the previous winter. Just about anywhere on the lake you will catch fish. Many feeder creeks, rivers, and canals feed the lake. Canals hold good amounts of largemouths, pitching and flipping docks and seawalls is best, seawalls on the main lake, weed edges, island cuts, channels, cuts, bays, all hold fish. On the northwest part, where the Salt river feeds the lake there is a ramp, and within that area, there are pilings from an old marina, smallmouths love that area, don't hesitate to fish areas where there are a lot of reeds, too.
Be aware of Canadian waters and the Indian waters, you'll need licenses and permits for those. Be aware of those toothy critters, pike and muskies, and walleye...no thumb grips on those.
Saint Clair Lake water depth map - marine chart (fishermap.org)
When you were there, how many smallie skeletons were in the fish cleaning trash? Looking through all of the pics, it appears this place doesn't condone the practice of smallies being released to the grease.Originally Posted by Crankin
It is that way with many of the guides. We stayed at Anglers point and would watch the guides come in and clean a bunch of big smallmouth every day we were there.
DANG!!!! That would be hard to watch and make me sick!!!
Also take the time to read this
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=977975
"The handicapped angler"
I didn't notice if smallmouth were being cleaned or not. I also have never known a hotel, motel, resort, Air B&B, Cabin or any other establishment to monitor what it's resident's keep for their own consumption.
What I do know is the Swan View Inn is an amazing , affordable, and extremely accommodating place to stay for fisherman wanting to fish Lake St. Clair.
PS I am not affiliated with the Inn I am just a returning guest.
If it’s legal possession then they can be cleaned and eaten. Personally I don’t like the taste of smallies, but to each his own. If you are hungry there are so many other species up there for that purpose, but people eating a few will not hurt that population,in my opinion.
Having fished lake for years one thing to remember. The lake wants to Kill You. Weather can make it nasty in a hurry. Windfinder is a good free app to have to monitor weather. Check everything on your boat to make sure it is up to date. You will need coast guard approved flares. Like said Bass are not the best eaters. Walleye are what you should keep if you get them. Have fun be safe.
Unfortunately, some of the areas around Lake St. Clair are not the greatest. Every year there are stories of boats being ripped off in the parking lots of local motels. I would probably try to rent a house where you can at least back your boat up between the houses or behind it them to discourage thieves. Definitely take the valuables out of the boat each night.
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