Lake Erie and Detroit River Spring Walleye Bite Heats Up with Full Moon

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for anglin' around Lake Erie and the Detroit River. It's early mornin' on April 17, 2026, and conditions are prime for hittin' the water—clear skies with east winds at 10-15 knots, seas calm around 2 feet per Juno Bait's weekend outlook. Sunrise kicks off at 6:50 AM, sunset wraps at 8:15 PM, givin' us a solid 13+ hours of daylight. No real tides here on the Great Lakes, but water levels are steady, and that full moon phase from solunar charts means fish are feedin' active, especially majors around dawn and dusk.

Recent catches? Walleye are hot—anglers pulled limits up to 10 pounds near the Detroit River mouth and Lorain reefs last week, per local shop reports. Perch schools are stackin' up 8-12 inches deep in 20-30 feet, with smallmouth bass hittin' 3-5 pounds on rocky points. Steelhead stragglers and early channel cats roundin' out the mix. Fish activity's high right now, rampin' up as water temps hover 45-50°F.

Best lures: spoons like the Cotton Cordell Wally Diver in perch or firetiger for walleye, jiggin' with 3/8-oz hair jigs tipped with minnows. For bass, go tube jigs or Ned rigs in green pumpkin. Live bait rules—nightcrawlers or shiners on slip bobbers for perch, alewives for cats. Work 'em slow in current seams.

Hot spots: Detroit River ship canal for walleye driftin', and the Canadian side near Fighting Island for smallies—launch from Bishop Park or Stony Point.

Y'all stay safe out there, measure 'em twice and keep only what you eat.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI